Digital identity validation

• US 8,904,040 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adelman, Warren, Chadwick, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuong
• Application Number:
  US11/746,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,764 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/225, 709/217, 707/1, 707/2, 707/9, 715/738, 715/208, 713/380, 713/715, 713/156, 713/186, 713/175, 713/773, 726/10
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1079 of unsolicited session attempts, e.g. SPIT

Abstract

Systems and processes of the present invention allow for digital identity validation. In an example embodiment, a digital identity is registered to a Registrant. During the registration process, one or more registration records are collected from the Registrant and stored in a Records Database. The registration records may include information regarding a digital identity, its Registrant, or another person or entity associated with the digital identity. They may also include name, address, phone number, email address, website, URL, or other information. The information is then verified, possibly by contacting a Registrant, administrative contact, technical contact, or another contact to confirm at least some information in the records. If the information is verified, the Digital Identity Provider may provide the Registrant with a Validation Marker indicating that the digital identity has been validated.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) means for registering a digital identity to a Registrant, said digital identity comprising a URL comprising a username for said Registrant concatenated to a domain name previously registered to said Registrant via a domain name registrar, wherein said domain name comprises a root term concatenated to a top-level domain;

b) a Records Database storing at least one registration related record comprising at least one information regarding said digital identity or said Registrant;

c) means for verifying one or more of said at least one information; and

d) means for providing said Registrant a Validation Marker indicating that said digital identity is validated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one registration related record further comprise an administrative contact, a technical contact, or an other contact.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for verifying said one or more of said at least one information further comprises means for contacting said Registrant, said administrative contact, said technical contact, or said other contact to confirm said one or more of said least one information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said digital identity is a client software-based digital identity.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding said digital identity.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding said Registrant.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a person associated with said digital identity.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding an entity associated with said digital identity.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a name associated with said digital identity.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding an address associated with said digital identity.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a telephone number associated with said digital identity.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a URL associated with said digital identity.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding an email address associated with said digital identity.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a domain name associated with said digital identity.

15. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a website associated with said digital identity.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one information comprises a link or a reference regarding a location of an additional registration record.

17. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information comprises an automated process.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said automated process comprises a telephone call.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said automated process comprises an email communication.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said automated process comprises a written communication.

21. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information comprises a manual process.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said manual process comprises a telephone call.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said manual process comprises an email communication.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said manual process comprises a written communication.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said manual process comprises an in-person contact.

26. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information further comprises means for obtaining a voice-recognition verification.

27. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information further comprises means for obtaining a visual verification.

28. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information further comprises means for obtaining a written verification.

29. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information further comprises means for obtaining an electronic verification.

30. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for verifying said information further comprises means for obtaining a biometric verification.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said biometric verification comprises means for obtaining a fingerprint verification.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said biometric verification comprises means for obtaining a retinal verification.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein said biometric verification comprises means for obtaining a DNA verification.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein said Records Database is maintained by a Digital Identity Provider.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said Digital Identity Provider is a domain name Registry.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein said Digital Identity Provider is a domain name Registrar.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein said Digital Identity Provider is a Reseller of a domain name Registrar.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for providing said Registrant a Validation Marker comprises means for sending said Validation Marker to said Registrant.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for providing said Registrant a Validation Marker comprises means for allowing said Registrant to retrieve said Validation Marker.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein said Validation Marker comprises a displayable image.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein said Validation Marker comprises a certificate for display on a webpage.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein said Validation Marker comprises a change in appearance for said digital identity.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein said Validation Marker comprises an audible sound.

44. A process, comprising the steps of:

a) registering, by at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a network, a digital identity to a Registrant, said digital identity comprising a URL comprising a username for said Registrant concatenated to a domain name previously registered to said Registrant via a domain name registrar, wherein said domain name comprises a root term concatenated to a top-level domain;

b) collecting, by at least one of said at least one server computer, one or more registration related records from said Registrant, said one or more registration related records comprising at least one information regarding said digital identity or said Registrant;

c) verifying one or more of said at least one information; and

d) providing, by at least one of said at least one server computer, said Registrant with a Validation Marker indicating that said digital identity is validated.

45. The process of claim 44, wherein said one or more registration related records further comprise an administrative contact or a technical contact.

46. The process of claim 45, wherein said step of verifying said one or more of said at least one information further comprises the steps of:

contacting said Registrant, said administrative contact, or said technical contact and confirming said one or more of said at least one information.

47. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding said digital identity.

48. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding the Registrant.

49. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a person associated with said digital identity.

50. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding an entity associated with said digital identity.

51. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a name associated with said digital identity.

52. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding an address associated with said digital identity.

53. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a telephone number associated with said digital identity.

54. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a URL associated with said digital identity.

55. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding an email address associated with said digital identity.

56. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a domain name associated with said digital identity.

57. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises one or more records regarding a website associated with said digital identity.

58. The process of claim 46, wherein said at least one information comprises a link or a reference to a location of an additional registration record.

59. The process of claim 46, wherein said contacting is an automated process.

60. The process of claim 59, wherein said automated process comprises a telephone call.

61. The process of claim 59, wherein said automated process comprises an email.

62. The process of claim 59, wherein said automated process comprises a written communication.

63. The process of claim 46, wherein said contacting is a manual process.

64. The process of claim 63, wherein said manual process comprises a telephone call.

65. The process of claim 63, wherein said manual process comprises an email.

66. The process of claim 63, wherein said manual process comprises a written communication.

67. The process of claim 63, wherein said manual process comprises an in-person contact.

68. The process of claim 46, wherein said step of verifying said at least one information further comprises obtaining a voice-recognition verification.

69. The process of claim 46, wherein said step of verifying said at least one information further comprises obtaining a visual verification.

70. The process of claim 46, wherein said step of verifying said at least one information further comprises obtaining a written verification.

71. The process of claim 46, wherein said step of verifying said at least one information further comprises obtaining an electronic verification.

72. The process of claim 46, wherein said step of verifying said at least one information further comprises obtaining a biometric verification.

73. The process of claim 72, wherein said biometric verification comprises obtaining a fingerprint verification.

74. The process of claim 72, wherein said biometric verification comprises obtaining a retinal verification.

75. The process of claim 72, wherein said biometric verification comprises obtaining a DNA verification.

76. The process of claim 44, wherein said Validation Marker comprises a displayable image.

77. The process of claim 44, wherein said Validation Marker comprises a certificate for display on a webpage.

78. The process of claim 44, wherein said displayable Validation Marker comprises a change in appearance for the digital identity.

79. The process of claim 44, wherein said Validation Marker comprises an audible sound.