# How to Automatically Track and Act on Internet Domain Name Expirations > This patent describes a system that automatically checks when internet domain names are set to expire, calculates how much time is left, and can notify a user or even try to register the domain once it becomes available. - **Patent:** US 8037168 - **Original title:** Method, product, and apparatus for enhancing resolution services, registration services, and search services - **Owner:** ESDR Network Solutions LLC - **Granted:** 2011 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 55 - **Field:** telecommunications, software, ecommerce, internet_services ## What it does This patent describes a method for automatically monitoring domain name expiration. It involves receiving a WHOIS record for a domain name at a first time, which includes an expiry date (a second time), as described in Claim 1. The system then calculates the time difference between the current time and the expiry date. This calculated time difference is then provided to a 'second entity' (a user or system) who does not have permission to modify the domain's registration information. For example, if a user requests information about 'example.com', the system retrieves its WHOIS record, sees it expires in 30 days, and can then notify the user that 'example.com' is nearing expiration, possibly adding it to a watch list (Claim 5) or even attempting to register it after it expires (Claim 6). ## What it does NOT cover - A system that only displays a WHOIS record without calculating or providing a time difference value (Claim 1). - Monitoring domain names where the user receiving the information has permission to modify the domain's registration (Claim 1). - A system that only provides a one-time lookup of an expiry date without determining if it satisfies a condition or monitoring for expiration (Claims 2-5). - Monitoring other types of digital assets, such as social media handles or IP addresses, that are not domain names (Claim 1). - A system that only notifies the original domain owner about their own domain's upcoming expiration. - Attempting to register a domain name that is not determined to be available or soon-to-be available for registration (Claim 6). ## The clever bit The novelty lies in the automated calculation of the time difference to expiration and, crucially, providing this information to a *third party* (a 'second entity') who lacks modification rights, enabling them to monitor and potentially acquire the domain when it becomes available. ## Real-world examples 1. Domain expiration monitoring services 2. Domain registrars offering 'backorder' or 'drop catching' services 3. Tools used by domain investors to find expiring domains 4. Brand protection services tracking competitor domain expirations ## Why it matters This patent provides a foundational method for systems that monitor domain name availability, which is crucial for brand protection, domain investing, and preventing accidental loss of valuable web addresses. By automating the process of tracking expiration dates and taking action, it helps users proactively acquire or protect domain names. This automation reduces the manual effort required to keep track of countless domain expiry dates. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How to Automatically Track and Act on Internet Domain Name Expirations cover? This patent describes a system that automatically checks when internet domain names are set to expire, calculates how much time is left, and can notify a user or even try to register the domain once it becomes available. ### Who owns patent US 8037168? ESDR Network Solutions LLC owns this patent, granted in 2011. ### When does this patent expire? This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely. ### What is patent US 8037168 cited by? This patent has been cited by 55 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This patent provides a foundational method for systems that monitor domain name availability, which is crucial for brand protection, domain investing, and preventing accidental loss of valuable web addresses. By automating the process of tracking expiration dates and taking action, it helps users proactively acquire or protect domain names. This automation reduces the manual effort required to keep track of countless domain expiry dates. ### What does this patent NOT cover? A system that only displays a WHOIS record without calculating or providing a time difference value (Claim 1). **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8037168/method-product-and-apparatus-for-enhancing-resolution-services-registration-services-and-search-services **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US8037168 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Amazon Optimizes Website Loading Speeds by Managing Domain Requests](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7930393/amazon-cloudfront-cdn) — A system that tests different ways to distribute website resources across multiple domains to find the fastest way to load a webpage for users. - [How Software Automatically Collects and Organizes Data from Multiple Websites](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8112476/amazon-ec2-elastic-compute-cloud) — A system that automatically logs into multiple websites, pulls information, and stores it locally before you even ask for it, so it is ready to view instantly. - [How to Verify Anonymous Users Using Third-Party Identity Services](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8688813/kindle-fire-tablet) — A method for a system to identify and authorize a user it doesn't know by asking a different, trusted service that already has the user's information. - [How a Smart System Verifies and Updates Customer Data](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8285656/cortana-virtual-assistant) — This patent describes an automated system that uses artificial intelligence to pick the best ways to check and update information about people or businesses, choosing from methods like web searches, phone calls, or direct mail. - [How Distributed Servers Find Data Using Location Pointers](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7233978/method-and-apparatus-for-managing-location-information-in-a-network-separate-from-the-data-to-which-the-location-information-pertains) — A system that uses a network of specialized servers to track where specific data is located, allowing computers to find information by asking a server for its address rather than searching every machine.