Methods, systems, and computer readable storage devices for determining whether to handle a request for communication services by a physical telephone number mapping service or a virtual telephone number mapping service

• US 10,498,884 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2019
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yasrebi, Mehrad, Jackson, James E., Daddona, Art
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Intavong, Jirapon
• Application Number:
  US16/375,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20190230222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 243 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A determination is made whether to handle a request associated with a specific number range by a physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or a virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range. If it is determined that the request should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance, forwarding of the request from the physical telephone number mapping service instance to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance is prevented. If it is determined that the request should be handled by the virtual telephone number mapping service instance, forwarding of the request from the virtual telephone number mapping service instance to the physical telephone number mapping service instance is prevented.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor, whether a request associated with a specific number range should be handled by a physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or a virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range;

responsive to determining that the request should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance,

preventing, by the processor, forwarding of the request from the physical telephone number mapping service instance to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance, and

initiating, by the processor, removal of the virtual telephone number mapping service instance; and

responsive to determining that the request should be handled by the virtual telephone number mapping service instance,

preventing, by the processor, forwarding of the request from the virtual telephone number mapping service instance to the physical telephone number mapping service instance, and

initiating, by the processor, removal of the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing a service load balancer to route the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing the physical telephone number mapping service instance not to forward the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing a service load balancer to route the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing the virtual telephone number mapping service instance not to forward the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the request associated with the specific number range should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or the virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range is based, at least in part, on performance metrics of the physical telephone number mapping service instance and the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the request associated with the specific number range should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or the virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range is based, at least in part, on data indicative of service provider preferences.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining whether a request associated with a specific number range should be handled by a physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or a virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range,

responsive to determining that the request should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance,

preventing forwarding of the request from the physical telephone number mapping service instance to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance, and

initiating removal of the virtual telephone number mapping service instance, and

responsive to determining that the request should be handled by the virtual telephone number mapping service instance,

preventing forwarding of the request from the virtual telephone number mapping service instance to the physical telephone number mapping service instance, and

initiating removal of the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing a service load balancer to route the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing the physical telephone number mapping service instance not to forward the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing a service load balancer to route the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing the virtual telephone number mapping service instance not to forward the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein determining whether the request associated with the specific number range should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or the virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range is based, at least in part, on performance metrics of the physical telephone number mapping service instance and the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein determining whether the request associated with the specific number range should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or the virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range is based, at least in part, on data indicative of service provider preferences.

15. A computer readable storage device having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a request associated with a specific number range should be handled by a physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or a virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range;

responsive to determining that the request should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance,

preventing forwarding of the request from the physical telephone number mapping service instance to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance, and

initiating removal of the virtual telephone number mapping service instance; and

responsive to determining that the request should be handled by the virtual telephone number mapping service instance,

preventing forwarding of the request from the virtual telephone number mapping service instance to the physical telephone number mapping service instance, and

initiating removal of the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing a service load balancer to route the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing the physical telephone number mapping service instance not to forward the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing a service load balancer to route the request to the virtual telephone number mapping service instance.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein preventing forwarding of the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance comprises instructing the virtual telephone number mapping service instance not to forward the request to the physical telephone number mapping service instance.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein determining whether the request associated with the specific number range should be handled by the physical telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range or the virtual telephone number mapping service instance provisioned for handling the request for the specific number range is based, at least in part, on at least one of performance metrics of the physical telephone number mapping service instance and the virtual telephone number mapping service instance or data indicative of service provider preferences.