Method and system for measuring market-share for an entire telecommunication market

• US 8,433,047 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Hannan, Kevin, Baccelli, Jerome, Fry, Ranney, Taylor, Laura, Truong, Tran Thi
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/911,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20110038468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/112.05, 379/112.06, 379/112.07, 379/114.01, 379/133, 379/134, 379/135, 379/136, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.05, 379/201.12, 379/207.04, 455/405, 455/414.1, 705/7.11, 705/7.29, 705/7.32, 705/7.34, 705/7.38
• US Class Current: 379/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

A method for collecting data to measure market-share for a defined telecommunication market. A market of interest is defined and a random panel of numbers is created. A call set-up is initiated to the created random panels by generating signaling messages wherein the signaling messages access a Calling Name Services (CNAM) database, a Local Number Portability (LNP) database, an E-911 Automated Location Information (ALI) database and a Line Information Database (LIDB) using signaling system 7 (SS7) protocol. Generated signaling messages access ENUM (Telephone Number Mapping) database and Internet Protocol (IP) Peering database using IP. The response to the generated signaling messages are used to determine assignment status, business ownership, businesses versus residential status and the technology employed for a given number in the created panel. In one embodiment, the process is repeated over a period in order to determine changes to the market-share and derivative metrics for the telecommunication market.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method to determine status information of a telephone number (TN), comprising:

querying a first database to identify a porting status of the TN;

associating the TN with a first carrier when the first database returns a first value associated with the TN;

querying a second database when the porting status is absent from the first database, the second database to identify a second carrier associated with the TN paired with a local routing number (LRN); and

associating the TN with the second carrier when the second database returns the LRN paired with the TN, or associating the TN with the first carrier when the LRN is absent from the second database.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the first database comprises a local number portability (LNP) database.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the second database comprises a local exchange and routing guide (LERG) database.

4. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising querying a line information database (LIDB) to determine whether the first carrier or the second carrier is billing a subscriber associated with the TN.

5. A method as described in claim 4, further comprising identifying an assignment status of the TN based on the LIDB query.

6. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising querying a calling name database (CNAM) to identify a type of service associated with the TN.

7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the type of service comprises at least one of residential services or business services.

8. A method as described in claim 6, further comprising identifying an unassigned status of the TN when the CNAM fails to return a response from the query.

9. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising querying an E-911 automated location information (ALI) database using the TN to identify at least one of a subscriber location, a subscriber name, or a subscriber service provider.

10. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

query a first database to identify a porting status of the TN;

associate the TN with a first carrier when the first database returns a first value associated with the TN;

query a second database when the porting status is absent from the first database, the second database to identify a second carrier associated with the TN paired with a local routing number (LRN); and

associate the TN with the second carrier when the second database returns the LRN paired with the TN, or associating the TN with the first carrier when the LRN is absent from the second database.

11. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query a local number portability (LNP) database as the first database.

12. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query a local exchange and routing guide (LERG) database as the second database.

13. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query a line information database (LIDB) to determine whether the first carrier or the second carrier is billing a subscriber associated with the TN.

14. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify an assignment status of the TN based on the LIDB query.

15. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query a calling name database (CNAM) to identify a type of service associated with the TN.

16. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify the type of service as at least one of residential services or business services.

17. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify an unassigned status of the TN when the CNAM fails to return a response from the query.

18. A machine readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to query an E-911 automated location information (ALI) database using the TN to identify at least one of a subscriber location, a subscriber name, or a subscriber service provider.