Method and system for providing static addresses for Internet connected devices even if the underlying address is dynamic

• US 7,359,987 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donuts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ENOM Incorporated (Tucows Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stahura, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US09/899,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/218, 709223-226, 707/2, 707/3, 707/6, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A method and system for resolving domain names of web sites with dynamic addresses. The resolution system, which may execute as part of a domain name server, receives a domain name associated with a web site. The resolution system then identifies a dynamic address name associated with the received domain name. The resolution system then sends to a dynamic address system the identified dynamic address name. The dynamic address system then returns an address associated with the dynamic address name to the resolution system. Upon receiving the identified address, the resolution system then returns the identified address as the address of the received domain name. Methods and systems for mapping an unregistered domain name to an address and for placing telephone calls via a network are also provided.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for providing dynamic network addresses for devices associated with users, the method comprising:

receiving a DNS request from a client to translate a domain name into a network address for communicating with a device, wherein the translating comprises;

determining a user identifier associated with the received domain name;

sending to a dynamic address system the determined user identifier, the dynamic address system having a mapping from user identifiers to network addresses, each user identifier associated with a user, wherein the dynamic address system periodically receives an update for each user that comprises a current network address of a device through which the user is accessible and wherein upon receiving the update, the dynamic address system associates the received current network address with the user identifier associated with the user;

receiving from the dynamic address system the current network address associated with the determined user identifier; and

sending the received current network address to the client in response to the request to translate the domain name, such that the client receives the current network address associated with the user by sending a single DNS request to the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dynamic address system supports instant messaging and the user identifier identifies a user of the instant messaging system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is connected to the Internet.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the device is a web server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the network address is an IP address.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system is a domain name server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the domain name server is a top-level domain name server.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the domain name server is a second-level domain name server.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending of the received network address includes sending an indication not to cache the received network address.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending of the received address including sending an indication to cache the received network address for a certain amount of time.

11. The method of claim 1 including sending to the dynamic address system authentication information along with the determined user identifier so that the dynamic address system can authenticate the computer system.

12. A domain name system for providing dynamic addresses for resources, comprising:

a process domain name component configured to receive a uniform resource identifier having a parameter that identifies a resource;

a dynamic address name table component configured to identify a dynamic address name associated with the parameter;

a dynamic address system communication component configured to send to a dynamic address system that is external to the domain name system the identified dynamic address name, the dynamic address system having a mapping from dynamic address names to network addresses wherein resources have a dynamic address name and have their network address registered with the dynamic address system and configured to receive from the dynamic address system a network address for the identified dynamic address name;

a response component configured to send the received network address as the address for the resource identified by the parameter, such that a client receives the network address associated with the resource by sending a single DNS request to the computer system; and

wherein said process domain name component, said dynamic address name table component, said dynamic address system communication component, and said response component are store on a memory.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the resource is a device connected to the Internet.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the domain name system is a web site.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the uniform resource identifier is received after a domain name server directs a resolution request for an address to the domain name system.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the domain name server is a second-level domain name server.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the domain name server is a top-level domain name server.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the network address is an IP address.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the dynamic address system is an instant messaging system and the dynamic address name identifies a web site that registered its address with the instant messaging system.

20. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to provide dynamic addresses for devices, by a method comprising:

receiving a DNS request from a client to translate a domain name into a network address for communicating with a device, wherein the translating comprises;

determining a user identifier associated with the received domain name;

sending to a dynamic address system the determined user identifier, the dynamic address system having a mapping from user identifiers to network addresses, each user identifier associated with a user, wherein the dynamic address system periodically receives an update for each user that comprises a current network address of a device through which the user is accessible and wherein upon receiving the update, the dynamic address system associates the received current network address with the user identifier associated with the user;

receiving from the dynamic address system the current network address associated with the determined user identifier; and

sending the received current network address to the client in response to the request to translate the domain name, such that the client receives the current network address associated with the user by sending a single DNS request to the computer system.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the dynamic address system supports instant messaging and the user identifier identifies a user of the instant messaging system.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the device is connected to the Internet.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 wherein the device is a web server.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the network address is an IP address.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the computer system is a domain name server.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the domain name server is a top-level domain name server.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the domain name server is a second-level domain name server.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the sending of the received network address includes sending an indication not to cache the received network address.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 wherein the sending of the received address including sending an indication to cache the received network address for a certain amount of time.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 including sending to the dynamic address system authentication information along with the determined user identifier so that the dynamic address system can authenticate the computer system.