Internet-based value-added services system and method

• US 20100299450A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neutral Space, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neutral Space, Inc.
• Inventors: Mendell, Danton S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,806,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A top-level domain (TLD) hierarchical routing system comprises a domain name server (DNS) configured to analyze a universal resource locator (URL) top-level domain (TLD) and to route an Internet query to a numerical Internet protocol (IP) destination; a proprietary server Internet-coupled with the numerical Internet protocol (IP) destination, the server configured to analyze one or more second-level domains (SLDs) behind the TLD and further to provide an operative engagement between an Internet user and a value-added service in the form of a software-as-a-service (SaaS) or application software program (ASP) relatable to selected ones of plural SLDs that are licensed or otherwise authorized to use the TLD, thereby to add value to the one or more SLDs and to the one or more users sharing such a ubiquitous Internet-based value-added services platform.

Claims

1. A top-level domain (TLD) hierarchical routing system comprising:

a domain name server (DNS) configured to analyze a universal resource locator (URL) top-level domain (TLD) and to route one or more Internet queries from one or more Internet users to a numerical Internet protocol (IP) destination;

a proprietary server Internet-coupled with the numerical Internet protocol (IP) destination, the server configured to analyze one or more second-level domains (SLDs) behind the TLD and further to provide an operative engagement between the one or more Internet users and a value-added service in the form of application software relatable to selected ones of plural SLDs that are licensed to use the TLD, thereby to add value to the one or more SLDs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the application software resides also on the proprietary server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application software resides on a third-party server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the application software is configured to present a standardized use model to the one or more Internet users who make the one or more queries.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the application software provides one or more value-added services chosen from a group including calendaring, social networking, geo-mapping, geo-locating, e-couponing, meta-tagging, demographic data mining, expert ranking, wiki, blogging, journaling, travel, and ticketing.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the application software executes as machine-readable instructions on one or more special-purposes computers operatively coupled with the proprietary server.

7. A top-level-domain (TLD)-based on-line value-added software service system comprising:

a first Internet-enabled proprietary server configured to parse an ultimate Internet suffix of a universal resource locator (URL) representing a dedicated value-added software service and to compare the same with a defined suffix, the server configured further to determine whether the remnant string includes a recognizable second-level-domain (SLD) suffix, the server configured further to parse the remnant string minus such an SLD suffix to determine by comparison of a remnant domain name with a data-based list of licensed registrants whether the domain name owner is registered to offer a user the dedicated value-added software service; and

a second Internet-enabled server configured to provide the value added software service when invoked by a user who accesses the traditional domain by appending the ultimate suffix representing the dedicated value-added software to a URL in an Internet query.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second servers are one and the same.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second servers are different from one another.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first server is configured further to maintain routing and meta-tag information for one or more Internet-connected devices.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the value-added software service provides one or more value-added services chosen from a group including calendaring, social networking, geo-mapping, geo-locating, e-couponing, meta-tagging, demographic data mining, expert ranking, wiki, blogging, journaling, travel, and ticketing.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the value-added service includes one or more software applications executing as machine-readable instructions on one or more special-purposes computers.

13. A method of providing users access to Internet-ubiquitous value-added on-line services by way of an appended top-level domain (TLD) naming convention, the method comprising:

registering a new TLD suffix with a proper Internet organization, the TLD representing one or more value-added services;

routing Internet traffic addressed to universal resource locators (URLs) that terminate in the registered TLD suffix to a proprietary server couple-able with a value-added on-line service;

selectively providing the one or more value-added on-line services by operatively linking one or more users to a value-added services fulfillment software application over the Internet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the value-added services fulfillment software application includes machine-readable instructions executed on one or more special-purposes computers.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the routing involves a first routing by a server to resolve the registered TLD suffix and a second routing by a server to resolve a second-level domain (SLD) and domain name therebehind.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the routing is selectively performed by a server including a special-purpose computer configured to determine whether the addressed URL is authorized to link to the value-added services fulfillment software application.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selectively performed routing includes mapping selective ones of domains embedded in the URL to a particular one or more of the one or more software applications.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising, after the routing and before the providing,

determining whether the addressed URL is authorized to link to the value-added services fulfillment software application and if so then performing the selectively providing step.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

licensing or authorizing an owner of the SLD to participate in providing at least one of the one or more software applications via an Internet server.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the value-added online services provide one or more software applications chosen from a group including calendaring, social networking, geo-mapping, geo-locating, e-couponing, meta-tagging, demographic data mining, expert ranking, wiki, blogging, journaling, travel, and ticketing.