Internet-based value-added services system and method

• US 8,806,057 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neutral Space, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Neutral Space, Inc.
• Inventors: Mendell, Danton S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesa, Joel
• Application Number:
  US12/454,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20100299450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A top-level domain (TLD) hierarchical routing system comprises a domain name server (DNS) configured to analyze a universal resource locator (URL) top-level domain (TLD) and to route an Internet query to a numerical Internet protocol (IP) destination; a proprietary server Internet-coupled with the numerical Internet protocol (IP) destination, the server configured to analyze one or more second-level domains (SLDs) behind the TLD and further to provide an operative engagement between an Internet user and a value-added service in the form of a software-as-a-service (SaaS) or application software program (ASP) relatable to selected ones of plural SLDs that are licensed or otherwise authorized to use the TLD, thereby to add value to the one or more SLDs and to the one or more users sharing such a ubiquitous Internet-based value-added services platform.

Claims

1. A method of providing users access to Internet-ubiquitous value-added on-line services by way of an appended top-level domain (TLD) naming convention, the method comprising:

storing, at a non-transitory data storage medium, data indicating that a third-party is authorized to utilize, in response to Internet queries from users, a proprietary software-as-a-service (SaaS) application comprising device-executable coded instructions stored at a non-transitory data storage medium of a server (SaaS server), wherein;

the third-party possesses rights to a uniform resource locator (third-party URL) corresponding to a distinct IP address,

the third-party URL sequentially includes a second level domain (SLD) and a Top Level Domain (TLD), and

utilizing the SaaS application includes processing, by a data processor operably coupled with the SaaS server, information relating to the third-party, and transmitting a reply from the SaaS server to the querying user, wherein the reply includes the third-party information and a result of the processing;

receiving, at a TLD authority server, an Internet query from a user, wherein the query sequentially includes the third-party URL and a proprietary TLD suffix, and wherein the proprietary TLD suffix is registered with an authorized Internet registration organization and corresponds to an IP address of the TLD authority server;

parsing past the TLD suffix of the query, via a URL-parsing mechanism operably coupled with the TLD authority server, and determining an identity of the third party corresponding to the remaining third-party URL;

confirming, via an authenticating/routing mechanism operably coupled with the data storage medium at which is stored the third-party authorization data, that the identified third-party is authorized to utilize the SaaS stored at the SaaS server; and

routing the query to the SaaS server for utilization of the SaaS, but not routing the query to the IP address corresponding to the third-party URL.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

routing to the TLD authorization server user Internet queries having URLs that tem with the proprietary TLD suffix.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the routing involves a first routing to resolve the registered TLD suffix and a second routing to resolve the third-party URL behind the TLD suffix.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first routing is performed by a first server and the second routing is performed by a second server.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first server is configured further to maintain routing, and meta-tag information for one or more Internet-connected devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing the query to the SaaS server includes mapping the SLD of the third party URL to a particular one or more SaaS applications authorized for use by the third party, and identifying an IP address of the SaaS server configured with the one or more SaaS applications.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the SaaS application includes one or more software applications chosen from the group consisting of calendaring applications, social networking applications, geo-mapping applications, geo-locating applications, e-couponing applications, meta-tagging applications, demographic data mining applications, expert ranking applications, wild applications, blogging applications, journaling applications, travel applications, database correlation applications, data lookup applications, and ticketing applications.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the SaaS application is configured to present a standardized use model to one or more Internet users who make one or more queries.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the TLD authority server is a different server from the SaaS server.