Systems and methods for managing large data environments

• US 7,689,569 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swierczek, Chad, Cuckson, Lee T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham; John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/404,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,556 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries

Abstract

A data management system includes a plurality of data environments. Each data environment includes data relating to items. In the system, a method of managing the data includes identifying a plurality of rules. Each rule represents a unique combination of the possible values of the variable in each of the plurality of data environments. The method also includes creating a record for each item. The record for each item includes an item field that identifies the item and a rule field that associates the item with one of the plurality of rules. The method also includes storing the records and receiving a request at the data management system to display the particular value of an item in one of the data environments.

Claims

1. A method of managing data in a data management computer system, the method comprising:

a plurality of data environments, wherein the data environments comprise data relating to a plurality of telephone numbers, a status relating to each of the plurality of telephone numbers having a plurality of possible values, and wherein a particular one of the plurality of possible values of the status relating to a specific one of the plurality of telephone numbers in one data environment is different from the particular one of the plurality of possible values of the status relating to the specific telephone number in another of the data environments;

identifying, by a computer device, a plurality of rules with the data management computer system, each rule representing a unique combination of the plurality of possible values of the status in each of the plurality of data environments and the plurality of rules identify all possible status combinations across all data environments, wherein the number of rules of the plurality of rules is a multiplicative product over each of the plurality of data environments, wherein the multiplicative product multiplies the number of possible values of the status in a data environment for each of the plurality of data environments;

creating a record for each of the plurality of telephone numbers with the data management computer system, wherein the record for each of the plurality of telephone numbers comprises;

a telephone number field that identifies the telephone number; and

a rule field that associates the telephone number with one of the plurality of rules;

storing the record for each of the plurality of telephone numbers with the data management computer system;

receiving a request at the data management computer system to display the particular value of the status relating to the specific telephone number in one of the data environments of the plurality of data environments;

locating the record relating to the specific telephone number in the data management computer system;

using the rule field in the record to determine the particular value of the status relating to the specific telephone number in the one of the data environments of the plurality of data environments with the data management computer system; and

communicating the particular value of the status relating to the specific telephone number with the data management computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each record further comprises a start field that identifies a beginning of a period of time during which a rule is associated with a telephone number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the period of time continues from the beginning of a period of time until a present date.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each record further comprises an end field that identifies an end of a period of time during which a rule was associated with a telephone number, wherein the period of time continues from the beginning of the period of time until the end of the period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request at the data management computer system to display a report comprising the value of the variable for a plurality of telephone numbers; and

displaying the report.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the report comprises rendering the report on a display device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the report comprises printing the report on paper.

8. A system for managing data, comprising:

a server computer and at least one computing device;

a host computer system programmed to receive data from each of a plurality of data environments, wherein the data environments comprise data relating to a plurality of telephone numbers, a status relating to each of the plurality of items having a plurality of possible values, and wherein a particular one of the plurality of possible values of the status relating to a specific one of the plurality of telephone numbers in one data environment is different from the particular one of the plurality of possible values of the status relating to the specific telephone number in another of the data environments, and wherein the host computer system is further programmed to;

receive a plurality of rules, each rule representing a unique combination of from the plurality of possible values of the variable in each of the plurality of data environments, and the plurality of rules identify all possible status combinations across all data environments, wherein the number of rules of the plurality of rules is a multiplicative product over each of the plurality of data environments, wherein the multiplicative product multiplies the number of possible values of the status in a data environment for each of the plurality of data environments;

create a record for each of the plurality of telephone numbers, wherein the record for each of the plurality of telephone numbers comprises;

a telephone number field that identifies a telephone number; and

a rule field that associates the telephone number with one of the plurality of rules;

store the record for each of the plurality of telephone numbers in the host computer system;

receive a request to display the particular value of the status relating to the specific telephone number in one of the data environments of the plurality of data environments;

locate the record relating to the specific telephone number;

use the rule field in the record to determine the particular value of the status relating to the specific telephone number in the one of the data environments of the plurality of data environments; and

communicate the particular value of the status relating to the specific telephone number.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each record further comprises a start field that identifies a beginning of a period of time during which a rule is associated with a telephone number.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the period of time continues from the beginning of the period of time until a present date.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each record further comprises an end field that identifies an end of a period of time during which a rule was associated with a telephone number, wherein the period of time continues from the beginning of the period of time until the end of the period of time.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the host computer system is further programmed to display the value of the status relating to a telephone number for inspection by a user on a display monitor associated with the user.

13. A data management system, comprising:

a server computer and at least one computing device;

receiving means for receiving data from each of a plurality of data environments, wherein the data environments comprise data relating to a plurality of telephone numbers, a status relating to each of the plurality of telephone numbers having a plurality of possible values, and wherein a particular one of the plurality of possible values of the status relating to a specific one of the plurality of telephone numbers in one data environment is different from the particular one of the plurality of possible values of the status relating to the specific telephone number in another of the data environments;

rule receiving means for receiving a plurality of rules, each rule representing a unique combination of the plurality of possible values of the status in each of the plurality of data environments, and the plurality of rules identifying all possible status combinations across all data environments, wherein the number of rules of the plurality of rules is a multiplicative product over each of the plurality of data environments, wherein the multiplicative product multiplies the number of possible values of the status in a data environment for each of the plurality of data environments;

computing means for creating a record for each telephone number, wherein the record for each telephone number comprises;

a telephone number field that identifies the telephone number; and

a rule field that associates the telephone number with one of the plurality of rules;

storage means for storing the record for each telephone number;

locating records relating to telephone numbers and using the rule fields in the records to determine the values of the status relating to the telephone numbers in the data environments;

and

a user interface configured to receive from a user computer a request to display the particular value of the status relating the specific telephone number in one of the data environments and to transmit information that causes the particular value of the status to be displayed for inspection by the user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each record further comprises a start field that identifies a beginning of a period of time during which a rule is associated with a telephone number.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the period of time continues from the beginning of the period of time until a present date.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each record further comprises an end field that identifies an end of a period of time during which a rule was associated with a telephone number, wherein the period of time continues from the beginning of the period of time until the end of the period of time.