Internet domain name registration system

• US 20020065903A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multicheck Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Barry Fellman
• Inventors: Fellman, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 6,980,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3015 Name registration, generation or assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3025 Domain name generation or assignment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for querying a database for multiple names submitted at one time to a query server. The method includes a process for querying a database, such as a domain name registry database, for multiple names or text strings and displaying the query results for each of the names in an easy-to-read table. In the disclosed embodiment of a domain name registration system, a user is allowed to submit multiple names to a query server to determine the availability of the names for domain name registration. After the query results are returned for each of the multiple names submitted, the user is presented with a table listing the availability of each name in combination with multiple Top-Level Domain (TLD) extensions. The user is able to select one or more names from the table for registration in the registry database. After the query server has attempted to register each of the selected names, the user is presented with a Registry Response Table indicating which of the selected names were successfully registered as domain names. Thus, the system and method increases the speed and productivity of querying and updating a domain name registry or other database.

Claims

1. A method of querying a domain name registry database for a plurality of names to determine domain name registration availability, the method comprising:

displaying a view allowing a user to specify a plurality of names to be checked for availability in a domain name registry database;

receiving a set of names specified by the user, the set comprising a plurality of names to be checked;

querying the registry database for the plurality of names, where each name is checked with multiple Top Level Domain (TLD) extensions; and

displaying query results for the plurality of names in a table showing the availability of each name in conjunction with each TLD extension.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed view permits the user to specify the plurality of names by entering text strings from which the plurality of names are to be derived.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the query results table includes means for selecting multiple names to be submitted for domain name registration.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the means for selecting comprises check boxes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the view displayed includes a text window for user entry of the set of names.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the view displayed includes multiple text fields for user entry of the plurality of names.

7. In a computer system that implements a domain name registration search engine, a method of checking the availability of and registering multiple names as domain names, the method comprising:

displaying an interface allowing a user to specify within a single view multiple names to be queried for availability;

receiving a search query of names from the user, the search query comprising multiple names entered by the user into the single veiw;

querying a database to determine registration availability of each of the multiple names in combination with each of multiple Top Level Domain (TLD) extensions; and

displaying a table showing the availability of each name in conjunction with each TLD extension, wherein the table is displayed in conjunction with a selection mechanism for allowing the user to select one or more available domain names for registration.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing the user an option to specify a plurality of name servers to be associated with each domain name to be registered.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a submission from the user of multiple domain names to be registered, and submitting the multiple names for registration.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising after submission of the multiple domain names for registration, displaying a second table indicating, for each of the multiple domain names, whether registration was successful.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second table includes the expiration date for the domain name.

13. The search engine system as in claim 11, wherein the web page is further adapted for user specification of the multiple TLD extensions.

14. The search engine system as in claim 11, wherein the query server determines the registration availability of the names without requiring the user to specify the multiple TLD extensions.

15. The search engine system as in claim 11, wherein the results table includes means for selecting one or more available domain names for registration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selection mechanism comprises check boxes.

12. A search engine system for allowing a user to query a database to determine the availability of multiple names for domain name registration, the search engine system comprising:

a web page adapted for user entry and submission of a set of names to be checked for domain name registration availability, wherein the web page allows the user to enter and submit multiple names at a time; and

a query server which is responsive to submission from the web page of a set of multiple names by at least (a) determining registration availability of each of the names in combination with each of multiple Top Level Domain (TLD) extensions, and (b) generating a results table indicating, for each combination of a name and a TLD extension, whether the combination is available for registration.

16. A method of displaying information on the availability of multiple names for registration as domain names, wherein a domain name registry database is queried to determine the availability of the multiple names, the method comprising:

displaying a query results table showing, for each of multiple names specified by a user, the availability of multiple domain names for registration, wherein each domain name is derived from one of the user specified multiple names combined with one of multiple TLD extensions; and

for each of the multiple domain names available for registration, providing a selection mechanism within the query results table to permit the selection of one or more available domain names for registration.

18. A method of querying a domain name registry database to determine domain name registration availability, the method comprising:

displaying a view allowing a user to specify a name to be queried for availability as a Second Level Domain (SLD) in a domain name registry database;

receiving from the user the name to be queried for availability as the SLD;

querying the registry database for the name in combination with multiple Top Level Domain (TLD) extensions not specified by the user; and

displaying query results for the name in a table showing the availability of the name as a SLD in conjunction with each TLD extension.