BRANDED AND COMARKETED DOMAIN-BASED THICK CLIENT SYSTEM

• US 20090313320A1
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adelman, Warren, Parsons, Robert, Wagner, Eric, Chadwick, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• 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 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention allow for a thick client which may be provided with a domain name in a partnership between a hosting provider, an ISP and/or a thick client retailer. The client may be used to access a remote computer or server in the hosting provider'"'"'s data center.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

A. a Thick Client branded by a Hosting Provider and communicatively coupled to a Network;

B. means for remotely accessing, through cloud computing and via the branded Thick Client, at least one Computer or Server, hosted in a Data Center of the Hosting Provider and communicatively coupled to the Network;

C. a Portal Website, displayed via a Browser or other Client Software on the branded Thick Client, the Portal Website providing a gateway to at least one online Community or other online software or utilities, at least one Website Storage Area or other storage areas, at least one Management Webpage or other control panels accessible to the Registrant after successful authentication, at least one Email Webpage, any of the aforementioned or any combination thereof, the Portal resolving from a Domain Name registered to a Registrant and provided in conjunction with the branded Thick Client; and

D. a Storage Area Network, accessible to the branded Thick Client and connecting the branded Thick Client with additional computers in the Storage Area Network, thereby expanding the storage space on the branded Thick Client to include unlimited Additional Storage Space assignable to the Registrant for files, backups, application install packages, offline storage space, software or any combination thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the branded Thick Client has display, remote desktop and wifi capability or any combination thereof, and is selected from the group consisting of a mini-laptop, a wireless laptop, a simple, inexpensive PC desktop, a thick client integrated into a mobile phone and a hybrid dumb client.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the branded Thick Client acts as nothing more than a remote head for the Computer or Server in the Data Center, and wherein the Client Software further comprises a Remote Desktop Program capable of accessing the Computer or Server in the Data Center.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein no dedicated hardware exists in the Data Center of the Hosting Provider.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the branded Thick Client automatically boots to the Browser or other Client Software displaying the Portal Website.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the Thick Client can boot to applications other than the Browser or other Client Software and is capable of displaying web pages in addition to pages related to the Portal Website.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the Thick Client boots only to the Browser and is not capable of displaying web pages other than pages related to the Portal Website.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for automatically installing on the Computer or Server, via a Hosting Control Center and as necessary, the most recent version of one or more patches, upgrades, backups, applications, utilities or any combination thereof, wherein the Hosting Provider has access and the ability to log in to the Computer or Server to install the one or more patches, upgrades, backups, applications, utilities or any combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the branded Thick Client is used for fast-update applications.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the online Community further comprises a plurality of online software and utilities which may be added, or purchased and added, to the Portal via cloud computing.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

A. partnering a Hosting Provider, a broadband or other Internet Service Provider, a Thick Client Retailer or any combination thereof, wherein the broadband or Internet Service Provider has an installation infrastructure;

B. branding and co-marketing a Thick Client to reflect the partnership between the Hosting Provider, the Broadband or Internet Service Provider, the Thick Client Retailer or any combination thereof;

C. providing a Registrant with the branded and co-marketed Thick Client in conjunction with registering a Domain Name to the Registrant;

D. allowing remote access to a Portal Website, displayed via a Browser or other Client Software on the branded and co-marketed Thick Client, the Portal Website providing a gateway to at least one online Community or other online software or utilities, at least one Website Storage Area or other storage areas, at least one Management Webpage or other control panels accessible to the Registrant after successful authentication, at least one Email Webpage, any of the aforementioned or any combination thereof, the Portal Website resolving from the Domain Name registered to the Registrant, wherein network service is provided and installed by the broadband or Internet Service Provider; and

E. connecting the branded and co-marketed Thick Client to a Storage Area Network, connected to additional computers in the Storage Area Network, thereby expanding the storage space on the branded and co-marketed Thick Client to include unlimited additional storage space for files, backups, application install packages, offline storage space, software or any combination thereof, with disk space assignable to the Registrant.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the branded and co-marketed Thick Client has display, remote desktop and wifi capability or any combination thereof, and is selected from the group consisting of a mini-laptop, a wireless laptop, a simple, inexpensive PC desktop and a hybrid dumb client.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the branded and co-marketed Thick Client acts as nothing more than a remote head for a Computer or Server in the Data Center, and wherein the Client Software further comprises a Remote Desktop Program capable of accessing the Computer or Server in the Data Center.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein no dedicated hardware exists in the Data Center of the Hosting Provider.

15. The method of claim 11 above wherein the branded and co-marketed Thick Client automatically boots to the Browser or other Client Software displaying the Portal Website.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the Thick Client can boot to applications other than the Browser or other Client Software and is capable of displaying web pages in addition to pages related to the Portal Website.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the Thick Client boots only to the Browser and is not capable of displaying web pages other than pages related to the Portal Website.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising means for automatically installing, via a Hosting Control Center and as necessary, one or more patches, upgrades, backups, software or any combination thereof to keep the branded and co-marketed Thick Client, or the Computer or Server, including any related software or utilities up to date, wherein the Hosting Provider has access to, and the ability to log in to the Computer or Server to install the one or more patches, upgrades, backups and applications.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the branded and co-marketed Thick Client is used for fast-update applications.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the online Community further comprises a plurality of online software and utilities which may be added, or purchased and added, to the Portal Website via cloud computing.