Message based network configuration of dynamic domain name services

• US 8,073,971 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mazur, Leszek, Satkunanathan, Lingan, Roberts, Theodore H III, Damour, Kevin T, Manchester, Scott A
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustin, Evens J
• Application Number:
  US11/009,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 370/257, 726/15
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS

Abstract

Systems and methodologies that facilitate hosting of a domain name and access of users to the Internet, by using a well defined protocol to interact with a plurality of Dynamic Domain Name Service (DDNS) providers, via employing; a purchasing component and a status verifying component. Once a user has selected a domain name, the purchasing component can automatically query the provider(s) for terms of the service plan to host such domain name associated with dynamic IP addresses. The status verifying component can verify the IP address of the end user machine and supply it to the DDNS, to manage in-bound traffic to the user'"'"'s domain name.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates a user interaction with Dynamic Domain Name Service (DDNS) providers comprising:

a processor that executes the following computer executable components stored on a computer readable medium;

a standardized message schema exchanged between a plurality of DDNS providers and a machine of the user, the standardized message schema defining an expression of a shared vocabulary between a first DDNS provider and the machine of the user, and the standardized message schema further defining an expression of a second different shared vocabulary between a second DDNS provider and the machine of the user such that the standardized message schema enables a presentation of one or more service plans from the first DDNS provider and the second DDNS provider in a uniform presentation that is understood by the machine of the user regardless of the vocabulary used by each of the plurality of DDNS providers, the standardized message schema comprising;

a purchasing component that;

automatically queries each of the plurality of DDNS providers for a list of plan offerings and terms of service for purchase of a domain name,

characterizes the terms of service,

displays each of the plan offerings and terms of service from each of the plurality of DDNS providers via the uniform presentation,

sends a billing query to at least one of the DDNS providers and receives a response from the at least one DDNS provider regarding billing requirements for hosting the domain name, and

sends a purchase request to a selected DDNS provider and receives a purchase response associated with the domain name; and

a status verifying component that detects a change in an IP address assigned to the domain name associated with the user machine, provides an update of the change to the selected DDNS provider, and verifies the update.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each terms of service include at least one of a plan selection, a renewal option, a promotional call or a billing plan.

3. The system of claim 1, the purchasing component further queries a third DDNS provider for terms of service, characterizes the terms of service, and displays the characterized terms of service in the uniform presentation, independent of the third DDNS provider.

4. A method of facilitating selection of a DDNS provider to host a domain name for a user comprising:

employing one or more processors to execute computer readable instructions stored in a computer readable medium to perform the following acts;

automatically querying a plurality of DDNS providers including a first and second DDNS provider for service agreements for a plurality of plans for hosting a domain name via a standardized message schema between the DDNS providers and a user machine, the standardized message schema defining at least an expression of a shared vocabulary between the first DDNS provider and the user machine and an expression of a second different shared vocabulary between the second DDNS provider and the user machine such that the standardized message schema enables a presentation of one or more service agreements for a plurality of plans from the plurality of DDNS providers in a uniform format that is understood by the user machine regardless of the vocabulary used by each of the DDNS providers;

sending a purchase query for offered plans to each of the DDNS providers;

receiving a plan identification from each of the DDNS providers;

sending a billing query to each of the DDNS providers;

receiving a response to the billing query from each of the DDNS providers;

presenting a set of terms of service from each of the service agreements from each of the DDNS providers in the uniform format;

selecting a plan from a selected DDNS provider;

sending a purchase request to the selected DDNS provider;

providing the selected DDNS provider with the domain name verifying, a status of a dynamic IP address associated with the user machine the standardized message schema;

receiving a purchase response from the selected DDNS provider;

detecting a change in an IP address assigned to the domain name by an Internet Service Provider (ISP); and

updating an IP address associated with the domain name in the selected DDNS provider to the detected changed IP address.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving an offer containing a service agreement from at least one DDNS provider.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a user input for selection of a DDNS provider.

7. The method of claim 4, the terms of service include at least one of a plan selection, a renewal option, a promotional call or a billing plan.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending a billing query to the selected DDNS provider.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a response to the billing query.

10. A computer readable medium having encoded thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed upon one or more processors, perform the method of claim 4.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for providing a language hint to the selected DDNS provider.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the service agreement includes renewal options.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for providing for a transfer of the domain name from another DDNS provider.