DIGITAL IDENTITY REGISTRATION

• US 20070208869A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adelman, Warren, Chadwick, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Systems and processes of the present invention allow for digital identity registration. In an example embodiment, a Registrant may access a website to enter a requested digital identity and registration information. The requested digital identity may comprise a piece of client software, a digital certificate, or a URL comprising any combination of characters—perhaps including a domain name that may be owned by the Registrant. A Digital Identity Database may then be searched to determine the availability of the requested digital identity. If the requested digital identity includes a domain name, WHOIS records may be searched to determine whether the Registrant owns and/or controls the domain name. The Registrant'"'"'s registration information also may be validated. The requested digital identity may then be registered to the Registrant, possibly by adding the requested digital identity to the Digital Identity Database and/or adding the registration information to a Records database.

Claims

1. A digital identity registration system, comprising:

a) means for receiving a requested digital identity from a prospective Registrant;

b) means for determining the availability of said requested digital identity; and

c) means for registering, if available, said requested digital identity to said Registrant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said digital identity is a client software-based digital identity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said digital identity is a URL-based digital identity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving comprises a website having fields for receiving one or more records from said Registrant, said records comprising said requested digital identity and/or one or more registration information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said means for determining comprises means for searching a Digital Identity Database for the availability of said requested digital identity, said Digital Identity Database storing a plurality of registered digital identities.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said means for registering comprises means for adding said registration information to a Records Database and means for adding said digital identity to said Digital Identity Database.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said requested digital identity comprises a domain name.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

d) means for confirming said domain name is owned and/or controlled by said Registrant prior to registering said requested digital identity.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

e) means for selling and registering said domain name, if available, to said

Registrant.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

e) means for validating said registration information from said Registrant prior to registering said requested digital identity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for confirming comprises means for searching WHOIS records.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said Digital Identity Database and said Records Database are maintained by a Digital Identity Provider.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registrar.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registry.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said website is operated by a Digital Identity Provider.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registrar.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registry.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

20. The system of claim 10, further comprising;

f) means for providing, if validated, a Validation Marker to said Registrant.

21. A digital identity registration system, comprising:

a) a website having one or more fields for receiving at least one requested digital identity and/or at least one registration-related information from a prospective Registrant;

b) a Digital Identity Database for storing a plurality of registered digital identities;

c) a Records Database for storing at least one registration-related record for said plurality of registered digital identities;

d) means for searching said Digital Identity Database for the availability of said requested digital identity; and

e) means for registering, if available, said requested digital identity to said Registrant by adding said registration-related information to said Records Database and adding said digital identity to said Digital Identity Database.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said requested digital identity comprises a domain name.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

f) means for confirming said domain name is owned and/or controlled by said Registrant.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said Digital Identity Database is maintained by a Digital Identity Provider.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registrar.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registry.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said Digital Identity Provider is not a domain name Registry, Registrar, or Reseller.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

g) means for validating said registration-related information from said Registrant prior to registering said requested digital identity.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for confirming said domain name is owned or controlled by said Registrant comprises means for searching WHOIS records.

31. A digital identity registration process, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a requested digital identity from a prospective Registrant;

b) determining the availability of said requested digital identity; and

c) registering, if available, said requested digital identity to said Registrant.

32. The process of claim 31, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving one or more records from said Registrant on a website, said records comprising said requested digital identity and/or one or more registration information.

33. The process of claim 32, wherein said determining step comprises searching a Digital Identity Database for the availability of said requested digital identity, said Digital Identity Database comprising a plurality of registered digital identities.

34. The process of claim 33, wherein said registering step comprises adding said registration information to a Records Database and adding said digital identity to said Digital Identity Database.

35. The process of claim 34, wherein said requested digital identity comprises a domain name.

36. The process of claim 35, further comprising the step of:

d) confirming said domain name is owned and/or controlled by said Registrant prior to registering said requested digital identity.

37. The process of claim 36, further comprising the step of:

e) selling and registering said domain name, if available, to said Registrant.

38. The process of claim 36, further comprising the step of:

e) validating said registration information from said Registrant prior to registering said requested digital identity.

39. The process of claim 36, wherein confirming said domain name is owned and/or controlled by said Registrant comprises searching WHOIS records.

40. The process of claim 36, wherein said Digital Identity Database is maintained by a Digital Identity Provider.

41. The process of claim 40, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registrar.

42. The process of claim 40, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a domain name Registry.

43. The process of claim 40, wherein said Digital Identity Provider comprises a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

44. The process of claim 31, further comprising the step of:

d) prior to step c) suggesting at least one alternate digital identity.

45. The process of claim 44, further comprising the step of:

e) registering, if selected, said alternate digital identity to said Registrant.

46. The process of claim 31, wherein said digital identity is a client software-based digital identity.

47. The process of claim 31, wherein said digital identity is a URL-based digital identity.

48. The process of claim 36, wherein confirming said domain name is owned and/or controlled by said Registrant comprises utilizing a lookup service.