Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a process including: acquiring purchase propriety information and purchase condition information of software by unit of an account or a device before receiving a purchase request of the software, determining propriety of the purchase request based on the acquired purchase propriety information and purchase condition information when the purchase request of the software is received, and transmitting the purchase request when the purchase request is determined to be valid.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus detects the presence of specific software on the information processing apparatus utilizing a first detection condition, in which the specific software was judged to be installed on the information processing apparatus in prior detection utilizing the first detection condition, and the first detection condition is generated by any one of a plurality of generating rules on detection conditions for software. If this detection utilizing the first detection condition fails, the information processing apparatus detects the specific software utilizing a second detection condition that is one of a plurality of detection conditions generated by the plurality of generating rules and is different from the first detection condition.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus detects the presence of specific software on the information processing apparatus utilizing a first detection condition, in which the specific software was judged to be installed on the information processing apparatus in prior detection utilizing the first detection condition, and the first detection condition is generated by any one of a plurality of generating rules on detection conditions for software. If this detection utilizing the first detection condition fails, the information processing apparatus detects the specific software utilizing a second detection condition that is one of a plurality of detection conditions generated by the plurality of generating rules and is different from the first detection condition.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute a procedure, the procedure including obtaining position data indicating positions of the terminal device during moving of the terminal device, and read-position data indicating a position at which the terminal device has read data from a recording medium during the moving of the terminal device, storing the position data and the read-position data in the memory, generating a map including the positions indicated by the position data, and displaying that an area on a side of the read-position data among areas set based on a path of the positions indicated by the position data is an area of disposition target of the recording medium, on the generated map.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a process including: acquiring purchase propriety information and purchase condition information of software by unit of an account or a device before receiving a purchase request of the software, determining propriety of the purchase request based on the acquired purchase propriety information and purchase condition information when the purchase request of the software is received, and transmitting the purchase request when the purchase request is determined to be valid.

Abstract: A map generation apparatus includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute a procedure, the procedure including obtaining position data indicating positions of the terminal device during moving of the terminal device, and read-position data indicating a position at which the terminal device has read data from a recording medium during the moving of the terminal device, storing the position data and the read-position data in the memory, generating a map including the positions indicated by the position data, and displaying that an area on a side of the read-position data among areas set based on a path of the positions indicated by the position data is an area of disposition target of the recording medium, on the generated map.

Abstract: An authentication processing apparatus includes an authentication unit, having a circuit that performs authentication phases included in processing for authenticating an external device. A command holding unit holds a first command that indicates whether or not each of the authentication phases is performed by the authentication unit. An authentication controller causes the authentication unit to perform an authentication phase that is indicated, by the first command, to be performed by the authentication unit. A CPU performs software processing of an authentication phase that is indicated, by the first command, not to be performed by the authentication unit.

Abstract: A data transmission circuit analyzes video data and a pixel clock input from a video/audio signal processor, and determines whether the signals are valid or not. If a signal is invalid, the data transmission circuit generates and outputs a TMDS signal based on dummy video data and a dummy pixel clock internally generated as pseudo signals. Accordingly, a state in which an invalid signal is being output can be prevented, and the time required to output video can be reduced because an additional device authentication is not performed.

Abstract: An audio-video output apparatus of the present invention outputs at least one of audio data and video data to a receiving apparatus using High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) communications. The audio-video output apparatus includes a list holding unit, an authenticating unit, a list acquiring unit, an updating unit, and an apparatus verifying unit. The list holding unit holds an unauthorized apparatus list which shows information about unauthorized apparatuses. The authenticating unit performs first apparatus authentication to verify whether or not the receiving apparatus is an authorized apparatus using the unauthorized apparatus list held by the list holding unit, and performs second apparatus authentication at regular intervals to verify the receiving apparatus is an authorized apparatus. The list acquiring unit acquires another unauthorized apparatus list.

Abstract: Upon receiving an input of a request to move data to an external recording medium, a first information apparatus: transfers to record contents data after performing conversion under compression; encrypts the contents data and stores it in a concealment area of an internal recording medium; transfers to record the contents management information containing key information to the external recording medium; and deletes the encryption key. A second information apparatus: obtains the contents management information from the external recording medium and searches the network; obtains the encrypted contents data from the first information apparatus that holds the contents data concerned; and decrypts the encrypted contents data by using the encryption key contained in the contents management information.

Abstract: An audio/video transmission apparatus includes a hot plug detecting section for detecting a hot plug signal output from a reception apparatus connected thereto via an High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), an EDID reading/determining section for determining Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) information of the reception apparatus, a type determining section for determining a type of the reception apparatus based on a result of the determination of the EDID information, a TMDS switching section for designating an output scheme corresponding to the type of the reception apparatus of a plurality of Transition Minimized Differential Signaling (TMDS) signal output schemes; and a TMDS output section for outputting a TMDS signal in accordance with the designated output scheme.

Abstract: When an unreceivable audio sampling frequency is transmitted from an audio data transmitting device or received at an audio data receiving device, frequency changing processing is executed inside an HDMI LSI of the transmitter side or the receiver side to change the unreceivable audio sampling frequency to a frequency that can be received at the audio data receiving device based on EDID information retained in the audio data receiving device, and mute processing of the audio information is executed to prevent generation of strange sounds.

Abstract: A video/audio transmitting device according to the present invention comprises a transmitter, a controller for controlling the transmitter, and a plurality of memory elements, wherein the transmitter comprises a video/audio transmitter for transmitting a video/audio signal to a receiving device outside and a device information obtaining unit for receiving from the receiving device device information including information relating to a receiving function of the receiving device and transmitting the received information to the controller. The plurality of memory elements temporarily stores therein the device information. The controller performs parallel processing of writing the device information in at least one of the plurality of memory elements and reading the device information from at least one of the other memory elements and controls the transmitter based on the device information sequentially read from the plurality of memory elements in the parallel processing.

Abstract: An audio-video output apparatus of the present invention outputs at least one of audio data and video data to a receiving apparatus using High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) communications. The audio-video output apparatus includes a list holding unit, an authenticating unit, a list acquiring unit, an updating unit, and an apparatus verifying unit. The list holding unit holds an unauthorized apparatus list which shows information about unauthorized apparatuses. The authenticating unit performs first apparatus authentication to verify whether or not the receiving apparatus is an authorized apparatus using the unauthorized apparatus list held by the list holding unit, and performs second apparatus authentication at regular intervals to verify the receiving apparatus is an authorized apparatus. The list acquiring unit acquires another unauthorized apparatus list.

Abstract: The authentication processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: an authentication unit having a circuit that performs authentication phases included in processing for authenticating an external device; a command holding unit which holds a first command that indicates whether or not to perform each of the authentication phases; and an authentication control unit which causes the authentication unit to perform an authentication phase that is indicated by the first command as an authentication phase which is to be performed.

Abstract: In an interface control semiconductor integrated circuit including a plurality of protocol circuits for processing a protocol such as AV- or PC-oriented protocols engaged in an IEEE 1394 standard-compliant data transmission, power consumption is reduced. To achieve this, the interface control semiconductor integrated circuit including the protocol circuits is provided with a plurality of switches associated with the respective protocol circuits and each of the switches performs a switching between supply and shut-off of a clock. A clock is supplied to one of the protocol circuits which should be used whereas clock to unused protocol circuits are shut-off, by controlling each of the switches.

Abstract: Upon receiving an input of a request to move data to an external recording medium, a first information apparatus: transfers to record contents data after performing conversion under compression; encrypts the contents data and stores it in a concealment area of an internal recording medium; transfers to record the contents management information containing key information to the external recording medium; and deletes the encryption key. A second information apparatus: obtains the contents management information from the external recording medium and searches the network; obtains the encrypted contents data from the first information apparatus that holds the contents data concerned; and decrypts the encrypted contents data by using the encryption key contained in the contents management information.

Abstract: In a data transmit/receive method for plurality of devices connected by a 1394 bus, a receiving device obtains a device-specific number of a transmitting device when starting to receive data. When a bus reset occurs, the receiving device again obtains the device-specific number from the transmitting device, and checks whether the device-specific numbers before and after the bus reset match. If the device-specific numbers differ, the receiving device obtains the device-specific number from all devices connected to the bus. If a device with the same device-specific numbers as prior to the bus reset is present among the obtained device-specific numbers, the channel number of the bus used for the transmitting of data is determined, and the receiving device starts receiving with that channel number. Then device authentication with the transmitting device is carried out, and key information for solving the encryption is obtained.

Abstract: In an interface control semiconductor integrated circuit including a plurality of protocol circuits for processing a protocol such as AV- or PC-oriented protocols engaged in an IEEE 1394 standard-compliant data transmission, power consumption is reduced. To achieve this, the interface control semiconductor integrated circuit including the protocol circuits is provided with a plurality of switches associated with the respective protocol circuits and each of the switches performs a switching between supply and shut-off of a clock. A clock is supplied to one of the protocol circuits which should be used whereas clock to unused protocol circuits are shut-off, by controlling each of the switches.

Abstract: A lease-business support apparatus collects latest information from a brand-new-sales-company terminal, a secondhand-sales-company terminal, a leasing-company terminal, and a maintenance-company terminal which are related to lease business. By performing quality management and appropriate fixed-period-sales-price calculation based on the latest information, the lease-business support apparatus provides each customer terminal with appropriate lease-business information. This makes it possible to inexpensively lease a high-quality item.