US 7,516,147 B2
URL system and method for licensing content
David A. Kranz, Arlington, Mass. (US); Robert H. Halstead, Jr., Belmont, Mass. (US); and Tom Lyons, Cambridge, Mass. (US)
Assigned to Sumisho Computer Systems Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/692,314.
Prior Publication US 2005/0091216 A1, Apr. 28, 2005
Int. Cl. G06F 17/00 (2006.01); H04K 1/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 707—102  [707/6; 707/9; 707/101; 707/103 X; 707/104.1; 705/57] 42 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. 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.