SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING DISTRIBUTION OF LIMITED RESOURCES

• US 20080071909A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afilias PLC.
• Original Assignee: Afilias PLC.
• Inventors: Young, Michael, Thompson, Frank, Mohan, Cedarampattu
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• 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 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

A method is provided for distributing limited resources. The method comprising the following steps. A plurality of limited resources about to expire on a given day is determined. The plurality of limited resources is made available simultaneously. Resource requests from a plurality of clients for a registration period are allowed starting at a predetermined time. The resource requests are processed after the registration period by correlating the limited resources with the received resource requests.

Claims

1. A system for distributing limited resources, the system comprising:

a main server configured to provide standard application server functionality;

a drop zone server configured to receive resource requests for the limited resource; and

a drop zone control module configured determine when the limited resource expires from the main server, parse the drop zone server for corresponding resource requests, and distribute the limited resource accordingly.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the drop zone server is further configured to make a plurality of limited resources available simultaneously.

3. The system of claim 2, where the plurality of limited resource comprises all limited resources expiring on a given day.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the drop zone server and the main server have different connectivity policies.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the drop zone server connectivity policy limits each client to three connections.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the limited resource is a previously used domain name;

the resource request is a registration request;

the main server is a main registry server configured to provide domain name system functionality.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the limited resource is a new domain name;

the resource request is a registration request; and

the main server is a main registry server configured to provide domain name system functionality.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the limited resource is an auction item;

the resource request is a bid on the limited resource; and

the main server is a main auction server configured to provide auction functionality.

9. A method for distributing limited resources, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a plurality of limited resources expiring during a predetermined expiration period;

making the plurality of limited resources available simultaneously;

allowing resource requests from a plurality of clients for a registration period starting at a predetermined time; and

processing the resource requests after the registration period by correlating the limited resources with the received resource requests.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of limited resources comprises all limited resources expiring during a given day.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the limited resources processed as they expire.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein duplicate resource requests are maintained and processing in a sequence in which they are received.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein if one of the resource requests fails, a subsequent duplicate resource request is processed.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the resource request fails due to insufficient funds in an account of a corresponding requesting client.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein a number of connections for submitting the resource request assigned to each of the clients is limited.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a connection period prior to allowing the resource requests for enabling the clients to ensure that they can establish a connection.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the limited resource is a previously used domain name;

the resource request is a registration request; and

the client is a registrar.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the limited resource is a new domain name;

the resource request is a registration request; and

the client is a registrar.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the limited resource is an auction item;

the resource request is a bid on the limited resource; and

the client is a bidder.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executing by a computer, cause the computer to implement the steps of:

determining a plurality of limited resources about to expire on a given day;

making the plurality of limited resources available simultaneously;

allowing resource requests from a plurality of clients for a registration period starting at a predetermined time; and

processing the resource requests after the registration period by correlating the limited resources with the received resource requests.