Method for implementing service logic via database table transversals

• US 6,823,060 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adams, John, O'Donnell, Sean K., Ostroff, Neil A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/406,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 379/112.09, 379/216.01, 379/221.15, 379/355.05, 379/355.06, 379/355.07, 379/355.08, 379/355.09, 379/901, 379/114.29, 379/221.09, 379/229, 379/230
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method and apparatus for translating a first number (e.g., a number dialed by a telephone subscriber) to a second number (referred to as a routing number) is disclosed. An example of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes two broad functional components: 1) tables of translation information stored within a database and 2) application software. Upon receiving a query requesting the translation of a dialed number to a routing number, the application software uses information within the received query to query the tables of translation information in order to find the correct routing number. The routing number is then sent to the requester.

Claims

1. A method for translating a first parameter to a second parameter using a database comprising at least one table, wherein said at least one table includes at least one record, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a query corresponding to the first parameter, said query including a third parameter;

searching a first database table record to locate the second parameter, said first database table record being identified using said third parameter; and

searching a second database table record to locate the second parameter if the second parameter is not located within said first database table record, said second database table record being identified using a fourth parameter located within said first database table record.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

sending the second parameter to a device from which said query originated.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first parameter is a number dialed using a telephone;

wherein the second parameter is a target telephone number; and

wherein said device is a switch adapted to be connected to a communications network.

4. A method for translating a first parameter to a second parameter using a database comprising at least one table, wherein said at least one table includes at least one record, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a query from a device to the database, said query including third parameter;

searching a first database table record to locate the second parameter, said first database table record being identified using said third parameter;

searching a second database table record to locate the second parameter if the second parameter is not located within said first database table record, said second database table record being identified using a fourth parameter located within said first database table record; and

sending the second parameter from the database to said device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first parameter is a number dialed using a telephone;

wherein the second parameter is a target telephone number; and

wherein said device is a switch adapted to be connected to a communications network.

6. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to translate a first parameter to a second parameter using a database comprising at least one table, wherein said at least one table includes at least one record, the computer-readable medium performing the steps of:

receiving a query corresponding to the first parameter, said query including a third parameter;

searching a first database table record to locate the second parameter, said first database table record being identified using said third parameter; and

searching a second database table record to locate the second parameter if the second parameter is not located within said first database table record, said second database table record being identified using a fourth parameter located within said first database table record.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, further performing the step of:

sending the second parameter to a device from which said query originated.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the first parameter is a number dialed using a telephone;

wherein the second parameter is a target telephone number; and

wherein said device is a switch adapted to be connected to a communications network.

9. An apparatus for translating a first parameter to a second parameter, comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable memory segment adapted to be connected to said processor;

a database adapted to be connected to said processor, said database including at least one table, wherein said at least one table includes at least one record; and

a translation module included within said computer readable memory segment, said translation module including computer program code segments which, when executed by said processor, implement the following steps;

receiving a query corresponding to the first parameter, said query including a third parameter;

searching a first database table record to locate the second parameter, said first database table record being identified using said third parameter; and

searching a second database table record to locate the second parameter if the second parameter is not located within said first database table record, said second database table record being identified using a fourth parameter located within said first database table record.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said computer program code segments within said translation module further implement the step of:

sending the second parameter to a device from which said query originated.