Method and apparatus for conducting domain name service

Abstract

A method for conducting Internet domain name service to users connected to the Internet comprises an automated procedure for transferring Internet domain name service from a domain name owner to a domain name manager. This method further comprises Internet sub-domain name services to prospective buyers based on domain names transferred to the domain name manager. Messages requesting domain name service, including requests from domain name owners to sub-license their particular domain name to prospective sub-domain name buyers and from prospective sub-domain name buyers to license available sub-domain names, are received and responded to by an automated domain name management system. This automated domain name management system further comprises an interactive website which includes a database, search engine, and Web server.

1 . A method comprising:
 requesting, by a domain name holder, an entity to provide a sub-licensing service for one or more acquired domains;   providing authority to license subdomains associated with the one or more acquired domains;   receiving a confirmation message, via a computing system, that authorization to license subdomains was provided; and   receiving a fee from the entity for respective subdomains licensed to respective network users, wherein the computing system belongs to a separate entity from the entity and the network users.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more acquired domains comprises at least one second-level domain. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the provided authority includes authorization to license subdomains of the licensed subdomains. 
     
     
         4 . A computing system comprising:
 a memory storing instructions configured for execution by the computing system in order to:
 request, by a domain name holder, an entity to provide a sub-licensing service for one or more acquired domains; 
 provide authority to license subdomains associated with the one or more acquired domains; 
 receive a confirmation message that authorization to license subdomains was provided; and 
 receive a fee from the entity for respective subdomains licensed to respective network entities, wherein the computing system belongs to a separate entity from the entity and the network entities. 
   
     
     
         5 . The computing system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more acquired domains comprises at least one second-level domain. 
     
     
         6 . The computing system of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions are further configured for execution by the computing system in order to receive a message confirming that the respective subdomains have been licensed to the respective network entities. 
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 4 , wherein the provided authority includes authorization to license subdomains of the licensed subdomains. 
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 4 , wherein the fee comprises portions of respective fees paid by the network entities for license to respective subdomains. 
     
     
         9 . A tangible computer-readable medium encoded with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions are readable by a computing device in order to cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 requesting, by a domain name holder, an entity to provide a sub-licensing service for one or more acquired domains;   providing authority to license subdomains associated with the one or more acquired domains;   receiving a confirmation message that authorization to license subdomains was provided; and   receiving a fee from the entity for respective subdomains licensed to respective network users, wherein the computing device belongs to a separate entity from the entity and the network users   
     
     
         10 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more acquired domains comprises at least one second-level domain. 
     
     
         11 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the provided authority includes authorization to license subdomains of the licensed subdomains. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 requesting, by a domain name holder, an entity to provide a sub-licensing service for one or more acquired domains comprising a first domain name level;   providing authority to license the one or more acquired domains at a second domain name level that comprises at least one domain name level different than the first domain name level associated with the one or more acquired domains;   receiving a confirmation message, via a computing system, that authorization to license the one or more acquired domains at the second domain name level was provided; and   receiving a fee from the entity for respective acquired domains licensed at the second domain name level to respective network users, wherein the computing system belongs to a separate entity from the entity and the network users.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more acquired domains comprise at least one second-level domain. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the provided authority includes authorization to license subdomains of the one or more acquired domains licensed at the second domain name level. 
     
     
         15 . A computing system comprising:
 a memory storing instructions configured for execution by the computing system in order to:
 request, by a domain name holder, an entity to provide a sub-licensing service for one or more acquired domains comprising a first domain name level; 
 provide authority to license the one or more acquired domains at a second domain name level that comprises at least one domain name level different than the first domain name level associated with the one or more acquired domains; 
 receive a confirmation message that authorization to license the one or more acquired domains at the second domain name level was provided; and 
 receive a fee from the entity for respective acquired domains licensed at the second domain name level to respective network entities, wherein the computing system belongs to a separate entity from the entity and the network entities. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more acquired domains comprising a first domain level comprises at least one second-level domain. 
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further configured for execution by the computing system in order to receive a message confirming that the respective second domain name levels have been licensed to the respective network entities. 
     
     
         18 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein the provided authority includes authorization to license subdomains of the one or more acquired domains licensed at the second domain name level. 
     
     
         19 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein the fee is a portion of respective fees paid by the network entities for license to respective acquired domains at the second domain name level. 
     
     
         20 . A tangible computer-readable medium encoded with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions are readable by a computing device in order to cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 requesting, by a domain name holder, an entity to provide a sub-licensing service for one or more acquired domains comprising a first domain name level;   providing authority to license the one or more acquired domains at a second domain name level that comprises at least one domain name level different than the first domain name level associated with the one or more acquired domains;   receiving a confirmation message that authorization to license the one or more acquired domains at the second domain name level was provided; and   receiving a fee from the entity for respective acquired domains licensed at the second domain name level to respective network users, wherein the computing device belongs to a separate entity from the entity and the network users.   
     
     
         21 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more acquired domains comprising a first domain level comprise at least one second-level domain. 
     
     
         22 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein the provided authority includes authorization to license subdomains of the one or more acquired domains licensed at the second domain name level.