Digital identity registration

• US 7,996,512 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adelman, Warren, Chadwick, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US12/781,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/206, 709/203, 709/245, 709/226, 713/170, 713/172, 707/999.001
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Systems and processes of the present invention allow for digital identity registration. In an example embodiment, a Registrant may access a website to enter a requested digital identity and registration information. The requested digital identity may comprise a piece of client software, a digital certificate, or a URL comprising any combination of characters—perhaps including a domain name that may be owned by the Registrant. A Digital Identity Database may then be searched to determine the availability of the requested digital identity. If the requested digital identity includes a domain name, WHOIS records may be searched to determine whether the Registrant owns and/or controls the domain name. The Registrant'"'"'s registration information also may be validated. The requested digital identity may then be registered to the Registrant, possibly by adding the requested digital identity to the Digital Identity Database and/or adding the registration information to a Records database.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) a website hosted on at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a computer network, said website comprising one or more fields configured to receive from a prospective registrant;

(i) at least one digital identity comprising a domain name registered to said prospective registrant; and

(ii) at least one registration information;

b) a digital identity database on at least one of said at least one server computer, said digital identity database storing a plurality of registered digital identities;

c) a records database on at least one of said at least one server computer, said records database storing at least one registration-related record for each of said plurality of registered digital identities;

d) a search engine running on at least one of said at least one server computer, said search engine being configured to determine the availability of said at least one digital identity for registration by searching said digital identity database; and

e) a digital identity registration software running on at least one of said at least one server computer, said digital identity registration software being configured to register said at least one digital identity, if determined to be available, to said prospective registrant by adding at least one of said at least one registration information to said records database and adding said digital identity to said digital identity database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one digital identity comprises a subdomain concatenated to said domain name.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

f) means for confirming said domain name is owned or controlled by said prospective registrant.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said digital identity database is maintained by a digital identity provider.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said digital identity provider comprises a domain name registrar.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said digital identity provider comprises a domain name registry.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said digital identity provider comprises a reseller for a domain name registrar.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said digital identity provider is not a domain name registry, registrar, or reseller.

9. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

g) means for validating at least one of said at least one registration information prior to registering said at least one digital identity.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for confirming said domain name is owned or controlled by said prospective registrant comprises means for searching WHOIS records.

11. A process, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, by at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a computer network, a request to register a digital identity comprising a domain name registered to a prospective registrant, said digital identity, and one or more registration information;

b) determining, by at least one of said at least one server computer, the availability of said digital identity for registration by searching a digital identity database communicatively coupled to said computer network, said digital identity database comprising a plurality of registered digital identities; and

c) registering, by at least one of said at least one server computer, said digital identity, if determined to be available, to said prospective registrant.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving said request, said digital identity, and said one or more registration information via a website communicatively coupled to said computer network.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein said registering step comprises adding said one or more registration information to a records database and adding said digital identity to said digital identity database.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein said digital identity comprises a subdomain concatenated to said domain name.

15. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

d) confirming said domain name is owned or controlled by said prospective registrant prior to registering said digital identity.

16. The process of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

e) validating said one or more registration information from said prospective registrant prior to registering said digital identity.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein confirming said domain name is owned or controlled by said prospective registrant comprises searching WHOIS records.

18. The process of claim 15, wherein said digital identity database is maintained by a digital identity provider.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein said digital identity provider comprises a domain name registrar.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein said digital identity provider comprises a domain name registry.

21. The process of claim 18, wherein said digital identity provider comprises a reseller for a domain name registrar.

22. The process of claim 15, wherein confirming said domain name is owned or controlled by said prospective registrant comprises utilizing a lookup service.

23. The process of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

d) prior to step c) suggesting, by at least one of said at least one server computer, at least one alternate digital identity.

24. The process of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

e) registering, by at least one of said at least one server computer, said alternate digital identity, if selected, to said prospective registrant.