Method for worldwide administration of advanced number portability numbers

• US 6,611,831 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2000
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, John William, Martin, Ronald Bruce, Dunn, James Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Miranda
• Application Number:
  US09/633,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 379/32.03, 379/221.13, 379/210.02, 379/212.01, 379/216.01, 379/289, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/201.02, 707/3, 707/2, 707/104.1, 707/10
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for discovering and assigning telephone numbers that have commercial, trademark or vanity significance to requesting subscribers on a worldwide scale. The method includes determining numbers that have value because they potentially will be requested for commercial, trademark or vanity purposes by companies or persons active in various locations in the world. Language translations and transliterations are also taken into account in order to obtain a telephone number that will retain its commercial, trademark or vanity value in an area that speaks a different language.

Claims

1. A method of assigning a telephone number to a subscriber comprising the steps of:

a. creating a first database of valuable combinations at a first location;

b. comparing numbers not in use at said first location to said first database of valuable combinations to create a first database of valuable combinations available for assignment;

c. creating a second database of valuable combinations at a second location;

d. comparing numbers not in use at said second location to said second database of valuable combinations to create a second database of valuable combinations available for assignment;

e. searching said first database of valuable combinations available for assignment with a keyword;

f. searching said second database of valuable combinations available for assignment with said keyword;

g. returning results to said subscriber of said keyword search of said first database of valuable combinations available for assignment offering said subscriber a first number for said first location;

h. returning results to said subscriber of said keyword search of said second database of valuable combinations available for assignment offering said subscriber a second number for said second location; and

i. upon subscriber'"'"'s acceptance, assigning said first and second number to subscriber in their respective locations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first number and said second number are the same number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first number and said second number have the same last seven digits.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first number and said second number have the same terminating digits.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

searching for said keyword in a third database of numbers not in use in a third location having a different country code than said first and said second locations;

returning results to said subscriber of said keyword search of said third location and offering subscriber a third number for said third location; and

upon subscriber'"'"'s acceptance, assigning said third number to subscriber in the third locations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first number, said second number and said third number have the same terminating digits.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the searching for said first, second and third numbers is for character by character matches of said keyword.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if the searching for character by character matches is not successful, searching for a character by character match using at least one phonetic equivalent character and if phonetic equivalent matches are found, offering said phonetic equivalent matches to said subscriber.

9. A method of claim 7, wherein if a character by character match is not found, searching for a contextual equivalent and if a contextual equivalent match is found, offering said contextual equivalent match to said subscriber.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said contextual equivalent uses an alphabetic string.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said contextual equivalent uses an alphanumeric string.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said contextual equivalent is a synonym of the keyword.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said contextual equivalent uses a DTMF tonal sequence.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

translating said keyword into a second keyword in a language that is used in a third location;

searching for said second keyword in a third database of numbers not in use in said third location;

returning results to said subscriber of said second keyword search of said third location and offering subscriber a third number that corresponds to said second keyword for said third location; and

upon subscriber'"'"'s acceptance, assigning said third number to subscriber in the third location.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the searching for said first, second numbers is for character by character matches of said keyword and searching for said third number is character by character matches to said second keyword.

16. A method of claim 15, wherein if a character by character match of each keyword is not found, searching for a contextual equivalent of each keyword in the language of the location and offering said any contextual equivalent match that is found to said subscriber for acceptance.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said contextual equivalents use alphabetic strings.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said contextual equivalents use an alphanumeric strings.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said contextual equivalents are synonyms of the keywords in their respective languages.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said searching is controlled by a workstation at said first location.