System and method for achieving local number portability

• US 6,370,548 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Button, Ross, Sauve, Steve, Holmes, Ralph, McQuigge Ernst, Susan Jane, Cavanagh, Mike, Kalyn, William, Germann, Kevin, Howlette, Samuel S., Bauer, Deborah, Sommers, Francis C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US09/169,491
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/204, 707/203, 379/93.23, 379/204, 379/207, 379/210, 379/219, 379/201.01, 379/26.01, 455/445
• US Class Current: 379/221.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/951 Calendar or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for achieving local number portability. Two databases are interfaced so that message data from one database is selectively passed to the other database and processed for transfer to corresponding requesting software applications. More specifically, a regional interface broadcast agent is interfaced to an interface broadcast agent repository so that message data from the regional interface broadcast agent is selectively passed to the interface broadcast agent repository.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for interfacing a first database to a second database, comprising:

reading a first message unit from said first database, said first message unit including message data and a tracking number;

parsing said first message unit to determine said message data and said tracking number and associate said message data with a task;

storing said message data in said second database according to said task when said tracking number is a next consecutive tracking number;

selecting at least one requestor to which to transmit said message data from said second database; and

transmitting said message data to said at least one requestor selected by said step of selecting.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said first database includes a regional interface broadcast agent database and said second database includes an interface broadcast agent repository database.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said reading from said first database step further comprises the steps of:

storing said first message unit in a message unit list and

reading said first message unit from said message unit list.

4. A computer-implemented method for interfacing a regional interface broadcast agent to an interface broadcast agent repository, said method comprising:

reading a first one of a plurality of message units from a message unit list in a memory, said first one of a plurality of message units comprising a header and first message data, said memory coupled to said regional interface broadcast agent;

separately validating said header and said first message data;

parsing said first message unit, when said header and first message data are valid, to associate said first message data from said first message unit with at least one of a plurality of tasks; and

storing said first message data from said first message unit in a database based on said parsing, said database associated with said interface broadcast agent repository.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said parsing step further comprises the steps of:

determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes NPA message data;

when it is determined that said first one of said plurality of message units includes NPA message data, acquiring said message data in a corresponding NPA message data format;

determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes LRN message data;

when it is determined that said first one of said plurality of message units includes LRN message data, acquiring said message data in a corresponding LRN message data format;

determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes service provider network message data;

when it is determined that said first one of said plurality of message units includes service provider network message data, acquiring said message data in a corresponding service provider network message data format;

determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes telephone number message data; and

when it is determined that said first one of said plurality of message units includes telephone number message data, acquiring said message data in a corresponding telephone number message data format.

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

reading a second one of said plurality of message units from said message unit list in said memory;

verifying that said second one of said plurality of message units is a message unit immediately following said first one of said plurality of message units in said message unit list;

validating said second one of said plurality of message units;

parsing said second one of said plurality of message units to associate second message data from said second message unit with at least one of said plurality of tasks; and

storing said second message data from said second one of said plurality of message units in said database based on said parsing.

7. A system implemented on one or more computers for interfacing a first database to a second database, comprising:

means for reading a first message unit from said first database, said first message unit including message data;

means for parsing said first message unit to associate said message data with one of a plurality of tasks;

means for storing said message data in said second database;

means for selecting at least one requestor to which to transmit said message data from said second database based on said one of said plurality of task; and

means for transmitting said message data to said at least one requestor selected by said means for selecting.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said first database includes a regional interface broadcast agent database and

said second database includes an interface broadcast agent repository database.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said means for reading from said first database further comprises:

means for storing said first message unit in a message unit list and means for reading said first message unit from said message unit list.

10. A system implemented on one or more computers for interfacing a regional interface broadcast agent to an interface broadcast agent repository, said system comprising:

means for reading a first one of a plurality of message units, comprising a header and first message data, from a message unit list in a first memory, said first memory accessible to said regional interface broadcast agent;

means for separately validating said header said first message data;

means for parsing said first message unit to determine with which of a plurality of tasks said first message data from said first message unit is associated when said header and first message data are valid; and

means for storing said first message data from said first message unit in a database, said database accessible to said interface broadcast agent repository.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said means for parsing further comprises:

means for determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes NPA message data;

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding NPA message data format;

means for determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes LRN message data;

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding LRN message data format;

means for determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes service provider network message data;

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding service provider network message data format;

means for determining whether said first one of said plurality of message units includes telephone number message data; and

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding telephone number message data format.

12. A system according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for reading a second message unit, comprising a second header and second message data, from said first memory;

means for verifying that said second message unit is a message unit immediately following said first message unit in said message unit list;

means for separately validating said second header and said second message data;

means for parsing said second message unit to determine with which of said plurality to tasks said second message data from said second message unit is associated when said second header and said second message data are valid; and

means for storing said second message data from said second message unit in said database.

13. A computer program product, including a computer readable medium, for interfacing a first database to a second database, said computer program product comprising:

means for reading a first message unit from said first database, said first message unit including message data;

means for parsing said first message unit to determine with which of a plurality of tasks said message data is associated;

means for storing said message data in said second database;

means for selecting at least one requester, based on said associated task, to which to transmit said message data from said second database; and

means for transmitting said message data to said at least one requestor selected by said means for selecting.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein

said first database includes a regional interface broadcast agent database and

said second database includes an interface broadcast agent repository database.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said means for reading from said first database further comprises:

means for storing said first message unit in a message unit list and means for reading said first message unit from said message unit list.

16. A computer program product, including a computer readable medium, for interfacing a regional interface broadcast agent to an interface broadcast agent repository, said computer program product comprising:

means for reading a first message unit, comprising a first header and first message data, from a message unit list in a memory, said memory accessible to said regional interface broadcast agent;

means for smartly validating said first header and said first message data;

means for parsing said first message unit, when said first header and said first message data are valid, to associate said first message data from said first message unit with a task; and

means for storing said first message data from said first message unit in a database based on the associated task, said database accessible to said interface broadcast agent repository.

17. A computer program product according to claim 16, wherein said means for parsing further comprises:

means for determining whether said first message unit includes NPA message data;

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding NPA message data format;

means for determining whether said first message unit includes LRN message data;

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding LRN message data format;

means for determining whether said first message unit includes service provider network message data;

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding service provider network message data format;

means for determining whether said first message unit includes telephone number message data; and

means for acquiring said message data in a corresponding telephone number message format.

18. A computer program product according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for reading a second message unit, comprising a second header and second message data, from said memory;

means for verifying that said second message unit is a message unit immediately following said first message unit in said message unit list;

means for separately validating said second header and said second message data;

means for parsing said second message unit to associate said second message data from said second message unit with a second task; and

means for storing said second message data from said second message unit in said database based on said second task.