Internet domain name registration system

• US 20050256853A1
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multicheck Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Barry Fellman
• Inventors: Fellman, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 domain name registration system includes a user interface through which a user can 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 facilitating registration of domain names, comprising:

receiving, via a computer network, a search request specified by a user;

responding to the search request, at least in part, by (a) programmatically checking a registration availability of each of a plurality of names in combination with each of a plurality of Top Level Domain (TLD) extensions, and (b) generating, and transmitting via the computer network for presentation to the user, a web form comprising a result table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the result table indicates, at intersections of the rows and columns, the registration availabilities of corresponding combinations of said names and TLD extensions, and wherein each available combination of a name with a TLD extension is selectable via the table for registration; and

receiving, via the computer network, as a result of a single submission of the web form by the user, an identification of a plurality of said combinations selected by the user via said table for registration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of names consists of names specified by the user via the search request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of names includes at least one auto-generated name not specified by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises programmatically generating at least one of the names based on one or more names specified by the user via the search request.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein programmatically generating at least one of the names comprises combining multiple names specified by the user in multiple different ways to generate multiple alternative names to suggest to the user.