The conventional method of limiting the number of receiving apparatus has a problem that if the limited number of appliances is reduced to limit distribution to unspecified appliances outside a home, distribution to appliances in the home is limited unnecessarily. If the limited number of appliances is increased, distribution to appliances outside the home cannot be sufficiently limited. The invention provides at least one receiving apparatus, (e.g., digital television sets and PCs,) connected to a network and capable of receiving and using predetermined data, and a transmitting apparatus, (e.g., an AV server) for transmitting the data to the receiving apparatus via the network. Use of the data on the network is managed based on the transmission time required for transmission of predetermined information between the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus.