Patents by Inventor Richard Merdinger

Richard Merdinger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11087374
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a modification to domain name management; analyze metadata and registrant accounts associated with the request; determine whether related domain name activities indicate high or low risk of malicious behavior; if high risk, the request may be queued for manual review; on manual review, if the request is deemed high risk, an attempt to contact the registrant may be made; if unsuccessful, or if the registrant verifies an invalid request, the request may be cancelled. if the behavior or request is low risk, and/or if the registrant confirms the request is valid, the request may be approved and fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Jody Kolker, Christine Turner
  • Patent number: 10659423
    Abstract: A system and method for modifying domain name system (DNS) templates are presented. A DNS template database is configured to store DNS templates. A DNS record database is configured to store a plurality of DNS records for a plurality of domain names. A host computer server is configured to receive an electronic signal encoding a request containing a modification to a DNS template from a user, the DNS template being stored in the DNS template database, access the DNS template database to modify the DNS template according to request containing the modification to create a modified DNS template, identify a plurality of domain names using the DNS template, and, for each domain name in the plurality of domain names, access the DNS record database to at least one of modify and create a DNS record for the domain name using the modified DNS template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Rahul Mahajan, Richard Merdinger, John Patrick Roling, Karen Trueblood Munoz, Steven Louis Wiesenthal
  • Patent number: 10541968
    Abstract: A registrar may authenticate a registrant and allow the registrant to access a registrant customer account. The registrant customer account is private (accessible only by the registrant) and displays domain names and/or settings for the domain names registered to the registrant. The registrant may change domain name settings, such as renewals or DNS, from the registrant customer account. The registrar may generate one or more suggested domain names that are derived from the one or more domain names registered to the registrant. When the registrar detects an interest in a domain name registered to the registrant, the registrar may immediately thereafter display one or more suggested domain names that were derived from that domain name registered to the registrant for registration. If selected by the registrant, the registrar may register the selected suggested domain names to the registrant through a registry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: James Bladel, Richard Merdinger, Kevin Kreuser, Peter Osmond
  • Publication number: 20190378186
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a modification to domain name management; analyze metadata and registrant accounts associated with the request; determine whether related domain name activities indicate high or low risk of malicious behavior; if high risk, the request may be queued for manual review; on manual review, if the request is deemed high risk, an attempt to contact the registrant may be made; if unsuccessful, or if the registrant verifies an invalid request, the request may be cancelled. if the behavior or request is low risk, and/or if the registrant confirms the request is valid, the request may be approved and fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Jody Kolker, Christine Turner
  • Publication number: 20190297052
    Abstract: A registrar may authenticate a registrant and allow the registrant to access a registrant customer account. The registrant customer account is private (accessible only by the registrant) and displays domain names and/or settings for the domain names registered to the registrant. The registrant may change domain name settings, such as renewals or DNS, from the registrant customer account. The registrar may generate one or more suggested domain names that are derived from the one or more domain names registered to the registrant. When the registrar detects an interest in a domain name registered to the registrant, the registrar may immediately thereafter display one or more suggested domain names that were derived from that domain name registered to the registrant for registration. If selected by the registrant, the registrar may register the selected suggested domain names to the registrant through a registry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: James Bladel, Richard Merdinger, Kevin Kruezer, Peter Osmond
  • Publication number: 20190296984
    Abstract: A registrar may authenticate a registrant and allow the registrant to access a registrant customer account. The registrant customer account is private (accessible only by the registrant) and displays domain names and/or settings for the domain names registered to the registrant. The registrant may change domain name settings, such as renewals or DNS, from the registrant customer account. The registrar may generate one or more suggested domain names that are derived from the one or more domain names registered to the registrant. When the registrar detects an interest in a domain name registered to the registrant, the registrar may immediately thereafter display one or more suggested domain names that were derived from that domain name registered to the registrant for registration. If selected by the registrant, the registrar may register the selected suggested domain names to the registrant through a registry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: James Bladel, Richard Merdinger, Kevin Kreuser, Peter Osmond
  • Patent number: 10402876
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a modification to domain name management; analyze metadata and registrant accounts associated with the request; determine whether related domain name activities indicate high or low risk of malicious behavior; if high risk, the request may be queued for manual review; on manual review, if the request is deemed high risk, an attempt to contact the registrant may be made; if unsuccessful, or if the registrant verifies an invalid request, the request may be cancelled. if the behavior or request is low risk, and/or if the registrant confirms the request is valid, the request may be approved and fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: GO DADDY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Jody Kolker, Christine Turner
  • Patent number: 10164933
    Abstract: A system and method for domain name system (DNS) restore points are presented. A DNS record database is configured to store a plurality of DNS records for a plurality of domain name. A host computer server is configured to detect a change in a DNS record for a domain name, and, upon detecting the change in the DNS record, encode, without any user input, at least one DNS setting from the DNS record for the domain name into a data storage file. The host computer server is configured to prompt a user to provide a description, and store the data storage file containing the at least one DNS setting in a database in association with the description.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: GO DADDY OPERATING COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Rahul Mahajan, Richard Merdinger, John Patrick Roling, Karen Trueblood Munoz, Steven Louis Wiesenthal
  • Publication number: 20180167202
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Christopher Ambler, James M Bladel
  • Publication number: 20180150460
    Abstract: A method is provided to programmatically configure a Registrar to register domain names having different TLDs. The Registrar may store business rules, such as a minimum and a maximum registration period and a registration grace period, for one and only one top-level domain (TLD), in one and only one electronic record. The Registrar may have a plurality of different electronic records, each with businesses rules for a different TLD. The Registrar may programmatically use one of the electronic records to update or add TLD registration capabilities for the TLD associated with the electronic record used. In this manner, business rules for a single TLD may be updated or added in a single electronic record, which reduces the chance of corrupting the registration capabilities of the Registrar regarding the registration of domain names having other TLDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Jeremy Bushlack, Richard Merdinger, Jody Kolker, Alex Passos, Joe Snitker
  • Patent number: 9929859
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Christopher Ambler, James M. Bladel
  • Patent number: 9847874
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions and a request to register the domain name to a third party; register the domain name to the third party and update WHOIS; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Christopher Ambler, James M. Bladel
  • Publication number: 20170104592
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions and a request to register the domain name to a third party; register the domain name to the third party and update WHOIS; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Christopher Ambler, James M. Bladel
  • Publication number: 20170104591
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for a physical certificate authenticating a user to transfer a domain name, as well as a domain name and domain name transfer instructions; print the physical certificate, including a QR code encoding a user id, the domain name, an EPP key and the transfer instructions; lock the domain name account against modification; receive a request to execute a domain name transfer; scan the user id, the domain name, the EPP key and the transfer instructions encoded within the QR code; unlock an administrative function of the account; authenticate, via the EPP key, the domain name transfer; and execute the domain name transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Merdinger, Christopher Ambler, James M. Bladel
  • Publication number: 20160179822
    Abstract: A system and method for domain name system (DNS) templates are presented. A DNS template database stores DNS templates. A DNS record database stores a plurality of DNS records for a plurality of domain names. A host computer server receives an electronic signal encoding a request to create a DNS template from a user. The request identifies a domain name. The host computer server is configured to access the DNS record database to retrieve a DNS record for the domain name identified in the request, parse the DNS record into a plurality of DNS settings, display the plurality of DNS settings on a user interface for the user, receive, via the user interface, a selection of at least one of the DNS settings by the user, construct a DNS template using the selection of the at least one of the DNS settings, and store the DNS template in the DNS template database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Rahul Mahajan, Richard Merdinger, John Patrick Roling, Karen Trueblood Munoz, Steven Louis Wiesenthal
  • Publication number: 20160182441
    Abstract: A system and method for modifying domain name system (DNS) templates are presented. A DNS template database is configured to store DNS templates. A DNS record database is configured to store a plurality of DNS records for a plurality of domain names. A host computer server is configured to receive an electronic signal encoding a request containing a modification to a DNS template from a user, the DNS template being stored in the DNS template database, access the DNS template database to modify the DNS template according to request containing the modification to create a modified DNS template, identify a plurality of domain names using the DNS template, and, for each domain name in the plurality of domain names, access the DNS record database to at least one of modify and create a DNS record for the domain name using the modified DNS template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Rahul Mahajan, Richard Merdinger, John Patrick Roling, Karen Trueblood Munoz, Steven Louis Wiesenthal
  • Publication number: 20160179629
    Abstract: A system and method for domain name system (DNS) restore points are presented. A DNS record database is configured to store a plurality of DNS records for a plurality of domain name. A host computer server is configured to detect a change in a DNS record for a domain name, and, upon detecting the change in the DNS record, encode, without any user input, at least one DNS setting from the DNS record for the domain name into a data storage file. The host computer server is configured to prompt a user to provide a description, and store the data storage file containing the at least one DNS setting in a database in association with the description.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Nitin Gupta, Rahul Mahajan, Richard Merdinger, John Patrick Roling, Karen Trueblood Munoz, Steven Louis Wiesenthal
  • Publication number: 20150058167
    Abstract: A system and method are presented. A domain name registration website is provided by at least one server communicatively coupled to a network. The domain name registration website including a user interface. A query being entered by a requester into the user interface of the domain registration website is monitored. When the query being entered by the requester matches a predefined pattern, the query is used to identify a plurality of candidate domain names, and the candidate domain names are displayed for selection by the requester on the domain name registration website.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. McLaughlin, Stacy Steinkuller, Paul E. Nicks, Richard Merdinger
  • Publication number: 20150058177
    Abstract: A request is received from a requester by at least one server communicatively coupled to a network. The request is used to identify a plurality of candidate domain names. For each one of the plurality of candidate domain names, a determination is made as to whether the candidate domain name is registered. When the candidate domain name is registered, the candidate domain name is displayed in a result listing on a domain registration website hosted by the at least one server in response to the request, and a first user interface enabling the requester to submit an offer to purchase the candidate domain name is displayed. When the candidate domain name is not registered, the candidate domain name is displayed in the result listing on the domain registration website in response to the request, and a second user interface enabling the requester to purchase the candidate domain name is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. McLaughlin, Stacy Steinkuller, Paul E. Nicks, Richard Merdinger
  • Publication number: 20150058176
    Abstract: A request is received from a requester by at least one server communicatively coupled to a network. The request is used to identify a plurality of candidate domain names. For each one of the plurality of candidate domain names, a determination is made as to whether the candidate domain name is registered. When the candidate domain name is registered, the candidate domain name is displayed in a result listing on a domain registration website hosted by the at least one server in response to the request, and a first user interface enabling the requester to submit an offer to purchase the candidate domain name is displayed. When the candidate domain name is not registered, the candidate domain name is displayed in the result listing on the domain registration website in response to the request, and a second user interface enabling the requester to purchase the candidate domain name is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Go Daddy Operating Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. McLaughlin, Stacy Steinkuller, Paul E. Nicks, Richard Merdinger