Donuts files patent for system to handle restricted domain names

Application describes ways to handle domain registrations that require validation.

New top level domain name company Donuts has filed a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a “Whitelist Domain Name Registry” (pdf).

The application describes ways to handle registering domain names that might require some sort of validation or pre-approval of the registrant or name, for example due to a government regulation.

There were calls for many of the new top level domains to have some sort of restrictions, such as .doctor only being registered by medical professionals that meet certain requirements. However, none of Donuts domain names have any pre-registration validation requirements.

The methods described in the patent application could also be applied to government oversight of certain types of domains, such as ones that contain specific words. It could also apply to registrant identity verification or approval.

The patent application lists co-founder Paul Stahura and CTO Christopher Cowherd as inventors. It was just published yesterday but the application was filed on December 30, 2015.