System apparatus and method for hosting and assigning domain names on a wide area network

• US 6,687,746 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Far North Patents, LLC
• Original Assignee: IdeaFlood, Inc.
• Inventors: Price, Matthew, Johnson, Desmond Ford, Lam, Brian, Shuster, Brian, Leong, Johnson
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhary, Anita
• Application Number:
  US09/386,529
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102-104, 707/501.1, 707/513, 709/223, 709/232, 709/225, 709/220, 709/206, 709/219, 709/313, 709/105, 709/102
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/345 containing wildcard characters
• 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 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a domain management system, apparatus and method for hosting and assigning domain names. Embodiments of the domain management system comprise a name assignment system and a hosting system, wherein the hosting system comprises a domain retrieval system and a data storage apparatus. The name assignment system verifies availability and assigns domain names to requesting clients. The name assignment system comprises an input component, a confirmation mechanism and a name storage means. Preferred embodiments of the domain retrieval system comprise a scheduler, a parsing member having a plurality of redirectors and a plurality of servers. The domain retrieval system locates the domain referenced by the domain name by parsing header information and utilizing a wildcard DNS. Once the domain is located, the domain retrieval system forwards the domain to the user computer.

Claims

1. A method for enabling internet access to content located by a domain name, the domain name including a user-selected subdomain label that is not associated with an IP address in a zone file of any higher-level domain, the method comprising:

operating a host having an IP address specified by an internet-class resource record for a domain name server, in that the resource record associates the host IP address to a host domain name in a zone file of the domain name server, and wherein the host domain name comprises (a) a subdomain labeled with a designated wildcard character of a domain name system and (b) at least one;

higher-level domain name;

configuring a content address according to a content storage system of the host independently of the domain name system, the content address comprising a user-selected label, wherein the user-selected label comprises at least one character that is not the designated wildcard character;

storing content in the content storage system, the content addressed by the content address;

receiving a domain name configured in accordance with the domain name system, the domain name comprising the host domain name with the user-selected label substituted for the designated wildcard character;

determining the content address from the user-selected label;

retrieving the content from the content storage system using the content address; and

serving the content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a searchable database of a plurality of user-selected labels, each of the plurality of user-selected labels associated with a corresponding content address of the content storage system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the serving step further comprises serving a frameset for the content, the frameset comprising at least one provider frame and a client frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the serving step further comprises serving the client frame configured for display of the content.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the serving step further comprises serving the provider frame configured for display of advertising content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step is performed by a scheduler, and further comprising directing the domain name from the scheduler to a redirector so as to balance load from a plurality of requests.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining step is performed by any one of a plurality of redirectors, each configured for parsing the domain name.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the content for storage on the content storage system from a user that selected the user-selected label.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the user-selected label to a plurality of previously-selected labels each comprising a corresponding content address of the content storage system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising auctioning the user-selected label for bids from a plurality of bidders.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the user-selected label to appear like nested subdomains of a domain name configured in accordance with the domain name system.

12. A system for enabling internet access to content identified by a user-selected domain name comprising a subdomain, without requiring that the subdomain be associated with an IP address of a higher-level domain, the system comprising:

an internet-connected host computer, the host computer having an IP address specified by an internet-class resource record for a domain name server, wherein the resource record associates the host IP address to a host domain name in a zone file of the domain name server, and wherein the host domain name comprises (a) a subdomain labeled with a designated wildcard character of a domain name system and (b) at least one higher-level domain name;

a memory operably associated with the host computer, the memory holding instructions comprising;

configuring a content address according to a content storage system of the host computer independently of the domain name system, the content address comprising a user-selected label, wherein the user-selected label comprises at least one character that is not the designated wildcard character;

storing content in the content storage system, the content addressed by the content address;

receiving a domain name configured in accordance with the domain name system, the domain name comprising the host domain name with the user-selected label substituted for the designated wildcard character;

determining the content address from the user-selected label;

retrieving the content from the content storage system using the content address; and

serving the content.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise maintaining a searchable database of a plurality of user-selected labels, each of the plurality of user-selected labels associated with a corresponding content address of the content storage system.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise serving a frameset for the content, the frameset comprising at least one provider frame and a client frame.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions further comprise serving the provider frame configured for display of advertising content.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a scheduler connected to the host computer, the scheduler configured to direct the domain name from the scheduler to a redirector so as to balance load from a plurality of requests.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of redirectors, each configured for parsing the domain name.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise receiving the content for storage on the content storage system from a user that selected the user-selected label.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise comparing the user-selected label to a plurality of previously-selected labels each comprising a corresponding content address of the content storage system.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions further comprise auctioning the user-selected label for bids from a plurality of bidders.