Method for providing and obtaining content

• US 20030217007A1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adeia Semiconductor Advanced Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Tessera Advanced Technologies, Inc.) (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Hiroshi, Fujii, Hajime, Fukushima, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/901 Digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/902 Licensing digital content
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/903 Adding plural layer of rights or limitations by other than the original producer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/904 Usage protection of distributed files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 705/911 Copy protection or prevention

Abstract

In a data providing server 1101, whether or not specified compressed content data D51 generated by means of a specified compression coding method corresponding to terminal identification information has been stored in a content database 1113 is detected, according to content specifying data D53 transmitted from a portable dedicated terminal 1104. If the specified compressed content data D51 has been stored, the data providing server 1101 reads and transmits this to the portable dedicated terminal 1104. And if the specified compressed content data D51 has not been stored, the data providing server 1101 generates the specified compressed content data D51 by means of the specified compression coding method, and transmits this to the portable dedicated terminal 1104. Thereby, the specified compressed content data D51 generated by means of a specified decoding method can be properly provided to the portable dedicated terminal 1104, and the user can easily view a content based on the content data.

Claims

1. A content providing and obtaining system composed of a content providing apparatus for providing compressed content data generated by compressively coding content data by a specified compression coding method, and a content obtaining apparatus applying a specified decoding method corresponding to the specified compression coding method, for obtaining said compressed content data provided from said content providing apparatus, wherein:

said content providing apparatus comprises

data storing means for storing said compressed content data compressively coded by one or more kinds of compression coding methods,

information receiving means for receiving identification information for identifying said specified decoding method applied to the content obtaining apparatus, and specifying information representing specified content data, transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus,

data detecting means for detecting whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, according to said identification information and said specifying information,

reading means, according to the detection result by said data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said data storing means, for reading said specified compressed content data from said data storing means,

compressively-coding means, according to the detection result by said data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, for compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data, and

data transmitting means for transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said data storing means by said reading means, or said specified compressed content data generated by said compressively-coding means, to said content obtaining apparatus; and

said content obtaining apparatus comprises

information transmitting means for transmitting said identification information and said specifying information to said content providing apparatus,

data receiving means for receiving said specified compressed content data transmitted from said content providing apparatus, and

decoding means for decoding said specified compressed content data by said specified decoding method, and generating said specified content data.

2. The content providing and obtaining system according to claim 1, wherein:

said content obtaining apparatus transmits identification data for identifying the above content obtaining apparatus to said content providing apparatus as said identification information; and

said content providing apparatus specifies said specified decoding method by said identification data.

3. The content providing and obtaining system according to claim 1, wherein:

said content providing apparatus includes

judging means for judging whether or not said content obtaining apparatus which transmitted said identification information is an authorized apparatus usable the providing service of said specified content data, based on said identification information; and

only in the case where said content obtaining apparatus was judged as an authorized apparatus usable said providing service of said specified content data by said judging means, said data detecting means detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information.

4. The content providing and obtaining system according to claim 1, wherein:

said content providing apparatus includes

information storing means for storing said identification information, and information on said specified compression coding method corresponding to said specified decoding method applied to said content obtaining apparatus to which the above identification information has been allocated, by making a correspondence, and

information detecting means for detecting said specified compression coding method corresponding to the identification information in said information storing means, based on said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus; and

said data detecting means detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information and said specified compression coding method detected by said information detecting means.

5. The content providing and obtaining system according to claim 1, wherein;

said content providing apparatus includes recording means, if said specified compressed content data is generated by said compressively-coding means, for recording and storing the above generated specified compressed content data in said data storing means.

6. The content providing and obtaining system according to claim 1, wherein:

a content supplying apparatus having

supply-side data storing means for storing compressed content data for supply that has been compressively coded by a compression coding method at least different from said compressed content data stored in said data storing means of said content providing apparatus,

supply-side information receiving means for receiving request information representing said specified compression coding method and said specified content data, from said content providing apparatus,

supply-side data detecting means for detecting whether or not said specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method has been stored in said supply-side data storing means, based on said request information,

supply-side reading means, according to the detection result by said supply-side data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said supply-side data storing means, for reading said specified compressed content data from said supply-side data storing means,

supply-side compressively-coding means, according to the detection result by said supply-side data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said supply-side data storing means, for compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data, and

supply-side data transmitting means for transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said supply-side data storing means by said supply-side reading means, or said specified compressed content data generated by said supply-side compressively-coding means to said content providing apparatus is provided;

said content providing apparatus includes

data presence detecting means, according to the detection result by said data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, for detecting the presence/absence of said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data,

request transmitting means, if the absence of the specified content data being the original data of said specified compressed content data is detected by said data presence detecting means, for transmitting said request information to said content supplying apparatus, and

receiving means for receiving said specified compressed content data transmitted from said content supplying apparatus; and

said data transmitting means of said content providing apparatus transmits said specified compressed content data received by said receiving means to said content obtaining apparatus.

7. A method of providing and obtaining a content by providing compressed content data generated by compressively coding content data by a specified compression coding method from a content providing apparatus, and obtaining the above provided compressed content data by a content obtaining apparatus applying a specified decoding method corresponding to the specified compression coding method, wherein:

said content providing method comprises

the information receiving step of receiving identification information for identifying said specified decoding method applied to the content obtaining apparatus, and specifying information representing specified content data, from said content obtaining apparatus,

the data detecting step of detecting whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in data storing means for storing plural kinds of said compressed content data, according to said identification information and said specifying information,

the compressively-coding step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said data storing means, of reading said specified compressed content data from said data storing means, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data, and

the data transmitting step of transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said data storing means, or said generated specified compressed content data, to said content obtaining apparatus; and

said content obtaining method comprises

the information transmitting step of transmitting said identification information and said specifying information to said content providing apparatus,

the data receiving step of receiving said specified compressed content data from said content providing apparatus, and

the decoding step of decoding said specified compressed content data by said specified decoding method, and generating said specified content data.

8. The method of providing and obtaining a content according to claim 7, wherein:

said content obtaining apparatus transmits identification data for identifying the above content obtaining apparatus to said content providing apparatus as said identification information; and

said content providing apparatus specifies said specified decoding method by said identification data.

9. The method of providing and obtaining a content according to claim 7, wherein:

said content providing method includes

the judging step of judging whether or not said content obtaining apparatus which transmitted said identification information is an authorized apparatus usable the providing service of said specified content data, based on said identification information; and

only in the case where said content obtaining apparatus was judged as an authorized apparatus usable said providing service of said specified content data in said judging step, said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compression content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information.

10. The method of providing and obtaining a content according to claim 7, wherein:

said content providing method includes

the information storing step of storing said identification information, and information on said specified compression coding method corresponding to said specified decoding method applied to said content obtaining apparatus to which the above identification information has been allocated, in information storing means by making a correspondence, and

the information detecting step of detecting said specified compression coding method corresponding to the above identification information in said information storing means, based on said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus; and

said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information and said specified compression coding method detected in said information detecting step.

11. The method of providing and obtaining a content according to claim 7, wherein;

said content providing method includes the recording step of recording and storing said generated specified compressed content data in said data storing means.

12. The method of providing and obtaining a content according to claim 7, wherein:

a content supplying method for supplying said compressed content data to said content providing apparatus includes

the supply-side information receiving step of receiving request information representing said specified compression coding method and said specified content data, from said content providing apparatus,

the supply-side data detecting step of detecting whether or not said specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method has been stored in supply-side data storing means for storing compressed content data for supply that has been compressively coded by a compression coding method at least different from said compressed content data stored in said data storing means of said content providing apparatus, based on said request information,

the supply-side compressively-coding step, according to the detection result in said supply-side data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of reading said specified compressed content data from said supply-side data storing means, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data, and

the supply-side data transmitting step of transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said supply-side data storing means, or said generated specified compressed content data, to said content providing apparatus;

said content providing method includes

the data presence detecting step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of detecting the presence/absence of said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data,

the request transmitting step, if the absence of the specified content data being the original data of said specified compressed content data is detected in said data presence detecting step, of transmitting said request information to said content supplying apparatus, and

the receiving step of receiving said specified compressed content data from said content supplying apparatus; and

said data transmitting step transmits said specified compressed content data received in said receiving step to said content obtaining apparatus.

13. A content providing apparatus for providing compressed content data generated by compressively coding content data by a specified compression coding method, to a content obtaining apparatus applying a specified decoding method corresponding to the specified compression coding method, comprising:

data storing means for storing said compressed content data compressively coded by one or more kinds of compression coding methods;

information receiving means for receiving identification information for identifying said specified decoding method applied to the content obtaining apparatus, and specifying information representing specified content data, from said content obtaining apparatus;

data detecting means for detecting whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, according to said identification information and said specifying information;

reading means, according to the detection result by said data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said data storing means, for reading said specified compressed content data from said data storing means;

compressively-coding means, according to the detection result by said data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, for compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data; and

data transmitting means for transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said data storing means by said reading means, or said specified compressed content data generated by said compressively-coding means, to said content obtaining apparatus.

14. The content providing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus is identification data for identifying the above content obtaining apparatus; and

said data detecting means specifies said specified decoding method by said identification data.

15. The content providing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

judging means for judging whether or not said content obtaining apparatus which transmitted said identification information is an authorized apparatus usable the providing service of said specified content data, based on said identification information, is included; and

only in the case where said content obtaining apparatus was judged as an authorized apparatus usable said providing service of said specified content data by said judging means, said data detecting means detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information.

16. The content providing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

information storing means for storing said identification information, and information on said specified compression coding method corresponding to said specified decoding method applied to said content obtaining apparatus to which the above identification information has been allocated, by making a correspondence, and

information detecting means for detecting said specified compression coding method corresponding to the above identification information in said information storing means, based on said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus are included; and

said data detecting means detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information and said specified compression coding method detected by said information detecting means.

17. The content providing apparatus according to claim 13, including;

recording means, if said specified compressed content data is generated by said compressively-coding means, for recording and storing the above generated specified compressed content data in said data storing means.

18. The content providing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

data presence detecting means, according to the detection result by said data detecting means, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, for detecting the presence/absence of said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data, request transmitting means, if the absence of the specified content data being the original data of said specified compressed content data is detected by said data presence detecting means, for transmitting request information representing said specified compression coding method and said specified content data, to a content supplying apparatus having supply-side data storing means for storing compressed content data for supply that has been compressively coded by a compression coding method at least different from said compressed content data stored in said data storing means, and

receiving means, as a result that said request information was transmitted to said content supplying apparatus, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said supply-side data storing means the above content supplying apparatus, for receiving said specified compressed content data read and transmitted from said supply-side data storing means of the above content supplying apparatus, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said supply-side data storing means, for receiving said specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method and then transmitted are included; and

said data transmitting means transmits said specified compressed content data received by said receiving means to said content obtaining apparatus.

19. A method of providing a content by providing compressed content data generated by compressively coding content data by a specified compression coding method to a content obtaining apparatus applying a specified decoding method corresponding to the specified compression coding method, comprising:

the information receiving step of receiving identification information for identifying said specified decoding method applied to the content obtaining apparatus, and specifying information representing specified content data, from said content obtaining apparatus;

the data detecting step of detecting whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in data storing means for storing said compressed content data that has been compressively coded by one or more kinds of compression coding methods, according to said identification information and said specifying information;

the compressively-coding step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said data storing means, of reading said specified compressed content data from said data storing means, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data; and

the data transmitting step of transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said data storing means, or said generated specified compressed content data, to said content obtaining apparatus.

20. The method of providing a content according to claim 19, wherein:

said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus is identification data for identifying the above content obtaining apparatus; and

said data detecting step includes the step of specifying said specified decoding method by said identification data.

21. The method of providing a content according to claim 19, comprising:

the judging step of judging whether or not said content obtaining apparatus which transmitted said identification information is an authorized apparatus usable the providing service of said specified content data, based on said identification information; and

wherein

only in the case where said content obtaining apparatus was judged as an authorized apparatus usable said providing service of said specified content data in said judging step, said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information.

22. The method of providing a content according to claim 19, comprising:

the information storing step of storing said identification information, and information on said specified compression coding method corresponding to said specified decoding method applied to said content obtaining apparatus to which the above identification information has been allocated, in information storing means, by making a correspondence, and

the information detecting step of detecting said specified compression coding method corresponding to the above identification information in said information storing means, based on said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus; and

wherein

said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information and said specified compression coding method detected in said information detecting step.

23. The method of providing a content according to claim 19, including;

the recording step of recording and storing said generated specified compressed content data in said data storing means.

24. The method of providing a content according to claim 19, comprising:

the data presence detecting step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of detecting the presence/absence of said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data,

the request transmitting step, if the absence of the specified content data being the original data of said specified compressed content data is detected in said data presence detecting step, of transmitting request information representing said specified compression coding method and said specified content data, to a content supplying apparatus having supply-side data storing means for storing compressed content data for supply that has been compressively coded by a compression coding method at least different from said compressed content data stored in said data storing means, and

the receiving step, as a result that said request information was transmitted to said content supplying apparatus, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of receiving said specified compressed content data read and transmitted from said supply-side data storing means of the above content supplying apparatus, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of receiving said specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method and then transmitted; and

wherein

said data transmitting step transmits said specified compressed content data received in said receiving step to said content obtaining apparatus.

25. A content providing program storing medium for making a content providing apparatus execute a content providing program, said program comprising:

the information receiving step of receiving identification information for identifying a specified decoding method, and specifying information representing specified content data, from a content obtaining apparatus applying the specified decoding method corresponding to a specified compression coding method, for obtaining compressed content data generated by compressively coding content data by the specified compression coding method;

the data detecting step of detecting whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in data storing means for storing said compressed content data that has been compressively coded by one or more kinds of compression coding methods, according to said identification information and said specifying information;

the compressively-coding step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said data storing means, of reading said specified compressed content data from said data storing means, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data; and

the data transmitting step of transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said data storing means, or said generated specified compressed content data, to said content obtaining apparatus.

26. The content providing program storing medium according to claim 25, wherein:

said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus is identification data for identifying the above content obtaining apparatus; and

said data detecting step includes the step of specifying said specified decoding method by said identification data.

27. The content providing program storing medium according to claim 25, said program comprising:

the judging step of judging whether or not said content obtaining apparatus which transmitted said identification information is an authorized apparatus usable the providing service of said specified content data, based on said identification information; and

wherein

only in the case where said content obtaining apparatus was judged as an authorized apparatus usable said providing service of said specified content data in said judging step, said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information.

28. The content providing program storing medium according to claim 25, said program comprising:

the information storing step of storing said identification information, and information on said specified compression coding method corresponding to said specified decoding method applied to said content obtaining apparatus to which the above identification information has been allocated, in information storing means, by making a correspondence, and

the information detecting step of detecting said specified compression coding method corresponding to the above identification information in said information storing means, based on said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus; and

wherein

said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information and said specified compression coding method detected in said information detecting step.

29. The content providing program storing medium according to claim 25, said program comprising;

the recording step of recording and storing said generated specified compressed content data in said data storing means.

30. The content providing program storing medium according to claim 25, said program comprising:

the data presence detecting step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of detecting the presence/absence of said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data,

the request transmitting step, if the absence of the specified content data being the original data of said specified compressed content data is detected in said data presence detecting step, of transmitting request information representing said specified compressed coding method and said specified content data, to a content supplying apparatus having supply-side data storing means for storing compressed content data for supply that has been compressively coded by a compression coding method at least different from said compressed content data stored in said data storing means, and

the receiving step, as a result that said request information was transmitted to said content supplying apparatus, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of receiving said specified compressed content data read and transmitted from said supply-side data storing means of the above content supplying apparatus, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of receiving said specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method and then transmitted; and

wherein

said data transmitting step transmits said specified compressed content data received in said receiving step to said content obtaining apparatus.

31. A content providing program for making a content providing apparatus execute, the program including:

the information receiving step of receiving identification information peculiar to a content obtaining apparatus, and specifying information representing specified content data, from said content obtaining apparatus applying a specified decoding method corresponding to a specified compression coding method, for obtaining compressed content data generated by compressively coding content data by the specified compression coding method;

the data detecting step of detecting whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in data storing means for storing plural kinds of said compressed content data, according to said identification information and said specifying information;

the compressively-coding step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said data storing means, of reading said specified compressed content data from said data storing means, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method, and generating said specified compressed content data; and

the data transmitting step of transmitting said specified compressed content data read from said data storing means, and said generated specified compressed content data, to said content obtaining apparatus.

32. The content providing program according to claim 31, comprising:

the judging step of judging whether or not said content obtaining apparatus which transmitted said identification information is an authorized apparatus usable the providing service of said specified content data, based on said identification information; and

wherein

only in the case where said content obtaining apparatus was judged as an authorized apparatus usable said providing service of said specified content data in said judging step, said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storing means, based on said specifying information.

33. The content providing program according to claim 31, comprising:

the information storing step of storing said identification information, and information on said specified compression coding method corresponding to said specified decoding method applied to said content obtaining apparatus to which the above identification information has been allocated, in information storing means, by making a correspondence, and

the information detecting step of detecting said specified compression coding method corresponding to the above identification information in said information storing means, based on said identification information transmitted from said content obtaining apparatus; and

wherein

said data detecting step detects whether or not specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data by said specified compression coding method corresponding to said identification information has been stored in said data storage means, based on said specifying information and said specified compression coding method detected in said information detecting step.

34. The content providing program according to claim 31, comprising;

the recording step of recording and storing said generated specified compressed content data in said data storing means.

35. The content providing program according to claim 31, comprising:

the data presence detecting step, according to the detection result in said data detecting step, if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said data storing means, of detecting the presence/absence of said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data,

the request transmitting step, if the absence of the specified content data being the original data of said specified compressed content data is detected in said data presence detecting step, of transmitting request information representing said specified compression coding method and said specified content data, to a content supplying apparatus having supply-side data storing means for storing compressed content data for supply that has been compressively coded by a compression coding method at least different from said compressed content data stored in said data storing means, and

the receiving step, as a result that said request information was transmitted to said content supplying apparatus, if said specified compressed content data has been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of receiving said specified compressed content data read and transmitted from said supply-side data storing means of the above content supplying apparatus, and if said specified compressed content data has not been stored in said supply-side data storing means, of receiving said specified compressed content data generated by compressively coding said specified content data being the original data of the above specified compressed content data by said specified compression coding method and then transmitted; and

wherein

said data transmitting step transmits said specified compressed content data received in said receiving step to said content obtaining apparatus.