Method for creating a toll-free number audit tape

• US 6,594,659 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Sheng Ling, Pai, Chih-Pin, Rabau, Patrick, Li, Hongguang
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US09/450,354
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 707/7, 707/204, 707/1, 707/100, 707/101, 707/205, 711/1, 711/4, 711/111, 711/161, 711/162, 711/170-173
• US Class Current: 707/752
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/70 Administration aspects, modify settings or limits or counter-check correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54533 Configuration data, translation, passwords, databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

A sorting method for use with a database having randomly hashed records stored therein. The records are sorted in accord with a predetermined parameter and the database exists on a storage medium. At least one stage of the method includes sorting the records in accord with a subgroup of the predetermined parameter and into record groups stored in the storage medium. Records are further sorted in later stages and may be read onto a second medium for sorting. The sorting method allows the amount of processor memory used for sorting to be limited, such that adverse effects on normal call processing are limited or nonexistent.

Claims

1. A method of providing, from an unsorted database of variable sized records that comprise a toll-free number database, each of said variable sized records having a ten-digit numerical-field comprising:

a toll-free number, a toll-free record update time, and a toll-free number owner identifier, a sorted database of records sorted In numerical-field order, wherein the record size of each record In the sorted database is fixed and the unsorted database resides in a first storage medium, said method comprising;

determined a fixed record size for the records in the sorted database;

selecting a subset of the numerical-field as a basis for pre-sorting the records;

selecting a fixed amount of processor memory for pre-sorting;

pre-sorting, within said fixed amount of processor memory, said unsorted database of variable sized records into groups of pre-sorted, fixed size records, consisting of no more than 1000 records, including sorting the records in accord with less than the first six continuous digits of the toll-free number;

providing a second storage medium having memory groups that correspond to the selected subset of the numerical-field allocated therein,

sorting in numerical-field order the fixed-size records in each of said pre-sorted groups; and

writing subgroups of records from each of said groups of pre-sorted, fixed size records from said processor memory to the corresponding groups of memory in said second storage medium, said writing step further defined by writing no more than approximately 9 times per second from said processor memory to said second storage medium.

2.The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of writing said database of records sorted in complete numerical-field order to an audit tape.