SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVING CONTENT OVER A WIDE AREA NETWORK

• US 20070157293A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accessify, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hoshiko LLC (Raoul Management LLC)
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A system and method is provided for using a DNS server operating on a wide area network to enable an authorized reception device to receive (or be provided with) restricted content data associated with a particular wide area network address and redefine the domain name associated with a particular wide area network address. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an authorization application is adapted to provide the reception device with user-verification data, receive from the reception device verification data, and provide the filtering application with authorization data. The filtering application, which operates similarly to prior art DNS server systems, is further adapted to receive filtered data (i.e., password-required data and/or pseudo-domain-name data) and authorization data in order to provide an IP address of the content server to the reception device via a wide area network, such as the Internet.

Claims

1-64. -64. (canceled)

65. A method for controlling access to IP addresses for content using a domain name system, comprising the steps of:

receiving requests at a name server from a plurality of network devices, wherein the name server is configured to receive requests for content from the plurality of network devices via a wide area network and is operably associated with a first memory holding a domain name table, the domain name table listing IP addresses for network content servers in association with domain names and with device identifiers for the network devices, and wherein each request comprises a domain name and a device identifier;

determining, for ones of the requests, corresponding ones of authorized network addresses each associated with a device identifier and a requested domain name in the domain name table, for each request in which the device identifier in the domain name table matches a device identifier included in the request, wherein the authorized network addresses comprise IP addresses; and

responding to the requests by providing the authorized network addresses to requesting ones of the plurality of network devices.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising determining, for other ones of the requests, default network addresses each associated with a requested domain name in the domain name table and not with a device identifier, for each request in which the device identifier included in the request data does not match a device identifier associated with a domain name in the domain name table, and responding to the requests by providing the default network addresses to requesting ones of the plurality of network devices.

67. The method of claim 66, fully comprising operating an authorization server in communication with the name server and with the plurality of network devices via the wide area network, wherein the authorization server is operably associated with a second memory holding an authorization application, the authorization application operable to verify user access privileges for each of the requests.

68. The method of claim 66, further comprising obtaining authorization data from the plurality of network devices for verifying user access privileges.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising providing the authorization data to the name server.

70. The method of claim 68, further comprising obtaining payment information from users requesting access to specified content.

71. The method of claim 68, further comprising obtaining information from users, the information selected from the group consisting of a user password and the device identifier.

72. The method of claim 68, further comprising providing the default network address in response to requests for which authorization data indicates that the user is not authorized to receive unfiltered information.

73. The method of claim 68, further comprising providing a message indicating that access to requested content is not authorized in response to requests for which the authorization data indicates that the user is not authorized to receive requested information.

74. The method of claim 68, further comprising providing the default network address in response to requests for which authorization data matching the authorization data in the domain name table is not reached.

75. The method of claim 65, further comprising rewarding users for designating the name server as their default name server for handling domain name requests.

76. The method of claim 65, further comprising communicating an authorization status to content servers via redirected domain names associated with the domain names in the domain name table.

77. A system for directing access to content over a wide area network, comprising:

a name server configured to receive requests for content from a plurality of network devices via a wide area network, wherein the name server is operably associated with a first memory holding a domain name table, and wherein the domain name table associates IP addresses for network content servers with domain names and device identifiers, the name server comprising instructions operable for;

receiving requests at a name server from a plurality of network devices, wherein each request comprises a domain name and a device identifier;

determining, for ones of the requests, corresponding ones of authorized network addresses each associated with a device identifier and a domain name in the domain name table, for each request in which the device identifier in the domain name table matches a device identifier included in the request, wherein the authorized network addresses comprise IP addresses; and

responding to the requests by providing the authorized network addresses to requesting one of the plurality of network devices.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein the name server further comprises instructions for determining, for other ones of the requests, default network addresses each associated with a requested domain name in the domain name table and not with a device identifier, for each request in which the device identifier included in the request does not match a device identifier associated with a domain name in the domain name table, and responding to the requests by providing the default network addresses to requesting ones of the plurality of network devices.

79. The system of claim 78, further comprising an authorization server in communication with the name server and with the plurality of network devices via the wide area network, wherein the authorization server is operable to obtain authorization data from the plurality of network devices for verifying user access privileges.

80. The system of claim 78, wherein the authorization server is further operable to provide authorization data to the name server.

81. The system of claim 78, wherein the authorization server is further operable to obtain payment information from users requesting access to specified content.

82. The system of claim 78, wherein the authorization server is further operable to obtain information from users, the information selected from the group consisting of a user password and the device identifier.

83. The system of claim 79, wherein the instructions of the name server are further operable to provide the default network address in response to requests for which the authorization data indicates that the user is not authorized to receive unfiltered information.

84. The system of claim 79, wherein the instructions of the name server are further operable to provide a message indicating that access to requested content is not authorized in response to requests for which the authorization data indicates that the user is not authorized to receive requested information.

85. The system of claim 79, wherein the instructions of the name server are further operable to provide the IP address together with the redirected domain name in response to requests for which authorization data matching the authorization data in the domain name table is not received.

86. The system of claim 77, wherein the instructions of the name server are further operable to reward users for designating the name server as their default name server for handling domain name requests.

87. The system of claim 77, further comprising at least one content server in communication with the name server, the content server configured to determine a user authorization status based on redirected domain names provided by the name server as associated with domain names in the domain name table.