Cleveland Man Patents WHOIS Integration in Search Results

Ohio "inventor" Eric Schneider was awarded a patent Tuesday for a method of integrating a domain availability check into search engine results. Schneider's application ("A Method and Apparatus for Integrating Resolution Services, Registration Services and Search Services") was submitted June 21, 2000 and approved on May 17.

The patent covers "request types other than that of a registration request or availability request," and thus does not affect WHOIS inquiries. But it appears to have implications for including domain availability recommendations in other types of information searches. Here's Schneider's comment in a press release announcing the patent's approval:

One aspect of the '430 patent specifies receiving keyword input for a search engine and in response providing both search engine results of Web pages, and in addition, providing one or more domain names that may be available for registration relating to those keywords.

IANAL, but that statement suggests that search engines can't integrate WHOIS results - or partner with a domain registrar to include keyword-based WHOIS results - without dealing with Schneider, who said he is already taking steps to commercialize the patent.

"We are currently in discussions to license the technology to a number of companies," said Schneider. "The issuance of the '430 patent provides an opportunity to invite interested search engine providers and domain name registration providers to learn more about how this technology can help their business and their customers."

  Posted by RichM May 20, 2005 | Permalink | Newsletter

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Cleveland Man Patents WHOIS Integration in Search Results - May 20, 2005





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