KEY DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS, TERMINAL EQUIPMENT, RECORD MEDIUM, AND KEY DOWNLOADING SYSTEM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key distribution apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of content.

SOLUTION: In one or more terminal devices connected to a network, it is a key distribution apparatus which manages a decoding key for decoding an encripted content and the number of decoding keys can be supplied. If a supply end is an authorized one, receiving a supplying request of the decoding key from the terminal equipment, it judges whether the type is a first type of terminal equipment for performing control of using term of content, or it is a second type of terminal equipment for not performing control of using term of content. When it is judged that the supply end is the first type of terminal equipment and if there remains the number of decoding keys controlled, it supplies the decoding key and a using term corresponding to the decoding key to the terminal equipment. When it is judged that the supply end is the second type of terminal equipment and if there remains the number of decoding key controlled, it supplies the decoding key to the terminal equipment.

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