Abstract: In a digital content distribution method to distribute digital contents via a network, distribution of a digital content is instructed according to a distribution schedule, the digital content is distributed according to the distribution schedule indicated, and a particular digital content is selected from the digital contents distributed and is then sold, thereby conducting the distribution of digital contents at a high speed.

Abstract: In a digital content distribution method to distribute digital contents via a network, distribution of a digital content is instructed according to a distribution schedule, the digital content is distributed according to the distribution schedule indicated, and a particular digital content is selected from the digital contents distributed and is then sold, thereby conducting the distribution of digital contents at a high speed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital contents selling system for selling digital contents. Identification information of digital contents selected by a customer is received. Personal digital contents are generated by setting identification information for identifying the customer in the selected digital contents as status information for permitting the customer to replay the selected digital contents. The generated digital contents are sold. Thereby, a technique is provided for preventing the illegal use of the sold digital contents.

Abstract: In a distributed processing system including a plurality of programs distributed in a plurality of processing units and in which a program on reception side performs processing using a message transmitted from a program on transmission side, a management table for managing start of programs on reception side is provided in a processing unit in which the program on reception side is provided. A program utilizing the message transmitted from the transmission side is recognized and the recognized program is started at the start timing indicated in the management table. The start timing of the program set in the management table may be registered previously or the message may include information indicating the start timing.

Abstract: In a digital content distribution method to distribute digital contents via a network, distribution of a digital content is instructed according to a distribution schedule, the digital content is distributed according to the distribution schedule indicated, and a particular digital content is selected from the digital contents distributed and is then sold, thereby conducting the distribution of digital contents at a high speed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital contents selling system for selling digital contents. Identification information of digital contents selected by a customer is received. Personal digital contents are generated by setting identification information for identifying the customer in the selected digital contents as status information for permitting the customer to replay the selected digital contents. The generated digital contents are sold. Thereby, a technique is provided for preventing the illegal use of the sold digital contents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital contents selling system for selling digital contents. Identification information of digital contents selected by a customer is received. Personal digital contents are generated by setting identification information for identifying the customer in the selected digital contents as status information for permitting the customer to replay the selected digital contents. The generated digital contents are sold. Thereby, a technique is provided for preventing the illegal use of the sold digital contents.

Abstract: Digital contents are distributed from a center side distribution apparatus to a terminal apparatus via a shop side distribution apparatus, an audiovisual fee for digital contents with limited time is collected from a user, all digital contents capable of being accessed only at a limited place are allowed to be viewed and listened during a limited time period, the number of audiovisual times of digital contents viewed and listened at the terminal apparatus is managed, the numbers of audiovisual times of digital contents are totaled, and a copyright fee is calculated in accordance with the totalized number of audiovisual times. It is therefore possible to reliably collect a copyright fee even in the shop such as a manga tea shop and a compound cafe at which the copyright fee was not able to be collected to date. It is also possible to strictly manage viewing and listening digital contents.

Abstract: In a distributed processing system including a plurality of programs distributed in a plurality of processing units and in which a program on reception side performs processing using a message transmitted from a program on transmission side, a management table for managing start of programs on reception side is provided in a processing unit in which the program on reception side is provided. A program utilizing the message transmitted from the transmission side is recognized and the recognized program is started at the start timing indicated in the management table. The start timing of the program set in the management table may be registered previously or the message may include information indicating the start timing.

Abstract: In a distributed processing system including a plurality of programs distributed in a plurality of processing units and in which a program on reception side performs processing using a message transmitted from a program on transmission side, a management table for managing start of programs on reception side is provided in a processing unit in which the program on reception side is provided. A program utilizing the message transmitted from the transmission side is recognized and the recognized program is started at the start timing indicated in the management table. The start timing of the program set in the management table may be registered previously or the message may include information indicating the start timing.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a file recovery system is provided in which the commands for recovering files such as a historical file are unnecessitated and the recovery system configuration is independent of the host processing system. That is, since the equipment for achieving a file recovery does not have information about the location of the recovery data, information about the content of a file to be recovered is transmitted to a transmission line. The other equipments asynchronously receive the information and judges whether or not a file containing the same content exists in the own system. If its file exists, the content of the file is transmitted to the transmission line. The equipment achieving the file recovery asynchronously receives from the transmission line the file data of files such as a historical file and establishes data consistency by use of the buffered current data and the event number, thereby recovering files such as a historical file.

Abstract: An information processing system and a communication method performed in the information processing system for performing data transmission effectively. The information processing system includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses and a communication line for interconnecting the plurality of information processing apparatuses. A sending information processing apparatus, when sending information to the plurality of information processing apparatuses, sends transmission information to one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses. The one information processing apparatus sends the received transmission information to the other information processing apparatuses of the plurality of information processing apparatuses.

Abstract: A distributed processor system includes a plurality of processors connected via a transmission medium. A control method for a distributed processor system includes the steps of judging, in each processor, its own receiving capability and performing abnormality processing on the basis of the result of the judgment.

Abstract: A data transmission method is provided for a multi-computer system which has a plurality of computers mutually connected via a transmission line. The plurality of computers are divided into groups, with an address assigned to each group. Transmission data of a sending computer is provided with a location where the address is assigned and a location where a content code indicating the data content is assigned. The sending computer transmits the data with either the address or content code assigned, and the computers other than the sending computer decide whether or not to receive the data according to either the address or the content code.

Abstract: A method for executing programs in a distributed processing system includes executing in a plurality of first processors different programs which perform the same function. Messages, containing data representing execution result output from said different programs and attribute information indicating function to be performed by the different programs, are transmitted from the first processors to a network. A second processor then receives these messages and selects a message therefrom based on an analysis of the attribute information contained in all of the received messages. The second processor then executes an application program using the data contained in the selected message. Alternatively, the message-selecting step is made based on both the attribute information and data contained in the messages received in the second processor. Each of the messages from the first processors may include graphic image data which can be analyzed and shown on a display.

Abstract: In an information processing system having plural processing units connected through a communication medium, each processing unit operates to receive information to be transmitted from a processing portion operating in the processing unit to the communication medium and a content code predetermined according to the content of the information to be transmitted. Based on the received content code, the processing unit operates to determine an address of the destination processing unit, a sending mode used for transmitting the information, and whether or not the more reliable communication method arranged to establish a connection between the processing units is used for transmitting the information. Then, by using the sending mode and the communication method obtained as the determined result, the information is transmitted to the processing unit having an address obtained as the result determined through the communication medium.

Abstract: A data management method in a distributed processing system having a plurality of processors connected through a common transmission line with at least one processor having at least one external device connected therewith, for sending to the common transmission line access commands issued to the external device by programs asynchronously executed in the programs as access messages; and wherein the processor having the external device connected therewith takes in any of the access messages related to the external device connected therewith from among the access messages asynchronously sent to the common transmission line by the programs, and the processor matches order of access to the external devices connected therewith among the received access messages.

Abstract: Attribute information of programs developed by processors in a distributed processing system include I/O data for defining I/O operation of the programs, which is given in a program description form. A correlation of the programs is checked based on the content of the attribute information. Program generation information, program content information and program modification information are added to the sharedly developed programs and they are updated in the course of development.

Abstract: A method for organizing and programming distributed computer systems in which processors are connected via interconnection or communication networks, such that even if many cases of hardware and software faults occur within the processors or within the networks, such faults do not lead to the failures in the application's computation. Parallel and asynchronous execution of multiple versions of a program module is performed with processors which are connected by a network without involving any direct interaction between the processors during the execution of the same or different versions of the program module.

Abstract: A plurality of machine tools are disposed along a circulating conveyor transporting materials to be processed by the machine tools, and material selector subsystems associated with the respective machine tools are provided together with a load/unload command subsystem. The material selector subsystems exchange information therebetween to track materials loaded on the conveyor under command of the load/unload command subsystem so as to reserve materials requested by the individual machine tools. Each of the reserved materials is unloaded from the conveyor under command of the load/unload command subsystem as soon as it arrives at the position of the corresponding machine tool.