Notification system and method for domain name options

• US 8,380,800 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruiz, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Clayton R
• Application Number:
  US12/841,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• 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

Abstract

A system and method of the present invention allow communication via electronic messages between a Customer and a domain name Registrar, avoiding traditional electronic mail (email) communication. Email messages may not be delivered to the Customer for various reasons including the situations where the Customer employs anti-SPAM protective technologies. The system and method of the present invention establish a Communication Link between a Customer'"'"'s Computer and Registrar'"'"'s Server, which avoids anti-SPAM protective technologies and email messaging altogether. Information relating to the communication may be stored on a database and the system may present the Customer with various options relating to a domain service. The implementation of this invention would result in a higher rate of delivered messages to the Customer.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more server computers operated by one or more registrars, communicatively coupled to a network and comprising a first processor operatively coupled to a first memory containing a first set of instructions executable by said first processor, said instructions, when executed, causing said one or more server computers to;

A) register a domain name to a registrant;

B) store, in a database communicatively coupled to said network, an expiration date for said domain name;

C) determine whether said expiration date represents an upcoming domain name expiration; and

D) responsive to a determination that said expiration date represents said upcoming domain name expiration;

i) generate one or more messages, which are not email messages, comprising;

a) a notification that said domain name is expiring;

b) a first link to a registrar message view web page; and

c) a second link to a domain name renewal web page;

ii) transmit, via a direct communication link between said one or more server computers and a client computer operated by said registrant, without interacting with email or anti-spam technologies, said one or more messages;

iii) determine whether a first hypertext transfer protocol request for said registrar message view web page was received via said first link;

iv) responsive to a determination that said first hypertext transfer protocol request for said registrar message view web page was received via said first link;

a) render said registrar message view web page comprising said message; and

b) transmit a rendered registrar message view web page to said client computer;

v) determine whether a second hypertext transfer protocol request for said domain name renewal web page was received via said second link; and

vi) responsive to a determination that said second hypertext transfer protocol request for said domain name renewal web page was received via said second link;

a) render said domain name renewal web page; and

b) transmit a rendered domain name renewal web page to said client computer.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising said database communicatively coupled to said network and storing in association:

i) one or more domain names registered to said registrant;

iii) one or more additional services purchased by said registrant on a recurring basis comprising any combination of;

a) one or more hosting services;

b) one or more website promotion services;

c) one or more virus protection services; and

d) one or more spam protection services;

ii) an expiration date for each of said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services; and

iv) a plurality of billing and payment information for said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said one or more server computers further comprise a communication server software configured to:

i) identify said expiration date for each of said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services;

ii) generate one or more messages comprising one or more notifications for said registrant to renew said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services prior to said expiration date for each of said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services;

iii) determine that one or more new messages are stored on said one or more registrar server computers;

iv) determine how many of said one or more messages are stored on said one or more server computers;

v) authenticate said registrant via a login name and an encrypted password received from a said client computer;

vi) responsive to authenticating said registrant via said login name and said encrypted password, grant access for a communication software on said client computer to said one or more messages;

vii) download, to said client computer, one or more headers of said one or more messages; and

viii) download, to said client computer, said one or more messages, said communication server software being configured to avoid one or more email technologies and one or more anti-spam protective technologies.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising said client computer communicatively coupled to said network and comprising:

i) a second processor operatively coupled to a second memory containing a second set of instructions executable by said second processor;

ii) said communication software configured to;

a) store, on said registrant computer, a login name and an encrypted password for said registrant;

b) transmit said username and said encrypted password to a communication server software on said one or more server computers;

c) establish said direct communication link between said client computer and said one or more server computers;

d) bypass one or more email technologies and one or more anti-spam protective technologies;

e) determine that one or more new messages are stored on said one or more server computers; and

f) notify said registrant, via one or more visual notifications comprising any combination of one or more popup messages, one or more balloon messages and one or more sound notifications, of said one or more new messages detected on said one or more server computers; and

iii) a desktop software configured to;

a) display said one or more visual notifications on said client computer; and

b) display said one or more registrar messages on said client computer.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said direct communication link:

i) is maintained by said communication software;

ii) comprises a secure connection established through said network between said one or more server computers and said client computer, said secure connection being configured to avoid one or more email technologies and one or more anti-spam protective technologies; and

iii) comprises a channel for transmitting and exchanging one or more electronic messages via said secure connection.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said communication software is further configured to:

i) receive, from said registrant computer, a predetermined time interval after which to identify said one or more new messages on said one or more server computers;

ii) calculate a time interval since said communication software accessed said one or more server computers;

iii) determine whether said calculated time interval is equal to or greater than said predetermined time interval;

iv) determine whether any combination of a general network connection and a secure connection is available between said client computer and said one or more server computers;

v) responsive to a determination that said general network connection and said secure connection are not available;

a) notify said registrant that said general network connection and said secure connection are not available and have failed; and

b) attempt to establish, and confirm an establishment of, said direct communication link between said client computer and said one or more server computers; and

vi) responsive to a determination that any combination of said general network connection and said secure connection is available;

a) identify said one or more new messages on said one or more servers;

b) download said one or more messages onto said client computer; and

c) display said one or more registrar messages on said client computer via said message view web page.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said one or more server computers are further configured to:

i) download said communication software from a registrar website to said client computer;

ii) receive from said client computer a plurality of account information comprising a login name and a password stored on said client computer and used to authenticate said communication software with said one or more server computers; and

iii) create and maintain one or more accounts on said one said one or more server computers for said registrant, said one or more accounts being configured to identify and access, on behalf of said registrant, said one or more messages.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said communication software further comprises an options screen configured to receive from said registrant one or more methods to delete or store said one or more messages from a list of one or more available messages, said one or more methods comprising:

i) deleting said one or more messages responsive to said registrant renewing one or more domain names;

ii) receiving, from said one or more server computers, a delete message not visible to said registrant but treated by said communication software as an instruction to remove one or more specified messages or one or more headers of said one or more specified messages, stored on said client computer;

iii) assigning said one or more messages an expiration date after which said one or more messages will be deleted;

iv) deleting said one or more messages after a set time interval, said set time interval being set by said registrant as one of one or more options on said options screen; and

v) marking a message as completed and moving said message to another location comprising a folder for completed, done or archived received messages.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein said communication software further comprises an options screen configured to receive from said registrant one or more types of messages, selected or deselected, and to be received, by said registrant, said one or more types of messages comprising:

i) one or more pending domain name transfers;

ii) one or more domain name renewal notices;

iii) one or more additional products and services renewal notices for one or more additional products and services comprising any combination of hosting, email and web promotion;

iv) one or more failed billing attempts;

v) one or more notifications that an account for said registrant has been accessed; and

vi) one or more notices of new products and services from a registrar or one or more affiliates of said registrar.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication server software on said one or more server computers configured to;

i) generate said one or more messages;

ii) store said one or more messages in a queue;

iii) receive, from a communication software on said client computer, a request for said one or more messages in said queue;

iv) locate said client computer on said network; and

v) transmit said one or more messages to said client computer.

11. A method, comprising:

hosting one or more server computers operated by one or more registrars, communicatively coupled to a network and comprising a first processor operatively coupled to a first memory containing a first set of instructions executable by said first processor, said instructions, when executed, causing said one or more server computers to;

A) register a domain name to a registrant;

B) store, in a database communicatively coupled to said network, an expiration date for said domain name;

C) determine whether said expiration date represents an upcoming domain name expiration;

D) responsive to a determination that said expiration date represents said upcoming domain name expiration;

i) generate one or more messages, which are not email messages, comprising;

a) a notification that said domain name is expiring;

b) a first link to a registrar message view web page; and

c) a second link to a domain name renewal web page;

ii) transmit, via a direct communication link between said one or more server computers and a client computer operated by said registrant, without interacting with email or anti-spam technologies, said one or more messages;

iii) determine whether a first hypertext transfer protocol request for said registrar message view web page was received via said first link;

iv) responsive to a determination said first hypertext transfer protocol request for said registrar message view web page was received via said first link;

a) render said registrar message view web page comprising said message;

b) transmit a rendered registrar message view web page to said client computer;

v) determine whether a second hypertext transfer protocol request for said domain name renewal web page was received via said second link;

vi) responsive to a determination said second hypertext transfer protocol request for said domain name renewal web page was received via said second link;

a) render said domain name renewal web page;

b) transmit a rendered domain name renewal web page to said client computer.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of storing in association, in said database communicatively coupled to said network:

i) one or more domain names registered to said registrant;

iii) one or more additional services purchased by said registrant on a recurring basis comprising any combination of;

a) one or more hosting services;

b) one or more website promotion services;

c) one or more virus protection services; and

d) one or more spam protection services;

ii) an expiration date for each of said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services; and

iv) a plurality of billing and payment information for said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

i) identifying, by said one or more server computers, said expiration date for each of said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services;

ii) generating, by said one or more server computers, said one or more messages comprising one or more notifications for said registrant to renew said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services prior to said expiration date for each of said one or more domain names and said one or more additional services;

iii) determining, by said one or more server computers, that one or more new messages are stored on said one or more registrar server computers;

iv) determining, by said one or more server computers, how many of said one or more messages are stored on said one or more server computers;

v) authenticating said registrant, by said one or more server computers, via a login name and an encrypted password received from said client computer;

vi) responsive to authenticating said registrant via said login name and said encrypted password, granting access, by said one or more server computers, for a communication software on said client computer to said one or more messages;

vii) downloading to said client computer, by said one or more server computers, one or more headers of said one or more messages; and

viii) downloading to said client computer, by said one or more server computers, said one or more messages, said one or more registrar server computers being configured to avoid one or more email technologies and one or more anti-spam protective technologies.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

i) storing, on a client computer communicatively coupled to a network and comprising a second processor operatively coupled to a second memory containing a second set of instructions executable by said second processor, a login name and an encrypted password for said registrant;

ii) transmitting, by said client computer, said username and said encrypted password to a communication server software on said one or more server computers;

iii) establishing, by said client computer, said direct communication link between said client computer and said one or more server computers;

iv) bypassing, by said client computer, one or more email technologies and one or more anti-spam protective technologies;

v) determining, by said client computer, that one or more new messages are stored on said one or more server computers;

vi) notifying said registrant, by said client computer, via one or more visual notifications comprising any combination of one or more popup messages, one or more balloon messages and one or more sound notifications, of said one or more new messages detected on said one or more server computers; and

vii) displaying, by said client computer, said one or more visual notifications on said client computer; and

viii) displaying, by said client computer, said one or more messages on said client computer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said direct communication link:

i) is maintained by said communication software;

ii) comprises a secure connection established through said network between said one or more server computers and said client computer, said secure connection being configured to avoid one or more email technologies and one or more anti-spam protective technologies; and

iii) comprises a channel for transmitting and exchanging one or more electronic messages via said secure connection.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

i) receiving, by said client computer, a predetermined time interval after which to identify one or more new messages on said one or more server computers;

ii) calculating, by said client computer, a time interval since said communication software accessed said one or more server computers;

iii) determining, by said client computer, whether said calculated time interval is equal to or greater than said predetermined time interval;

iv) determining, by said client computer, whether any combination of a general network connection and a secure connection is available between said client computer and said one or more server computers;

v) responsive to a determination that said general network connection and said secure connection are not available;

a) notifying said registrant, by said client computer, that said general network connection and said secure connection are not available and have failed; and

b) attempting to establish, by said client computer, and confirm an establishment of, said direct communication link between said client computer and said one or more server computers; and

vi) responsive to a determination that any combination of said general network connection and said secure connection is available;

a) identifying, by said client computer, one or more new registrar messages on said one or more servers;

b) downloading, by said client computer, said one or more messages onto said client computer; and

c) displaying, by said client computer, said one or more messages via said message view web page.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

i) downloading, by said one or more server computers, said communication software from a registrar website to said client computer;

ii) receiving from said client computer, by said one or more server computers, a plurality of account information comprising a login name and a password stored on said client computer and used to authenticate said client computer with said one or more server computers; and

iii) creating and maintaining, by said one or more server computers, one or more accounts on said one said one or more server computers for said registrant, said one or more accounts being configured to identify and access, on behalf of said registrant, said one or more messages.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of receiving from said registrant, by said client computer, one or more methods to delete or store said one or more messages from a list of one or more available messages, said one or more methods comprising:

i) deleting said one or more registrar messages responsive to said registrant renewing one or more domain names;

ii) receiving, from said one or more server computers, a delete message not visible to said registrant but treated by said communication software as an instruction to remove one or more specified messages or one or more headers of said one or more specified messages, stored on said client computer;

iii) assigning said one or more messages an expiration date after which said one or more messages will be deleted;

iv) deleting said one or more messages after a set time interval, said set time interval being set by said registrant as one of one or more options on said options screen; and

v) marking a message as completed and moving said message to another location comprising a folder for completed, done or archived received messages.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of receiving from said registrant, by said client computer, one or more types of messages, selected or deselected, and to be received, by said registrant, said one or more types of messages comprising:

i) one or more pending domain name transfers;

ii) one or more domain name renewal notices;

iii) one or more additional products and services renewal notices for one or more additional products and services comprising any combination of hosting, email and web promotion;

iv) one or more failed billing attempts;

v) one or more notifications that an account for said registrant has been accessed; and

vi) one or more notices of new products and services from a registrar or one or more affiliates of said registrar.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

i) generating, by said one or more server computers, said one or more messages;

ii) storing, by said one or more server computers, said one or more messages in a queue;

iii) receiving, by said one or more server computers, from a communication software on said client computer, a request for said one or more messages in said queue;

iv) locating, by said one or more server computers, said client computer on said network; and

v) transmitting, by said one or more server computers, said one or more messages to said client computer.