Patent ID: 8566461

Claim:
A method of managing access to network content, comprising steps of: validating a token prior to granting access to network content at a publishing point, the token having been generated separate and distinct from but based on a voucher that was validated as a valid authorization to access the network content, the voucher having associated therewith a publisher's terms of service for delivery of the network content, and the token comprising a unique id identifying a particular transaction through which access to the network content has been granted by issuing the voucher; and denying access to the network content when the validated token is not in compliance with the publisher's terms of service associated with the voucher, wherein the terms of service comprise a maximum number of streams to the network content associated with the unique id which may exist at any one time on a server and wherein the denying access to the network content comprises checking a number of current streams associated with the unique id on the server, and determining that compliance with the terms of service does not exist if the number of current streams is greater than or equal to the maximum number.