Company tries to patent geo-targeted directory that starts with “104”.
Apparently it’s kooky patent day.
This morning I wrote about a company trying to patent “virtual domain names“. Another patent application published today (pdf) is for a geo-targeted directory made up of domain names starting with “104”. Here’s the problem the patent tries to address, according to its author:
Due to the recent hype, over 128 million domain names have been registered to date, while most are not even dictionary words anymore. Over 90% of the registered domain names are either not active or simply “Parked†as referred to in the domain name art, since most people think someone is going to offer them large sums of money, basically for doing nothing more than registering a domain. Over 95% of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have long multiple-word domain names, which are easily forgotten, with respect to their name or exact spelling. Accordingly, all of the relatively valuable branded domain names have been registered many years ago.
The solution is to add a fixed prefix in front of the keyword you want, the applicant explains. In this case, if you want the keyword Lawyer.com you instead register 104Lawyer.com. (104 means 10-4, which is 10-code for “acknowledged”.) This is then part of a network that acts as a directory. If you type in 104Lawyer.com you’ll get a directory of 10 lawyers in your area.
104Inc.com has registered many 104domains, including 104loans.com and 104oil.com. It kind of reminds me of that old 24/7 domains scheme, except that this adds a directory to it.
Silly patent application? 10-4.
Reece Berg says
I just hope the people considering this patent application aren’t as boneheaded as some of the UDRP panelists…
Elliot says
That’s my idea!!!!
TotallyAmazingLawyer.com
TotallyAmazingDoctor.com
TotallyAmazingChicks.com
TotallyAmazingRestaurants.com
TotallyAmazingRestaurantsinNewYork.com
TotallyAmazingKitchenTables.com
TotallyAmazingDogs.com
….etc.
5,000 of the most popular generic domain names.
They’re all on sale for $4,000 each at TotallyAmazingDomainNamesforYou.com.
My thinking is that if I sell all 5,000 names for $4,000 each, I will net $20,000,000. I can buy hundreds of thousands of other domain names with the proceeds, and when I sell those, I will be a billionaire. Easy as 124
D says
Reminds me of the “I am (domain name) .com” guy
Steve M says
… or like the [geo]realestatelistings.com “collection.”
Ugh.
Mr Lexington Laptop Repair says
Personally, I don’t see how this stands a chance of being granted as a patent. Then again, I am not lawyer nor as creative as some patent writers/lawyers.
If it does get granted, I think it would show that the patent system is ‘broken’ in many ways.