Systems and methods for restricting a telephone number's availability for assignment

• US 20040193604A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swierczek, Chad, Cuckson, Lee T.
• Application Number:
  US10/404,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193604A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In a telephone number inventory management system, each telephone number in a plurality of telephone numbers is represented by an active data record. The active data records include data representing the telephone number and data representing a rule relating to the telephone number. The rule relating to the telephone number is selected from a list of rules. Each rule represents a unique combination of actual states for telephone numbers among a plurality of data environments. In the system, a method of restricting a telephone number'"'"'s availability for assignment pending resolution of a discrepancy relating to the telephone number'"'"'s status includes identifying a specific rule that reflects a discrepancy among the plurality of data environments and identifying a particular telephone number relating to the specific rule. The method also includes sending a message to at least one of the plurality of data environments that restricts the availability of the specific telephone number for assignment.

Claims

1. In a telephone number inventory management system, a method of restricting a telephone number'"'"'s availability for assignment pending resolution of a discrepancy relating to the telephone number'"'"'s status, the method comprising:

providing a telephone number inventory management system wherein each telephone number in a plurality of telephone numbers is represented by an active data record, wherein the active data records comprise data representing the telephone number and data representing a rule relating to the telephone number, wherein the rule relating to the telephone number is selected from a list of rules, each of which rules represents a unique combination of actual states for telephone numbers among a plurality of data environments;

identifying a specific rule that reflects a discrepancy among the plurality of data environments;

identifying a particular telephone number relating to the specific rule; and

sending a message to at least one of the plurality of data environments that restricts the availability of the specific telephone number for assignment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, identifying all telephone numbers in the plurality of telephone numbers that relate to the specific rule;

and

sending a message to at least one of the data environments that restricts the availability of all of the telephone numbers for assignment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the data environments relates to a telephone number inventory system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the telephone number inventory system comprises a Customer Number Manager product.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the data environments relates to a telephone number porting management system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the telephone number porting management system comprises an Advanced Service Management System.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the data environments relates to a service order system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the data environments relates to a system that manages data relating to central office facilities and circuits.

9. A system for restricting a telephone number'"'"'s availability for assignment pending resolution of a discrepancy relating to the telephone number'"'"'s status, comprising:

a host computer system programmed to manage data relating to telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number in a plurality of telephone numbers is represented by an active data record, wherein the active data records comprise data representing the telephone number and data representing a rule relating to the telephone number, wherein the rule relating to the telephone number is selected from a list of rules, each of which rules represents a unique combination of actual states for telephone numbers among a plurality of data environments, wherein the host computer system is further programmed to;

receive information identifying a specific rule that reflects a discrepancy among the plurality of data environments;

identify a particular telephone number relating to the specific rule; and

send a message to at least one of the plurality of data environments that restricts the availability of the specific telephone number for assignment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein one of the data environments relates to a telephone number inventory system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the telephone number inventory system comprises a Customer Number Manager product.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein one of the data environments relates to a telephone number porting management system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the telephone number porting management system comprises an Advanced Service Management System.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein one of the data environments relates to a service order system.

15. A telephone number inventory management system, comprising:

a host computer system programmed to manage data relating to telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number in a plurality of telephone numbers is represented by an active data record, wherein the active data records comprise data representing the telephone number and data representing a rule relating to the telephone number, wherein the rule relating to the telephone number is selected from a list of rules, each of which rules represents a unique combination of actual states for telephone numbers among a plurality of data environments, wherein the host computer system comprises;

receiving means for receiving information that identifies a specific rule that reflects a discrepancy among the plurality of data environments;

identifying means for identifying a particular telephone number relating to the specific rule; and

sending means for sending a message to at least one of the plurality of data environments that restricts the availability of the specific telephone number for assignment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein one of the data environments relates to a telephone number inventory system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the telephone number inventory system comprises a Customer Number Manager product.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein one of the data environments relates to a telephone number porting management system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the telephone number porting management system comprises an Advanced Service Management System.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein one of the data environments relates to a service order system.