Registrant defined prerequisites for registering a tertiary domain

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive, from a sub domain registration settings control panel displayed on a client computer, rule or prerequisites required for a sub domain registrant to register a sub domain, and store these rules or prerequisites in a database. The server(s) may then receive: a sub domain registration request, an IP address directing HTTP requests to the sub domain; and an authentication verifying that the prerequisite has been fulfilled. If authenticated, the server(s) may automatically insert the IP address into an A record or NS record in a zone file for the domain.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a server computer coupled to a network, the server computer including:
 a memory storing computer-executable instructions, and 
 a processor executing the computer-executable instructions within the memory to:
 encode, within a database accessible to the processor, an identification of at least one rule or prerequisite that must be fulfilled prior to a sub domain registrant being qualified to register a sub domain, wherein the at least one rule or prerequisite includes the sub domain registrant transmitting a predetermined alphanumeric code to the sub domain registrant via an SMS message, an email, a postcard or a phone call, 
 receive, from a first user device, via the network, a transmission encoding a sub domain registration request identifying a sub domain to be registered in association with a domain name, an alphanumeric code, and an Internet protocol address to which a domain name system directs a hypertext transfer protocol request for the sub domain, 
 determine that the alphanumeric code is equal to the predetermined alphanumeric code, and 
 execute an automated domain name system command inserting the Internet protocol address into an address record within a zone file for the domain name. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to:
 receive, from a registrant of the domain name, at least one user data including at least one parameter defining the at least one rule or prerequisite.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one user data comprises:
 at least one pre-defined parameter for the at least one rule or prerequisite:
 defined within at least one data record in the database; and 
 selected by a registrant of the domain name using a first form; or 
   a customized software defining the at least one pre-defined parameter for the at least one rule or prerequisite.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to:
 query the database for a data record comprising an authentication challenge;   render the authentication challenge on a sub domain registration control panel;   transmit the sub domain registration control panel to the first user device for display;   receive a challenge response to the authentication challenge via a second form;   compare the challenge response with a correct challenge response in the data record; and   responsive to the challenge response matching the correct challenge response, determine that the at least one rule or prerequisite has been fulfilled.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to receive from a registrant of the domain name a selection acknowledging that, responsive to the domain name being surrendered by the registrant, the domain name will be transferred to a domain name registrar. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the database encodes a minimum profit margin value in association with the domain name and the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to, after executing the automated domain name system command, transfer a fee equal to or greater than the minimum profit margin value to a registrant of the domain name. 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 a server computer coupled to a network, the server computer including:
 a memory storing computer-executable instructions, and 
 a processor executing the computer-executable instructions within the memory to:
 encode, within a database accessible to the processor, an identification of a rule associated with a domain name, the rule identifying a predetermined code, 
 receive, from a first user device via an SMS message, an email, or a phone call, a transmission encoding a sub domain registration request identifying a sub domain to be registered in association with the domain name, a code, and an address, 
 determine that the code satisfies the rule, and 
 execute an automated domain name system command inserting the address into an address record within a zone file for the domain name. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to:
 receive, from a registrant of the domain name, at least one user data including at least one parameter defining the rule.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one user data comprises:
 at least one pre-defined parameter for the rule:
 defined within at least one data record in the database; and 
 selected by a registrant of the domain name using a first form; or 
   a customized software defining the at least one pre-defined parameter for the rule.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to:
 query the database for a data record comprising an authentication challenge;   render the authentication challenge on a sub domain registration control panel;   transmit the sub domain registration control panel to the first user device for display;   receive a challenge response to the authentication challenge via a second form;   compare the challenge response with a correct challenge response in the data record; and   responsive to the challenge response matching the correct challenge response, determine that the rule has been fulfilled.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to receive from a registrant of the domain name a selection acknowledging that, responsive to the domain name being surrendered by the registrant, the domain name will be transferred to a domain name registrar. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the database encodes a minimum profit margin value in association with the domain name and the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions within the memory to, after executing the automated domain name system command, transfer a fee equal to or greater than the minimum profit margin value to a registrant of the domain name. 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 encoding, within a database, an identification of at least one rule or prerequisite that must be fulfilled prior to a sub domain registrant being qualified to register a sub domain, wherein the at least one rule or prerequisite includes the sub domain registrant transmitting a predetermined alphanumeric code to the sub domain registrant via an SMS message, an email, a postcard or a phone call,   receiving, from a first user device, a transmission encoding a sub domain registration request identifying a sub domain to be registered in association with a domain name, an alphanumeric code, and an Internet protocol address to which a domain name system directs a hypertext transfer protocol request for the sub domain,   determining that the alphanumeric code is equal to the predetermined alphanumeric code, and   executing an automated domain name system command inserting the Internet protocol address into an address record within a zone file for the domain name.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving, from a registrant of the domain name, at least one user data including at least one parameter defining the at least one rule or prerequisite. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one user data comprises:
 at least one pre-defined parameter for the at least one rule or prerequisite:
 defined within at least one data record in the database; and 
 selected by a registrant of the domain name using a first form; or 
   a customized software defining the at least one pre-defined parameter for the at least one rule or prerequisite.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 querying the database for a data record comprising an authentication challenge;   rendering the authentication challenge on a sub domain registration control panel;   transmitting the sub domain registration control panel to the first user device for display;   receiving a challenge response to the authentication challenge via a second form;   comparing the challenge response with a correct challenge response in the data record; and   responsive to the challenge response matching the correct challenge response, determining that the at least one rule or prerequisite has been fulfilled.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving from a registrant of the domain name a selection acknowledging that, responsive to the domain name being surrendered by the registrant, the domain name will be transferred to a domain name registrar. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the database encodes a minimum profit margin value in association with the domain name and further comprising, after executing the automated domain name system command, transferring a fee equal to or greater than the minimum profit margin value to a registrant of the domain name.