Patent ID: 7516147

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of determining whether digital content is licensed to be provided to a client system, the method comprising: providing a processor; receiving a content URL address for a content location on a server system at which a desired unit of digital content is stored; identifying a licensing information address from the content URL address, the licensing information address being different from the content URL address, and the licensing information address comprising an address to a licensing information location at which is stored licensing information from which licensed content URL addresses may be identified, the licensed content URL addresses comprising addresses of locations of licensed units of digital content that the server system is authorized to provide to a client system; using the licensing information address to access the licensing information at the licensing information location; and utilizing the processor for reviewing the content URL address and the licensing information to determine whether the content URL address comprises a licensed content URL address, wherein the reviewing further includes: determining a URL pattern referenced in the licensing information; and comparing the URL pattern referenced in the licensing information with the content URL address.