System for assigning digital identifiers to telephone numbers and IP numbers

• US 20040162855A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Management Systems, Incorporated (CGI, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Management Systems, Incorporated (CGI, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yu, Yinghui, Mace, Michelle Mari, Nagy, Balazs
• Application Number:
  US10/779,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162855A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• 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 15/41 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 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• 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 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system and method includes a retrieving unit dynamically retrieving one or more points from a database, wherein the points are one of telephone numbers, cable numbers, and IP address numbers. A group of points mapping unit dynamically maps the one or more points to one or more groups of points and dynamically orders each group of points to a calling group of points and a receiving group of points. A zone creator unit dynamically identifies the one or more groups of points having same calling areas and dynamically generates therefrom one or more local zones. An assignment unit dynamically assigns an identifier to each calling group of points and each receiving group of points in each local zone. A rule generator dynamically generates local calling rules by concatenating the identifiers assigned to the calling group of points and to the receiving group of points in each local zone. A data transfer unit transfers the local calling rules to a rule database for billing purposes.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a database comprising relevant information between points in a network; and

a business logic module mapping each point to a group of points having a same calling area, processing each group of points as a calling group of points and as a receiving group of points, assigning a identifier to each calling group of points in each calling zone, assigning the identifier to each receiving group of points in each receiving zone, and generating calling rules defining communication services between the points that originate and terminate in a same calling area, wherein the calling zone is identified as the calling group of points that can call the same receiving group of points and the receiving zone is identified as the receiving group of points that can receive a call from the same calling group of points.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the business logic module generates the calling rules by concatenating the identifier assigned to the calling group of points in each calling zone and the identifier assigned to the receiving group of points in each receiving zone.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an interface module dynamically surveying the database and dynamically retrieving the relevant information associated with each point.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the interface module converts the relevant information into an XML structure and outputs an HTML file including the converted information.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the business logic module further comprises a group of points mapping unit receiving the HTML file and mapping each point to the group of points having the same calling area.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface module further comprises

a data transfer and conversion unit, wherein the rule generator transfers the calling rules in XML format to the data transfer and conversion unit and the data transfer and conversion unit converts the rules into SQL commands.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface module further comprises

a data transfer and conversion unit, wherein the rule generator transfers the calling rules in XML format to the data transfer and conversion unit and the data transfer and conversion unit converts the rules into application programming interface calls.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a rule database of rating engine receiving the SQL commands to allow multiple telecommunication carriers to access information about telecommunication services that originate and terminate in the same calling area and rates for the services that originate and terminate in different calling areas based on the calling rules.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein when one of the calling group of points can make local calls to the receiving group of points different from the other calling group of points, then the one of the calling group of points is identified as having its own calling zone.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein when one or more of the receiving groups of points corresponding to one of the calling groups of points are different from one or more of the receiving groups of points corresponding to the other calling groups of points, then the one or more receiving groups of points of the one of the calling groups of points are identified as having its own receiving zone.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the calling area is defined by geographical boundaries or a predetermined domain.

12. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the interface module dynamically surveys the relevant information for changes in the database to trigger a system update, where the changes comprise current date and/or version of the database.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the relevant information comprises file tariffs defining the points that originate and terminate in a same local access and transport area, rates for the points that originate free calling area, pricing between points, quality of service connection, acts between points, where acts are forwarding calls, having special ring when called, and/or being on the same billing statement.

14. A method performed by a processor in a system, comprising:

retrieving and processing data comprising telephone numbers, cable numbers, and/or IP address numbers;

assigning common identifiers to the data; and

generating local calling rules by concatenating the identifier assigned to a calling group of points in each calling zone and the identifier assigned to a receiving group of points in each receiving zone, wherein the calling zone is identified as the calling group of points that can call the same receiving group of points and the receiving zone is identified as the receiving group of points that can receive a call from the same calling group of points.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

processing and determining an order in which to display the calling group of points and the corresponding receiving group of points; and

converting and transferring the identifiers obtained for each point in each calling group of points in each of the calling zones, the identifiers obtained for each point in each receiving group of points in each of the receiving zones, or the concatenated identifier into human understandable identifiers, to allow Competing Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) and/or users to understand and read the identifiers accorded to each point.

16. A method performed by a processor in a system comprising a database having relevant information between points in a network, comprising:

mapping each point to a group of points having a same calling area;

processing each group of points as a calling group of points and as a receiving group of points, assigning a identifier to each calling group of points in each calling zone;

assigning the identifier to each receiving group of points in each receiving zone; and

generating calling rules defining communication services between the points that originate and terminate in a same calling area, wherein the calling zone is identified as the calling group of points that can call the same receiving group of points and the receiving zone is identified as the receiving group of points that can receive a call from the same calling group of points.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the generation of the calling rules comprises concatenating the identifier assigned to the calling group of points in each calling zone and the identifier assigned to the receiving group of points in each receiving zone.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

dynamically surveying the database and dynamically retrieving the relevant information associated with each point.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

dynamically surveying the relevant information for changes in the database to trigger a system update, where the changes comprise current date and/or version of the database.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the relevant information comprises file tariffs defining the points that originate and terminate in a same local access and transport area, rates for the points that originate free calling area, pricing between points, quality of service connection, acts between points, where acts are forwarding calls, having special ring when called, and/or being on the same billing statement.

21. A computer readable storage controlling a computer and comprising a process of:

retrieving and processing data comprising telephone numbers, cable numbers, and/or IP address numbers;

assigning common identifiers to the data; and

generating local calling rules by concatenating the identifier assigned to a calling group of points in each calling zone and the identifier assigned to a receiving group of points in each receiving zone, wherein the calling zone is identified as the calling group of points that can call the same receiving group of points and the receiving zone is identified as the receiving group of points that can receive a call from the same calling group of points.

22. The computer readable storage as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

processing and determining an order in which to display the calling group of points and the corresponding receiving group of points; and

converting and transferring the identifiers obtained for each point in each calling group of points in each of the calling zones, the identifiers obtained for each point in each receiving group of points in each of the receiving zones, or the concatenated identifier into human understandable identifiers, to allow Competing Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) and/or users to understand and read the identifiers accorded to each point.

23. A computer readable storage controlling a computer comprising a database having relevant information between points in a network and comprising a process of:

mapping each point to a group of points having a same calling area;

processing each group of points as a calling group of points and as a receiving group of points, assigning a identifier to each calling group of points in each calling zone;

assigning the identifier to each receiving group of points in each receiving zone; and

generating calling rules defining communication services between the points that originate and terminate in a same calling area, wherein the calling zone is identified as the calling group of points that can call the same receiving group of points and the receiving zone is identified as the receiving group of points that can receive a call from the same calling group of points.

24. The computer readable storage as recited in claim 23, wherein the generation of the calling rules comprises concatenating the identifier assigned to the calling group of points in each calling zone and the identifier assigned to the receiving group of points in each receiving zone.

25. The computer readable storage as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

dynamically surveying the database and dynamically retrieving the relevant information associated with each point.

26. The computer readable storage as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

dynamically surveying the relevant information for changes in the database to trigger a system update, where the changes comprise current date and/or version of the database.

27. The computer readable storage as recited in claim 23, wherein the relevant information comprises file tariffs defining the points that originate and terminate in a same local access and transport area, rates for the points that originate free calling area, pricing between points, quality of service connection, acts between points, where acts are forwarding calls, having special ring when called, and/or being on the same billing statement.