# US 2012/0084320 A1 · System, method, and article of manufacture for maintaining and accessing a whois database

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- Number: US 2012/0084320 A1
- Document ID: US20120084320A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/324,974
- Filed: 2011-12-13
- Published: 2012-04-05
- Earliest claimed: 2000-06-30
- Assignees: VeriSign, Inc.
- Inventors: Steven C. Monroe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120084320A1

## CPC

- H04L 61/4511: using domain name system [DNS]
- G06F 16/95: Retrieval from the web
- H04L 61/00: Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
- H04L 61/45: Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for maintaining and accessing a whois database. In one embodiment, modifications to a registrar database that includes information about domain names are tracked, and based on the tracked modifications, one or more records that include modified information about the domain names are identified. Unique identifiers for the identified one or more records are determined and are used to reflect the modifications in the whois database. The modifications are tracked on a real-time basis and are reflected in the whois database on an hourly or a real-time basis.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A whois system in communication with a registrar system that includes a registrar database having a plurality of domain name records and an audit file having a plurality of unique identifiers, each unique identifier corresponding to a modified or deleted domain name record within the registrar database, the whois system comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one whois database having a plurality of domain name records; and
stored instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
extracting the plurality of unique identifiers from the audit file; and
for each unique identifier:
determining whether a first domain name record that corresponds to the unique identifier exists within the registrar database,
if the first domain name record exists, retrieving the first domain name record from the registrar database,
determining whether a second domain name record that corresponds to the unique identifier exists within the whois database,
if the second domain name record exists, retrieving the second domain name record from the whois database,
comparing the first domain name record to the second domain name record, and
updating the second domain name record, within the whois database, based on the first domain name record.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:
if the first domain name record does not exist, deleting the second domain name record from the whois database.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:
if the second domain name record does not exist, adding the first domain name record to the whois database.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:
discarding duplicate unique identifiers from the plurality of unique identifiers

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the modified or deleted domain name record consists of an added domain name record, a deleted domain name record and a changed domain name record.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The system of claim 25, wherein the audit file includes an indicator associated with each unique identifier, the indicator consisting of an added indicator, a deleted indicator and changed indicator.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the audit file includes modified domain name information associated with each unique identifier.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of unique identifiers is associated with a time period.