Method for NPA split processing on a service control point

• US 20030138095A1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Services, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.), SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Services, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.), SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Culli, Laura Kay, Stroud, Kenneth Robert, Cherye, Rick Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,139,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

The preferred embodiments described herein provide a method for NPA split processing on a service control point. These preferred embodiments can be used to overcome problems encountered during a permissive dialing period of an NPA split and yield several advantages over prior art approaches to this problem. Specifically, these preferred embodiments do not require changes to be made to an existing call processing record to include a pointer to a new call processing record identified by a telephone number with a new NPA. Additionally, unlike prior approaches that require changes to be made to all incoming query messages to a service control point, these preferred embodiments do not require extra processing for services that are not NPA sensitive.

Claims

1. A method for NPA split processing on a service control point, the method comprising:

(a) providing first and second call processing records associated with a telephone number undergoing an NPA split, wherein the first call processing record is identified by a telephone number comprising an old NPA and wherein the second call processing record is identified by a telephone number comprising a new NPA;

(b) sending a query to a service control point during a permissive dialing period, wherein the query comprises the telephone number comprising the old NPA;

(c) determining whether the first call processing record identifies a service that is NPA sensitive; and

(d) if the first call processing record identifies a service that is NPA sensitive, using the second call processing record instead of the first call processing record.

2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) if the first call processing record does not identify a service that is NPA sensitive, using the first call processing record instead of the second call processing record.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein a service is NPA sensitive if a change made to either but not both of the first and second call processing records during the permissive dialing period will result in improper service execution.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the service control point comprises system level software and application level software, and wherein the application level software performs acts (c) and (d).

5. A method for NPA split processing on a service control point, the method comprising:

(a) sending a query to a service control point during a permissive dialing period, wherein the query comprises a telephone number comprising an NPA undergoing an NPA split;

(b) assigning the telephone number to a call variable;

(c) retrieving a call processing record identified by the call variable, wherein the call processing record identifies a service;

(d) determining whether the service is NPA sensitive; and

(e) if the service is NPA sensitive, changing the NPA in the call variable to a new NPA.

6. The invention of claim 5 further comprising:

(f) retrieving a second call processing record identified by the call variable with the new NPA; and

(g) using the second call processing record instead of the first-mentioned call processing record.

7. The invention of claim 5 further comprising determining if the telephone number assigned to the call variable in (b) is stored in a storage location, and, if not, determining if the telephone number with the new NPA is stored in the storage location.

8. The invention of claim 5, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if a duplicate copy of the call processing record exists during the permissive dialing period and a change made to either but not both of the call processing record and the duplicate copy of the call processing record during the permissive dialing period will result in improper service execution.

9. The invention of claim 5, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if the service checks a storage location storing one but not both of the following:

the telephone number comprising the NPA undergoing the NPA split and the telephone number comprising the new NPA.

10. The invention of claim 5 further comprising identifying the new NPA from a table correlating the NPA undergoing the NPA split with the new NPA.

11. The invention of claim 5 further comprising determining that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period.

12. The invention of claim 11, wherein the determination that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period is made by consulting a table correlating the NPA undergoing the NPA split, the new NPA, and a date range for the permissive dialing period.

13. The invention of claim 5, wherein the service control point comprises system level software and application level software, and wherein the application level software performs acts (b)-(e).

14. A method for NPA split processing on a service control point, the method comprising:

(a) providing a service control point comprising a first profile management call processing record associated with a service that is NPA sensitive and a second profile management call processing record associated with a service that is not NPA sensitive;

(b) sending a query to the service control point during a permissive dialing period, wherein the query comprises a telephone number undergoing an NPA split;

(c) in response to the query being sent to the service control point to change the first profile management call processing record;

(c1) determining whether the query was sent during a permissive dialing period; and

(c2) if the query was sent during the permissive dialing period, changing data in a subscriber'"'"'s call processing record identified by a telephone number with an old NPA; and

(d) in response to the query sent to the service control point to change the second profile management call processing record, changing data in a subscriber'"'"'s call processing record identified by a telephone number with a new NPA.

15. The invention of claim 14, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if a duplicate copy of the first call processing record exists during the permissive dialing period and a change made to either but not both of the first call processing record and the duplicate copy of the first call processing record during the permissive dialing period will result in improper service execution.

16. The invention of claim 14, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if the service checks a storage location storing one but not both of the following:

a telephone number comprising the old NPA and the telephone number comprising the new NPA.

17. The invention of claim 14 further comprising identifying the new NPA from a table correlating the old NPA with the new NPA.

18. The invention of claim 14 further comprising determining that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period.

19. The invention of claim 18, wherein the determination that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period is made by consulting a table correlating the old NPA, the new NPA, and a date range for the permissive dialing period.

20. The invention of claim 14, wherein the service control point comprises system level software and application level software, and wherein the application level software performs acts (c) and (d).

21. A method for NPA split processing on a service control point, the method comprising:

(a) providing first and second call processing records associated with a telephone number undergoing an NPA split, wherein the first call processing record is identified by a telephone number comprising an old NPA and wherein the second call processing record is identified by a telephone number comprising a new NPA;

(b) receiving a query at a service control point during a permissive dialing period, wherein the query comprises one or more telephone numbers comprising an NPA undergoing an NPA split;

(c) assigning the telephone numbers to call variables;

(d) retrieving a call processing record identified by one of the call variables, wherein the call processing record identifies a subscriber and one or more services;

(e) determining whether any of the subscribed services is NPA sensitive;

(f) determining whether the permissive dialing period for that NPA is active;

(g) if the service is NPA sensitive and the permissive dialing period is active, changing the NPA in the call variables to a new NPA;

(h) retrieving a second call processing record identified by the call variable with the new NPA; and

(i) using the second call processing record instead of the first-mentioned call processing record.

22. The invention of claim 21 further comprising:

(j) determining if any of the telephone numbers assigned to the call variables in (c) are stored in a storage location, and, if not, determining if any of the telephone numbers with the new NPA are stored in the storage location.

23. The invention of claim 21, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if a duplicate copy of the call processing record must exist during the permissive dialing period and a change made to either but not both may result in improper service execution.

24. The invention of claim 21, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if the service checks a storage location storing one but not both of the following:

the telephone number comprising the NPA undergoing the NPA split and the telephone number comprising the new NPA.

25. The invention of claim 21 further comprising identifying the new NPA from a table correlating the NPA undergoing the NPA split with the new NPA.

26. The invention of claim 21 further comprising determining that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period.

27. The invention of claim 26, wherein the determination that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period is made by consulting a table correlating the NPA undergoing the NPA split, the new NPA, and a date range for the permissive dialing period.

28. The invention of claim 22, wherein the service control point comprises system level software and application level software, and wherein the application level software performs acts (c)-(j).

29. A method for NPA split processing on a service control point, the method comprising:

(a) providing a service control point comprising some profile management call processing records associated with services that are NPA sensitive and other profile management call processing records associated with services that are not NPA sensitive;

(b) receiving a query at the service control point during a permissive dialing period, wherein the query comprises a telephone number undergoing an NPA split;

(c) in response to the query being sent to the service control point to change the call processing records which are NPA sensitive;

(c1) determining whether the query was sent during a permissive dialing period; and

(c2) if the query was sent during the permissive dialing period, changing data in a subscriber'"'"'s call processing record identified by a telephone number with the new NPA; and

(d) in response to the query sent to the service control point to change call processing records that are not NPA sensitive, changing data in a subscriber'"'"'s call processing record identified by a telephone number without changing the NPA.

30. The invention of claim 29, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if a duplicate copy of the first call processing record must exist during the permissive dialing period and a change made to either but not both may result in improper service execution.

31. The invention of claim 29, wherein the service is NPA sensitive if the service checks a storage location storing one but not both of the following:

a telephone number comprising the old NPA and the telephone number comprising the new NPA.

32. The invention of claim 29 further comprising identifying the new NPA from a table correlating the old NPA with the new NPA.

33. The invention of claim 29, wherein the determination that the query was sent to the service control point during the permissive dialing period is made by consulting a table correlating the old NPA, the new NPA, and a date range for the permissive dialing period.

34. The invention of claim 29, wherein the service control point comprises system level software and application level software, and wherein the application level software performs acts (c) and (d).