Granted Patent B2

US 8,024,468 · App. 12/645,041 · Granted Sep 20, 2011

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A domain name service (DNS) resolver for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses, the DNS resolver comprising:

a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet;

a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions for a predetermined list of domain names without referring to the Internet after receiving a domain name resolution request;

a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests;

a cache of domain names different from the predetermined list of domain names; and

an address store, wherein the address store comprises the predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses that are specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver.

2. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests on a port not normally used for conventional DNS domain name resolution requests.

3. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests in encrypted form.

4. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined list includes at least some host names for the domain names.

5. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the DNS resolver is within an operating system of the Internet application or device.

6. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the DNS resolver is located away from user computers.

7. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the DNS resolver is application software running on an operating system, and

the Internet application also runs on the operating system.

8. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein a firewall filters traffic between the DNS resolver and the Internet.

9. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined list is updated periodically.

10. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined list is updated when a domain resolution requests matches a domain on the list, but a host name on the domain resolution request cannot be found on the list.

11. A DNS resolver for returning IP addresses, the DNS resolver comprising:

a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet;

a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests;

a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions for a predetermined list of URL portions, wherein the direct DNS resolver avoids referring to the Internet while processing domain name resolutions;

a cache of domain names different from the list of predetermined domain names; and

an address store, wherein the address store comprises the predetermined list of URL portions that are determined at a point accessible with the Internet.

12. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the predetermined list includes IP addresses corresponding to the URL portions.

13. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests on a port not normally used for conventional DNS domain name resolution requests.

14. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the connection receives the domain name resolution requests in encrypted form.

15. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the URL portions include domain names and/or host names.

16. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the address store avoids time-to-live tracking for IP addresses.

17. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the DNS resolver is located away from user computers.

18. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein:

the DNS resolver is application software running on an operating system, and

the Internet application also runs on the operating system.

19. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein a firewall filters traffic between the DNS resolver and the Internet.

20. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the predetermined list is updated periodically.

21. The DNS resolver for returning IP addresses as recited in claim 11 , wherein the predetermined list is updated when a domain resolution requests matches a domain on the list, but a host name on the domain resolution request cannot be found on the list.

22. A method for resolving an IP address for a domain name resolution request, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a list of possible domain name resolution requests and corresponding IP addresses in advance of the possible domain name resolution request being requested;

storing the list in an address store;

receiving the domain name resolution request;

determining if the domain name resolution request corresponds to any in a cache;

determining if the domain name resolution request corresponds to any on the list;

returning a corresponding IP address if the domain name resolution request corresponds to any on the list; and

resolving the domain name resolution request by referring to the Internet using a recursing resolver that queries one or more DNS servers on the Internet if the domain name resolution request does not corresponds to any on the list.

23. The method for resolving the IP address for the domain name resolution request as recited in claim 22 , wherein the second-listed receiving step comprises a step of receiving a cookie that comprises information about an Internet application or device originating the domain name resolution request.

24. The method for resolving the IP address for the domain name resolution request as recited in claim 22 , wherein the IP address corresponds to at least one DNS server at a content delivery network (CDN).

25. The method for resolving the IP address for the domain name resolution request as recited in claim 22 , further comprising steps of:

determining the list is out of date; and

requesting an updated list.

Assignments (9)