Domain name acquisition and management system and method
First Claim
1. A method for effectuating a succeeding registration of a domain name for an interested entity following the expiration of a prior registration of the domain name, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving from an interested entity a request identifying a domain name having a registered status; and
automatically;
determining an expiration date for the status;
defining a time period for checking the status based on the expiration date;
periodically checking the status at a predefined frequency within the time period; and
when the status indicates that the domain name is registrable, requesting registration of the domain name for the interested entity.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A preferred embodiment of the present invention can accept an indication of a domain name or set of domain names from interested entity. The desired domain names are names that an interested entity desires to register through a domain name registration system or systems, such as that operated by a registry-accredited registrar. The system can closely monitor the domain name registry or registrar databases used to provide domain name resolution or registration over a distributed network, such as the Internet, and determine the expiration or availability of the name or names supplied by the interested entity. When a desired domain name appears to be available, the system can register or reregister the domain name through a domain registration service. If there is more than one interested entity for a domain name, the system can also facilitate an auction for the domain name.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A method for effectuating a succeeding registration of a domain name for an interested entity following the expiration of a prior registration of the domain name, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving from an interested entity a request identifying a domain name having a registered status; and
automatically;
determining an expiration date for the status;
defining a time period for checking the status based on the expiration date;
periodically checking the status at a predefined frequency within the time period; and
when the status indicates that the domain name is registrable, requesting registration of the domain name for the interested entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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13. A method for effectuating an automatic renewal of a registration for a domain name on behalf of a registrant, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving from a registrant a request to automatically renew a registration for a domain name, the request being received before the registration expires;
determining an expiration date for the registration;
periodically checking the registration at a predefined frequency proximate to the expiration date; and
responsive to the registration expiring, renewing the registration for the registrant.
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15. A method for domain name management comprising the steps of:
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receiving from an interested entity a request to monitor a domain name registration maintained by a registry;
monitoring a request between a registrar and the registry to detect an event affecting the domain name registration;
identifying the event as belonging to a specific type; and
based on the specific type of event, taking a predefined action.
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33. A method for domain name management comprising:
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a step for identifying a domain name with a first registration;
a step for identifying an interested party desiring a succeeding registration for the domain name;
a step for monitoring a status of the first registration; and
a step for effecting the succeeding registration when the status of the first registration indicates that the domain name is registrable. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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34. A method for initiating an auction, driven by demand-side interest for a domain name, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying at least one entity indicating interest in a domain name;
comparing the indicated interest of the at least one entity to a predetermined threshold interest; and
if the indicated interest at least equals the predetermined threshold interest, informing a registrant of the domain name of an auction potential represented by the at least one entity.
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43. A method for auctioning a succeeding registration of a domain name that has a current registration, the method comprising the steps of:
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identifying at least one entity desiring a succeeding registration of a domain name after a current registration of the domain name expires;
registering a succeeding registration of the domain name to an escrow agent after the current registration expires;
holding an auction among the at least one entity to determine a winning entity; and
transferring the succeeding registration from the escrow agent to the winning entity.
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44. A method for effecting a subsequent registration of an identification resource used to identify a node on a distributed network, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving an indication of an identification resource from an interested entity;
repeatedly checking the status of the identification resource; and
responsive to the status of the identification resource indicating that the identification resource is registrable, registering the identification resource for the interested entity. - View Dependent Claims (45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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46. A system for domain name management and acquisition operating within a domain name registration system wherein a registry administers allocation of a domain name, a registrar issues a request to the registry for a registration of the domain name for an interested entity, the request being communicated through a secure communication channel between the registrar and the registry, and registration information is stored in a public registrar database maintained by the registrar and a public registry database maintained by the registry, the registration information including an expiration date for the registration, the system for domain name management and acquisition comprising:
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a front end for receiving an indication of the domain name from the interested entity;
a processing and distribution engine to receive the indication of the domain name from the front end, determine the expiration date by querying the public registrar database and the public registry database, and instruct the acquisition array to communicate with the registry proximate to the expiration date to register the domain name for the interested entity; and
an acquisition array integrated with the registrar so as to communicate with the registry via the secure communication channel.
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54. A system for domain name management comprising:
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(a) a domain name registry for administering the allocation of a plurality of domain names within a specific domain;
(b) a registrar to communicate with the registry and change registration information for the plurality of domain names, the registration information being maintained by the registrar and the registry;
(c) a third-party agent representing an interested entity, the third-party agent coupled to the registrar and registry for ongoing monitoring of the registration information maintained by the registrar and the registry; and
including means for;
taking a predetermined action as soon as practicable after a predetermined event reflected by a change in the monitored registration information. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63)
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57. A system for domain name management comprising:
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(a) a domain name registry for administering the allocation of a plurality of domain names within a specific domain;
(b) a registrar to communicate with the registry and change registration information for the plurality of domain names, the registration information being maintained by the registrar and the registry;
(c) a third-party agent representing an interested entity, the third-party agent monitoring a communication between the registrar and the registry to make a change to the registration information; and
including means for taking a predetermined action as soon as practicable after a predetermined event reflected by the change to the registration information.
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62. A domain name registration system comprising:
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(a) input means for receiving an indication of a domain name; and
(b) an acquisition engine coupled to the input means and integrated with a domain name registrar having access to a domain name registry so as to enable the acquisition engine to determine a status of the indicated domain name.
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64. A computerized system for facilitating an auction of a domain name, the system comprising:
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a demand database for storing a representation of demand for a domain name;
a network front end for receiving from each of at least one interested entity, via a network, a corresponding indication of demand for the domain name and recording each of the at least one interested entity and the corresponding indication of demand in the demand database as the representation of demand for the domain name;
means for comparing the representation of demand in the demand database to a predetermined threshold demand, and, in response to a favorable comparison, communicating to a registrant of the domain name a proposal for an auction of the domain name among the at least one interested entity. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification