Pathway-specific, registry-integrated domain name registration system

A method for orderly processing multiple requests for a succeeding registration of a desired domain name, the method comprising the steps of:

• offering an interface to a backorder service to receive one or more requests for a succeeding registration of a domain name having a current registration maintained by a registry;
• communicating the one or more requests to the registry along with a suggested order for fulfilling the one or more requests upon a lapse in the current registration;
• implementing a first registry command for use by the backorder service to request the succeeding registration;
• implementing a second registry command for use by one or more other interested entities to request the succeeding registration;
• and
• rendering the first registry command effective, and the second registry command ineffective, for requesting the succeeding registration for the domain name corresponding to the one or more communicated backorder requests, whereby a successful succeeding registration request can only come from the backorder service when there are one or more backorder requests.

A system for processing a backorder for a registered domain name, comprising:

• a backorder system that receives a request to backorder a domain name having a current registration;
• and
• a registry maintaining the current registration for the domain name;
• wherein the registry includes:
• a data source storing an indication that the domain name has a corresponding backorder request;
• an application programming interface bifurcating a first registry command available to the backorder management system from a second registry command available to one or more entities other than the backorder management system, wherein the first and second registry commands provide domain name registration functionality;
• and
• a registration management system with access to the data source to detect the backorder indication, and, upon detecting the backorder indication, disabling the second registry command to block a successive registration by the one or more entities, and enabling the first registry command to allow the successive registration by the backorder management system.

In a domain name registration system in which a registry implements one or more registry commands accessible by one or more registrars to manage current registrations for one or more domain names maintained by the registry, an improvement comprising:

• a registry data source storing records indicating which of the domain names maintained by the registry have corresponding backorder requests;
• a backorder system administering collection and processing of the backorder requests and communicating with the registry to update the registry data source with a current status of the backorder requests;
• and
• customized registry commands requiring the registry to identify the domain names having corresponding backorder requests before the registry grants a registration, to preclude a subsequent registration of the identified domain names by a registrar, and to afford the backorder system the opportunity to effect the subsequent registrations.