Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a memory storing an allowance list, a first receiving unit that receives a first request from a client apparatus, a first transmitting unit that transmits the first request to a management server, a second receiving unit that receives a first response which include first location information indicating a position of a storage server storing software from the management server, an adding unit that adds the first location information to the allowance list, a second transmitting unit that transmits the first response to the client apparatus, a third receiving unit that receives a second request including second location information from the client apparatus, a third transmitting unit that transmits the second request to the storage server, a fourth receiving unit that receives a second response from the storage server, and a fourth transmitting unit that transmits the second response to the client apparatus.

Abstract: An information service system works to record or print out, at a fee, information contents downloaded from Web servers, information received from facsimiles and information carried on portable storage mediums. The system includes a recording part which records, duplicates and prints out the image of digitized information, an information accumulating part which accumulates information by making relation with users, a user authenticating part which receives user authentication information and authenticates the legitimacy of the user, a fee calculating part which calculates the fee for information recording, a payment reception part which receives the payment of fee by the user, and a management part which manages the charging data and payment data. The recording part records the supplied information only after authentication of user legitimacy and payment of fee by the user.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a memory storing an allowance list, a first receiving unit that receives a first request from a client apparatus, a first transmitting unit that transmits the first request to a management server, a second receiving unit that receives a first response which include first location information indicating a position of a storage server storing software from the management server, an adding unit that adds the first location information to the allowance list, a second transmitting unit that transmits the first response to the client apparatus, a third receiving unit that receives a second request including second location information from the client apparatus, a third transmitting unit that transmits the second request to the storage server, a fourth receiving unit that receives a second response from the storage server, and a fourth transmitting unit that transmits the second response to the client apparatus.

Abstract: An information service system works to record or print out, at a fee, information contents downloaded from Web servers, information received from facsimiles and information carried on portable storage mediums. The system includes a recording part which records, duplicates and prints out the image of digitized information, an information accumulating part which accumulates information by making relation with users, a user authenticating part which receives user authentication information and authenticates the legitimacy of the user, a fee calculating part which calculates the fee for information recording, a payment reception part which receives the payment of fee by the user, and a management part which manages the charging data and payment data. The recording part records the supplied information only after authentication of user legitimacy and payment of fee by the user.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide contents distribution method and system which can readily distribute digital contents, can prevent unfairness such as copying and falsifying accounting data and can also correspond to the payment of a small amount. To achieve the above object, a distribution service operator encrypts contents provided by a contents provider such as newspaper articles, a magazine, music, images and software and distributes them, a user decodes and utilizes only desired contents using a user terminal that receives the above encrypted contents, accounting is executed for only utilized contents and totalization is carried out by a central station.