METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING PORTED NUMBER DATA

• US 20090003388A1
• Filed: 06/30/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gayde, Ruth Schaefer, Rosenberg, John Richard, Florkey, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US11/772,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20090003388A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/503
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

A method of synchronizing ported number data within a telecommunications network in which a number portability administration center has received a request from a subscriber having a directory number (DN) to port is provided. The method comprises the steps of: a Number Portability data manager sending a subscription request to the NPDB to receive future notifications about subscriber ports to/from specific Location Routing Number(s); the NPDB honoring these subscriptions when a user ports their DN. If this is the initial LRN assigned to the DN, then the NPDB derives the LRN of the code holder. If the LRN from which the subscriber ported has a subscription, then the NPDB sends a notification message to the NP data manager with which the LRN is associated indicating that the DN ported out. If the LRN to which the subscriber ported has a subscription, then the NPDB sends a notification message to the NP data manager with which the LRN is associated indicating that the DN ported in. The method further comprises receiving a notification message for the LRN at a number portability data manager, wherein: if the notification message indicates that a DN has ported in, then the number portability data manager sends a request to an ENUM (telephone number mapping) server to turn the entry for that DN on; and if the notification message indicates that a DN has ported out, then the number portability data manager sends requests to the ENUM server and to a subscriber database to turn the entry for that DN off.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing ported number data within a telecommunications network in which a number portability administration center has received a request from a subscriber having a directory number (DN) to port, the method comprising the steps of:

an NP data manager subscribing to changes in network-level NP data for the LRNs that switch/network owns;

a plurality of NP databases (NPDB) honoring those subscriptions and providing notifications when a number is ported into or out of an LRN to which some switch/network NP data manager has subscribed;

the NPDB determining to which NP data managers to send this notification for both ported into and ported out from networks;

if this is the first time this DN has ever been ported, the NPDB deriving the code holder based on the DN and informing the NP Data manager associated with that code holder that this DN is porting out;

for non-first-time ports, the NPDB deriving (via the LRN in its internal database associated with this DN) the NP data manager for the ‘

old’

network and informing that NP data manager this DN is ported out. Also, the NPDB using the new LRN to derive the NP data manager for the ‘

new’

network and informing the NP data manager that this DN is ported in;

the NP data manager, on receiving a notification, activating or deactivating local NP data for the Number which has ported in or ported out in the ENUM and/or ENUM/HSS.

2. An apparatus for synchronizing ported number data within a telecommunications network in which a number portability administration center has received a request from a subscriber having a directory number (DN) to port, the apparatus comprising:

a new NP data manager within a system serving end users, which subscribes to changes in network-level NP data for the LRNs that switch/network owns, on receiving a notification, the NP data manager activates or deactivates local NP data for the Number which has ported in or ported out in the ENUM and/or ENUM/HSS;

a new capability inside existing network NP Databases (NPDB) which honors those subscriptions and, using the methods described above, provides notifications when a number is ported into or out of an LRN to which some switch/network NP data manager has subscribed;

included in this capability is for the NPDB to determine which network to send this to (both for ported in, and ported out);

for a first time port, the NPDB needs to derive the code holder based on the DN and infors the NP Data manager associated with that code holder that this DN is porting out;

for other ports, the NPDB needs to derive (via the LRN in its internal database associated with this DN) the NP data manager for the ‘

old’

network and inform that NP data manager this DN is ported out. Also, the NPDB will use the new LRN to derive the NP data manager for the ‘

new’

network and inform that NP data manager that this DN is ported in.