Content management system

1. A content management system comprising a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another,

wherein a first storage apparatus, which is one of the plurality of storage apparatuses, stores therein, in correspondence, (i) first content and (ii) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the first content has been sent,

wherein the first storage apparatus includes:

a send unit operable to send the first content and the copy destination information therefrom to a second storage apparatus, which is another one of the plurality of storage apparatuses and is not indicated by the copy destination information; and

a delete unit operable to delete the first content and the copy destination information from the first storage apparatus after the send unit has sent the first content and the copy destination information,

wherein the second storage apparatus includes an add unit operable to additionally store, in correspondence, the first content and the copy destination information received from the first storage apparatus into the second storage apparatus,

wherein the one of the storage apparatuses indicated by the copy destination information stores therein, in correspondence, (i) second content that is the same as the first content and (ii) copy source information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses in which the first content and the copy destination information are stored at a time of acquisition of the second content, and

wherein the one of the plurality of storage apparatuses indicated by the copy destination information includes a rewrite unit operable to, when the first storage apparatus sends the first content and the copy destination information to the second storage apparatus, rewrite the copy source information such that the copy source information indicates the second storage apparatus.

2. The content management system of claim 1 ,

wherein the send unit sends the first content and the copy destination information to the second storage apparatus only when the second storage apparatus is a designated storage apparatus.

3. A storage apparatus, which is one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system, the storage apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing therein, in correspondence, (i) content and (ii) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the content has been sent;

a send unit operable to send the content and the copy destination information to a predetermined storage apparatus, which is another one of the plurality of storage apparatuses and is not indicated by the copy destination information; and

a delete unit operable to delete the content and the copy destination information from the storage unit after the send unit has sent the content and the copy destination information to the predetermined storage apparatus.

4. A storage apparatus, which is one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system, the plurality of storage apparatuses including, in addition to the storage apparatus, (i) a first storage apparatus storing therein, in correspondence, (a) first content and (b) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the first content has been sent, and (ii) a second storage apparatus which is not indicated by the copy destination information, the storage apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing therein, in correspondence, (i) second content that is the same as the first content and (ii) copy source information indicating one of the plurality storage apparatuses in which the first content and the copy destination information are stored at a time of acquisition of the second content;

a reception unit operable to receive latest copy source information indicating that the first content and the copy destination information have been sent to the second storage apparatus; and

a rewrite unit operable to rewrite the copy source information stored in the storage unit into the received latest copy source information.

5. A content management system comprising a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another,

wherein a first storage apparatus, which is one of the plurality of storage apparatuses, stores therein, in correspondence, (i) first content and (ii) copy destination information indicating two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the first content has been sent, the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses including a second storage apparatus,

wherein the first storage apparatus includes:

a send unit operable to send the copy destination information therefrom to the second storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the second storage apparatus; and

a unit operable to (i) delete the copy destination information from the first storage apparatus after the send unit has sent the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the second storage apparatus, and (ii) newly store, in correspondence with the first content, information indicating the second storage apparatus as copy source information into the first storage apparatus,

wherein the second storage apparatus stores therein, in correspondence, (i) second content that is the same as the first content and (ii) copy source information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses in which the first content and the copy destination information are stored at a time of acquisition of the second content, and

wherein the second storage apparatus includes a unit operable to delete the copy source information from the second storage apparatus after having received, from the first storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the second storage apparatus, and newly store, in correspondence with the second content, the copy destination information received from the first storage apparatus into the second storage apparatus.

6. A storage apparatus, which is one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system, the storage apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing therein, in correspondence, (i) content and (ii) copy destination information indicating two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the content has been sent, the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses including a predetermined storage apparatus;

a send unit operable to send, to the predetermined storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the predetermined storage apparatus; and

a unit operable to (i) delete the copy destination information from the storage unit after the send unit has sent the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the predetermined storage apparatus, and (ii) newly store information indicating the predetermined storage apparatus as copy source information in correspondence with the content into the storage unit.

7. A storage apparatus, which is one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system, the plurality of storage apparatuses including, in addition to the storage apparatus, a predetermined storage apparatus storing therein, in correspondence, (i) first content and (ii) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the first content has been sent, the storage apparatus comprising:

a storage unit storing therein, in correspondence, (i) second content that the same as the first content and (ii) copy source information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses in which the first content and the copy destination information are stored at a time of acquisition of the second content;

a reception unit operable to receive the copy destination information from the predetermined storage apparatus; and

a unit operable to (i) delete the copy source information from the storage unit after the reception unit has received the copy destination information, and (ii) newly store the received copy destination information in correspondence with the second content into the storage unit.

8. A content management method for use in a content management system that includes a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another,

wherein a first storage apparatus, which is one of the plurality of storage apparatuses, stores therein, in correspondence, (i) first content and (ii) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the first content has been sent,

the content management method comprising:

sending the first content and the copy destination information from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus, which is another one of the plurality of storage apparatuses and that is not indicated by the copy destination information;

deleting, from the first storage apparatus, the first content and the copy destination information sent during the sending; and

storing, in the second storage apparatus, in correspondence, the first content and the copy destination information received from the first storage apparatus,

wherein the one of the plurality of storage apparatuses indicated by the copy destination information stores therein, in correspondence, (i) second content that is the same as the first content and (ii) copy source information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses in which the first content and the copy destination information are stored at a time of acquisition of the second content, and

wherein the content management method further comprises:

rewriting, when the first storage apparatus sends the first content and the copy destination information to the second storage apparatus, the copy source information stored in the one of the plurality of storage apparatuses indicated by the copy destination information, such that the copy source information indicates the second storage apparatus.

9. A content management method for use in a content management system that includes a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another,

wherein a first storage apparatus, which is one of the plurality storage apparatuses, stores therein, in correspondence, (i) first content and (ii) copy destination information indicating two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses including a second storage apparatus,

the content has been sent, and performs steps of:

the content management method comprising:

sending the copy destination information from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the second storage apparatus;

deleting, from the first storage apparatus, the copy destination information after the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the second storage apparatus has been sent in the sending; and

newly storing, in the first storage apparatus, information indicating the second storage apparatus as copy source information in correspondence with the first content,

wherein the second storage apparatus stores therein, in correspondence, (i) second content that is the same as the first content and (ii) copy source information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses in which the first content and the copy destination information are stored at a time of acquisition of the second content, and

wherein the content management method further comprises:

deleting, from the second storage apparatus, the copy source information after receiving, from the first storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the second storage apparatus; and

newly storing, in the second storage apparatus, the copy destination information received from the first storage apparatus in correspondence with the second content.

10. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having stored thereon a computer program for use in a storage apparatus, the storage apparatus being one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system,

wherein the storage apparatus includes a memory storing therein, in correspondence, (i) content and (ii) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the content has been sent, and

wherein, when executed, the computer program causes the storage apparatus to execute a content management processing method comprising:

sending the content and the copy destination information to a predetermined storage apparatus which is another one of the plurality of storage apparatuses and that is not indicated by the copy destination information; and

deleting the content and the copy destination information from the memory after the content and the copy destination information have been sent to the predetermined storage apparatus in the sending.

11. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having stored thereon a computer program for use in a storage apparatus, the storage apparatus being one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system,

wherein the storage apparatus includes a memory storing therein, in correspondence, (i) content and (ii) copy destination information indicating two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the content has been sent, the two of more of the plurality of storage apparatuses including a predetermined storage apparatus, and

wherein, when executed, the computer program causes the storage apparatus to perform a content management processing method comprising:

sending, to the predetermined storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the predetermined storage apparatus;

deleting the copy destination information from the memory after the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the predetermined storage apparatus has been sent in the sending; and

newly storing, into the memory, information indicating the predetermined storage apparatus as copy source information in correspondence with the content.

12. An integrated circuit of a storage apparatus, which is one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system, the integrated circuit comprising:

a storage unit storing therein, in correspondence, (i) content and (ii) copy destination information indicating one of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the content has been sent;

a send unit operable to send the content and the copy destination information to a predetermined storage apparatus, which is another one of the plurality of storage apparatuses and that is not indicated by the copy destination information; and

a delete unit operable to delete the content and the copy destination information from the storage unit after the send unit has sent the content and the copy destination information to the predetermined storage apparatus.

13. An integrated circuit of a storage apparatus, which is one of a plurality of storage apparatuses that can communicate with one another and are included in a content management system, the integrated circuit comprising:

a storage unit storing therein, in correspondence, (i) content and (ii) copy destination information indicating two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses to which the content has been sent, the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses including a predetermined storage apparatus;

a send unit operable to send, to the predetermined storage apparatus, the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the predetermined storage apparatus; and

a unit operable to delete the copy destination information from the storage unit after the send unit has sent the copy destination information indicating the two or more of the plurality of storage apparatuses excluding the predetermined storage apparatus, and (ii) newly store, in correspondence with the content, information indicating the predetermined storage apparatus as copy source information into the storage unit.

14. The content management system of claim 1 ,

wherein, among the plurality of storage apparatuses, there is only one storage apparatus that stores therein, in correspondence, the first content and the copy destination information.

15. The content management system of claim 1 ,

wherein the first storage apparatus further includes a move destination information storage unit that, after the first content and the copy destination information have been sent to the second storage apparatus, stores therein information indicating a destination to which the first content and the copy destination information have been sent.

16. The content management system of claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of storage apparatuses includes an output unit operable to play back contents and output video.

17. The content management system of claim 1 ,

wherein the first content is digital data that reproduces at least one of video and audio.

18. The storage apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein, among the plurality of storage apparatuses, there is only one storage apparatus that stores therein, in correspondence, the content and the copy destination information.

19. The storage apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the storage apparatus further includes a move destination information storage unit that, after the content and the copy destination information have been sent to the predetermined storage apparatus, stores therein information indicating a destination to which the content and the copy destination information have been sent.

20. The storage apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein each of the plurality of storage apparatuses includes an output unit operable to play back contents and output video.