An outside DTCP bridge for relaying information between an outside
communication device connected to an outside network and a home
communication device connected to a home network, carries out a first
authentication and key exchange processing for purpose of copyright
protection between the outside DTCP bridge and the home communication
device as well as a second authentication and key exchange processing for
purpose of copyright protection between the outside DTCP bridge and the
outside communication device, and stores an identification information of
the outside communication device. Then, transmission/reception of
information between the home network and the outside network is carried
out only when the outside communication device which made the access
request is stored and both the first authentication and key exchange
processing and the second authentication and key exchange processing
succeed.