Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data addressing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-21
2001-01-30
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2758)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data addressing
C709S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182148
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the internet arts. It finds particular application to a method and system for internationalizing internet domain names such that a non-compliant international domain name can be processed by the existing internet structure.
With the proliferation and extremely fast adoption of the Internet around the globe, the need for international capabilities on the Net has become a matter of absolute necessity. A lot of work has been done so far on the subject of localization of scripts and the internationalization (I18N) of systems. However, up to this date, the Internet has remained more associated and very tightly dependent upon the English language since the current Domain Name System (DNS) is presently restricted to the monocase 7 bit ASCII English language alphabet.
The Domain Name System is the part of the Internet infrastructure that translates human-readable domain names into the Internet Protocol (IP) numbers needed to establish TCP/IP communication over the Internet. So far, existing domain name server systems accept only domain names according to RFC1035. RFC1035 specifies the alphabet (set of allowed symbols), the syntax and all restrictions for permissible/valid domain names. Currently, only A to Z upper case, a to z lower case, the “−” and “.” are permitted.
There have been proposals which suggest changing the domain name server system to accommodate I18N. While the proposed solution could work, it requires major changes to the Internet as it exists today. Domain name servers around the globe, which number in the thousands, would have to be changed or updated. In the meantime, existing domain name servers would not be able to handle the new queries sent to them by I18N-enabled domain name servers. Results of these I18N queries can vary anywhere from single rejection to a complete crash of the non-enabled domain name servers.
The present invention provides a solution to this problem in that the present invention would allow users of the Internet to use international domain names mainly in their own script or characters. The present invention works with the existing domain name servers around the world and does not require any updates to be applied to these servers nor any changes to be made to their configurations.
The present invention provides a new and unique method and system for internationalizing domain names which cures the above problems and others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a method of converting an internet international domain name to an RFC1035 compliant format is provided. The international domain name includes non-English characters which are RFC1035 non-compliant. The international domain name is intercepted and transformed to an RFC1035 compliant domain name. A redirector string is generated which includes information for resolving the RFC1035 compliant domain name. The redirector string is then appended to the RFC1035 compliant domain name.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the intercepting is transparent to the user and occurs on a user's computer.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the international domain name is converted to a UNICODE string which includes a 16-bit format The 16-bit format is then transformed to a 5-bit format which is RFC1035 compliant.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in a system for accessing the Internet from an user computer by obtaining a domain name where a domain name server requires the domain name to be in a first format, a method for requesting an international domain name which is in a second format is provided. The international domain name is obtained and transformed from the second format to the first format which is acceptable by the domain name server. The transformed international domain name is then transmitted to the domain name server. The domain name server resolves the transformed name to obtain an IP number corresponding to the international domain name. The user can then access the internet using the IP number.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the international domain name is transparently intercepted on the user computer and analyzed to determine the second format.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system for requesting international domain names with a user machine in communication with the Internet is provided. A domain name server is connected to the Internet which resolves a domain name request by retrieving an IP number corresponding to the domain name. The domain name server requires the domain name to be in a first character format. An Internet program provides communication between the user machine and the Internet. The internet program allows the user to request communication to an internet location by obtaining a domain name of the internet location which is an international domain name having a second character format that is different than the first character format. A domain name transformer transforms the international domain name to a compliant domain name which has the first character format. The domain name transformer is installed on the user machine. The transformation is performed transparent to both the user and the domain name server. A resolver receives and resolves the compliant domain name from the domain name transformer into an IP number of the internet location by transmitting the compliant domain name to the domain name server which returns an IP number of the internet location corresponding to the compliant domain name and thus allows communication with the internet location.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the present invention, the domain name transformer appends a redirector string to the compliant domain name which provides delegation instructions for resolving the complaint domain name.
One advantage of the present invention is that domain name transformer is provided at the user level which allows any character to be used in a domain name. The transformation is performed transparent to the user and transparent to the current Internet protocols.
Another advantage of the present invention is that international domain names are converted to RFC1035 compliant format such that current domain name servers do not have to be modified in order to accept international domain names inputted by an user. The invention allows the use of international domain names with the existing Internet infrastructure and does not require its modification.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it works on the user's machine and is totally transparent to all standard, compliant software programs. Not only will the browser, e-mail, ftp, telnet, gopher, news and other common internet programs function with the present invention, but all compliant Internet programs will work transparently with the present invention.
Another advantage of the present invention is that transformation of a domain name and generation of the redirector information is performed on an user's computer prior to being received by a domain name server. In this manner, the domain name server is unaware that domain name requests are being processed by an international root server.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the domain name transformation allows for a reverse look-up transformation such that an IP number can be reverse transformed to obtain its corresponding international domain name.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
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Calfee Halter & Griswold LLP
Maung Zarni
Tran Philip B.
Walid, Inc.
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