A system and method for controlling access to content on a network
computer. The computer may be a stand-alone single server computer or part
of a distributed computer network that is connected to the Internet,
intranet, or any other network. The present invention provides a means for
a publisher or an owner of content to control access to the content even
on a distributed network, i.e., multiple computers storing and providing
access to the content. According to the present invention, a user
initially receives a token from the publisher or the owner. A content
server then receives the token from the user. The content server is
configured to recognize requests for content that requires authentication,
process the token, and verify the validity of the token. If the token is
valid, the server delivers the content to the user. If the token is
invalid, the server denies the user access to the content. The present
invention provides secured access to restricted contents, such as, for
example, pay-per-view websites and movies, and members-only content in an
efficient way.
