Method and system for mapping a domain name with no associated address to an address

• US 7,783,780 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donuts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Demand Media Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Inventors: Stahura, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US11/406,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A method and system for resolving domain names of web sites with dynamic addresses. The resolution system, which may execute as part of a domain name server, receives a domain name associated with a web site. The resolution system then identifies a dynamic address name associated with the received domain name. The resolution system then sends to a dynamic address system the identified dynamic address name. The dynamic address system then returns an address associated with the dynamic address name to the resolution system. Upon receiving the identified address, the resolution system then returns the identified address as the address of the received domain name. Methods and systems for mapping an unregistered domain name to an address and for placing telephone calls via a network are also provided.

Claims

1. A method in a computing device for mapping a domain name with no associated address to an address, the method comprising:

receiving, using the computing device, a domain name from a client terminal;

determining whether a network address is associated with the received domain name, wherein determining whether a network address is associated with the received domain name comprises;

determining a user identifier associated with the received domain name,

sending to a dynamic address system the determined user identifier, the dynamic address system having a mapping from user identifiers to network addresses each user identifier associated with a user, wherein the dynamic address system periodically receives an update for each user that comprises a current network address of a device through which the user is accessible and wherein upon receiving the update, the dynamic address system associates the received current network address with the user identifier associated with the user, and

receiving from the dynamic address system the current network address associated with the determined user identifier;

when it is determined that an address is not associated with the received domain name,

sending a search request based on the domain name to a search engine that searches for web pages matching the search request;

receiving from the search engine a plurality of addresses associated with the search results;

analyzing, using the computing device, the search results received from the search engine to identify a link to a web site that may be intended by a user, the computing device separate from the search engine;

identifying the address of the link; and

sending to the client the address of the link to the web site that may be intended by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network address is an IP address.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing device is a domain name server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the domain name server is a top-level domain name server.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the domain name server is a second-level domain name server.

6. A method in a computing device for mapping a domain name with no associated address to an address, the method comprising:

receiving a domain name from a client computer;

determining whether a network address is associated with the received domain name, wherein determining whether a network address is associated with the received domain name comprises;

determining a user identifier associated with the received domain name,

sending to a dynamic address system the determined user identifier, the dynamic address system having a mapping from user identifiers to network addresses, each user identifier associated with a user, wherein the dynamic address system periodically receives an update for each user that comprises a current network address of a device through which the user is accessible and wherein upon receiving the update, the dynamic address system associates the received current network address with the user identifier associated with the user, and

receiving from the dynamic address system the current network address associated with the determined user identifier;

when it is determined that an address is not associated with the received domain name,

redirecting, using the computing device, the client computer to a search engine that searches for web pages associated with the domain name and that provides search results to the client computer based on the domain name, the search results identifying web pages;

analyzing, using the computing device, the search results received from the search engine to identify a link to a web site that may be intended by a user, the computing device separate from the search engine;

identifying the address of the link; and

sending to the client the address to the link of the web site that may be intended by the user.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the network address is an IP address.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the computing device is a domain name server.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the domain name server is a top-level domain name server.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the domain name server is a second-level domain name server.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein an address is not associated with the received domain name because it is not a registered domain name.

12. A method in a computing device for mapping a domain name with no associated address to an address, the method comprising:

sending to a domain name server a domain name;

translating the domain name into a network address for communicating with a device, wherein translating comprises;

determining a user identifier associated with the received domain name,

sending to a dynamic address system the determined user identifier, the dynamic address system having a mapping from user identifiers to network addresses, each user identifier associated with a user, wherein the dynamic address system periodically receives an update for each user that comprises a current network address of a device through which the user is accessible and wherein upon receiving the update, the dynamic address system associates the received current network address with the user identifier associated with the user, and

receiving from the dynamic address system the current network address associated with the determined user identifier;

receiving from the domain name server an indication that the sent domain name is not mapped to an address; and

upon receiving the indication,

automatically sending to a search engine, separate from the domain name server, a search request based on the sent domain name, wherein the search engine searches for web pages that match the search request; and

displaying search results provided by the search engine, the search results identifying web pages.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a browser performs the automatic sending.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein a plug-in of a browser performs the automatic sending.

15. A computing system for mapping a domain name with no associated address to an address, the computing system comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a process domain name component configured to receive a user identifier associated with a domain name and having a parameter that identifies a resource;

a dynamic address name table component configured to identify a dynamic address name associated with the parameter;

a dynamic address system communication component configured to send to a dynamic address system that is external to the computing system the identified dynamic address name, the dynamic address system having a mapping from dynamic address names to network addresses wherein resources have a dynamic address name and have their network address registered with the dynamic address system and configured to receive from the dynamic address system a network address for the identified dynamic address name;

a response component configured to send the received network address as the address for the resource identified by the parameter, such that a client receives the network address associated with the resource by sending a single DNS request to the computing device;

a mapping component that receives an indication that the domain name is not associated with an address,

wherein, upon receiving the indication, the mapping component;

sends to a search engine, coupled to the mapping component, a search request based on the domain name, wherein the search engine searches for web pages that match the search request;

receives from the search engine an address associated with the search results; and

sends to the client the received address so that the client can access the search results that identify web pages associated with the domain name.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the network address is an IP address.

17. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the mapping component is a domain name server.

18. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the domain name server is a top-level domain name server.

19. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the domain name server is a second-level domain name server.