[registrars] Corporate domain name management patent application

["Bruce Tonkin" <Bruce.Tonkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

US patent application number: 2002/0145992 A1; Date of publication: 10
October 2002; 
Filed: 20 March 2002

Title: URL acquisition and management  
Status: Docketed New Case - Ready for Examination  Status Date: 6 Nov
2002

Inventor: Gregory Holt

Abstract:
A system and method for managing the registration of internet URLs,
comprising first and second databases and a processor. The first
database contains fields in which a first set of data are stored, the
first set of data including, for a selected URL, user-generated data
characterizing an application to register a URL. The processor is
operable to access on-line information to determine whether the URL is
already registered and, if so, to compare on-line information regarding
the URL and the first set of data. After any discrepancies between the
first set of data and the on-line information are resolved, the
processor stores in the second database a second set of data, the second
set of data including, for said URL, the first set of data with any
discrepancies corrected and augmented by registration data from the
on-line information. 



My Summary:  

This patent application is essentially aimed a corporate domain name
management services where a portfolio of domains is being managed.  The
patent application claims a method consisting of a database containing
details entered by the user on a domain name.  The system can register
the name, and store the details in a second database, or if the domain
name is already registered, the system can compare the user entered
details with information from a online system (ie registrar or registry
WHOIS) and stored the corrected information in the second database.

In my view this is a straight forward application of database
technology.