Signal transfer point local number portability database audit system and method

• US 20020176562A1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tianbao Hao
• Inventors: Hao, Tianbao
• Granted Patent: US 6,549,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/221.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/10 Providing fault- or trouble-signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/12 Marking faulty circuits "busy"; Enabling equipment to disengage itself from faulty circuits ; Using redundant circuits; Response of a circuit, apparatus or system to an error
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2254 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/167 Redundancy

Abstract

A method of auditing a first local number portability database (31) associated with a first signal transfer point (22) includes sending, by a first audit manager (26), a request to the first signal transfer point (22), the request specifying at least one ported telephone number. A first audit agent (30) receives the request at the first signal transfer point (22), looks up the specified at least one ported telephone number in the first local number portability database (31), and obtains at least one corresponding local routing number. The first audit agent (30) then sends the at least one corresponding local routing number to the first audit manager (26).

The audit manager (26) then compares the received at least one corresponding local routing number to data local to the first audit manager (26). The audit manager (26) then reports the result of the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of auditing a first local number portability database associated with a first signal transfer point, comprising:

sending, by a first audit manager, a request to the first signal transfer point, the request specifying at least one ported telephone number;

receiving, by a first audit agent, the request at the first signal transfer point and looking up the specified at least one ported telephone number in the first local number portability database and obtaining at least one corresponding LNP data entry;

sending, by the first audit agent, the at least one corresponding LNP data entry to the first audit manager;

comparing the received at least one corresponding LNP data entry to data local to the first audit manager;

sending, by the first audit manager, a request to a second signal transfer point, the request specifying the at least one ported telephone number;

receiving, by a second audit agent, the request at the second signal transfer point and looking up the specified at least one ported telephone number in a second local number portability database associated with the second signal transfer point and obtaining at least one corresponding LNP data entry;

sending, by the second audit agent, the at least one corresponding LNP data entry to the first audit manager;

comparing, by the first audit manager, the received at least one corresponding LNP data entry from the first and second audit agents; and

reporting the result of the comparison.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising looking up, by the first audit manager, the at least one corresponding LNP data entry of the at least one ported telephone number in a second local number portability database associated with a second signal transfer point, the second signal transfer point being a mate of the first signal transfer point.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising looking up, by the first audit manager, the at least one corresponding LNP data entry of the at least one ported telephone number in at least one second local number portability database associated with at least one second signal transfer point.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising composing, by the first audit manager, a CMISE message containing the at least one ported telephone number for sending to the first audit agent.

5. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising composing, by the first audit manager, a CMISE message containing upper and lower bounds of a range of ported telephone numbers for sending to the first audit agent.

6. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising composing, by the first audit manager, a CMISE M-GET message containing an IP address of a processor in the signal transfer point and the at least one ported telephone number for sending to the first audit agent.

7. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

composing, by the first audit agent, at least one CMISE M-LINK message containing the at least one LNP data entry corresponding to the at least one ported telephone number, and sending the message to the first audit manager; and

composing, by the first audit agent, at least one CMISE M-GET message containing an indication of the success of the audit, and sending the message to the first audit manager.

8. Computer readable medium having a program encoded thereon, comprising computer program code means adapted to perform the steps of claim 1 when said program is run on at least one computer.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising accessing a computer product having the steps of claim 1, the computer program being encoded on a computer readable medium.