Domain name acquisition and management system and method

• US 7,606,858 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Web.com Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SnapNames.com, Inc.
• Inventors: King, Raymond, Bayles, Len Albert, Wiener, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdullahi; Salad
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALL, EL HADJI MALICK
• Application Number:
  US11/378,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/207, 709/219, 709/223, 709/22, 709/224, 705/37
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the present invention can accept an indication of a domain name or set of domain names from interested entity. The desired domain names are names that an interested entity desires to register through a domain name registration system or systems, such as that operated by a registry-accredited registrar. The system can closely monitor the domain name registry or registrar databases used to provide domain name resolution or registration over a distributed network, such as the Internet, and determine the expiration or availability of the name or names supplied by the interested entity. When a desired domain name appears to be available, the system can register or re-register the domain name through a domain registration service. If there is more than one interested entity for a domain name, the system can also facilitate an auction for the domain name.

Claims

1. A computerized system for facilitating an auction of a domain name, the system comprising:

a database of desired domain names, the desired domain names having been identified from interested entities requesting acquisition or monitoring services for the desired domain names;

the desired domain names database arranged for storing a representation of demand for each of the desired domain names;

a network front end for receiving from each of at least one interested entity, via a network, a corresponding indication of demand for a desired domain name, wherein the indication of demand includes a monetary bid, and for storing each of the at least one interested entity and the corresponding monetary bid in the desired domain names database as the representation of demand for the domain name;

means for comparing the monetary bids in the desired domain names database to a predetermined threshold demand level, and, if the stored monetary bids, either individually or cumulatively, exceed the threshold demand level;

communicating to a current registrant of the domain name a proposal for an auction of the domain name.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the auction proposal communicated to the current registrant of the domain name comprises a proposal to auction the domain name to the interested entities identified in the desired domain names database as having requested acquisition or monitoring services for the domain name.

5. The system according to claim 1 and further comprising notifying the interested entities identified in the desired domain names database of an upcoming auction for the domain name.

2. A computerized system for facilitating an auction of a domain name, the system comprising:

a database of desired domain names, the desired domain names having been identified from interested entities requesting acquisition or monitoring services for the desired domain names;

the desired domain names database arranged for storing a representation of demand for a domain name;

a computerized interface for receiving an indication of interest in the domain name, via the Internet, from at least one interested entity;

means for counting a number of the interested entities who indicated interest in the domain name via the network, and for storing the counted number of interested entities in the desired domain names database as an indication of a level of demand for the domain name;

means for comparing the stored number of interested entities in the desired domain names database to a predetermined threshold demand level and;

if the stored number of interested entities exceeds the threshold demand level, communicating to a current registrant of the domain name a proposal for to conduct an auction of the domain name;

wherein the proposal for an auction is communicated to the current registrant via the network using contact information associated with the domain name; and

wherein the auction is conducted among at least some of the interested entities via the network.

3. A computerized method for facilitating an auction of a domain name, the method comprising:

establishing a database of desired domain names;

storing in the desired domain names database identification of domain names for which at least one customer has expressed interest;

receiving from each of at least one interested entity, via a network, a corresponding indication of demand for a domain name, wherein the indication of demand includes a monetary bid;

storing each of the at least one interested entity and the corresponding monetary bids in the desired domain names database is association with the corresponding domain name;

comparing the stored monetary bids in the demand database to a predetermined threshold demand level;

if the stored monetary bids, either individually or cumulatively, exceed the threshold demand level;

tagging the domain name as an auctionable domain;

monitoring the domain name registration;

acquiring the domain name as soon as possible after it becomes available; and

then,

auctioning the acquired domain name to the interested entities.