Systems and methods for providing ENUM in an LNP environment

1. A system for providing an ENUM specification in an LNP environment, said system comprising:

an originating office of a first service provider which receives a dialed call from an originating device;

a terminating office of a second service provider to which the dialed call is directed by the originating office;

a combined LNP and ENUM database in communication with both said originating office and said terminating office;

an originating means, located at said originating office, for looking up and using LNP and ENUM information from said combined database; and

a terminating means, located at said terminating office, for looking up and using LNP and ENUM information from said combined database,

wherein the combined LNP and ENUM database receives a single LNP query based upon dialed digits from the originating means, the combined LNP and ENUM database returns an LNP response containing an LRN of the terminating office to the originating means, the LRN indicating that a terminating device has either a POTS format or an IP format such that a POTS format initiates a POTS routing and an IP format initiates the return of ENUM information to the originating means in an ENUM response with the LNP response, and the originating means receives the ENUM response and analyzes the ENUM response to determine what information format is necessary for the terminating device.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said originating office includes an LNP capable central office.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said LNP central office includes an LNP application and a routing table for both portable and non-portable numbers.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said database is in communication with said LNP central office via an STP.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said originating office further includes an originating end office.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 , further including a media gateway through which said terminating office and said database are in communication.

7. A system for providing an ENUM specification in an LNP environment where an originating device of a first service provider dials a dialed call for forwarding to a terminating device of a second service provider, said system comprising:

an originating office of the first local service provider which receives the dialed call from the originating device;

a terminating office of the second local service provider which is separate from the first local service provider of the originating office and to which the dialed call is directed by the originating office for connection to the terminating device which is connected to said terminating office;

a combined LNP and ENUM database in communication with both said originating office and said terminating office;

an originating means, located at said originating office, for looking up and using LNP and ENUM information from said combined database; and

a terminating means, located at said terminating office, for looking up and using LNP and ENUM information from said combined database,

wherein the combined LNP and ENUM database receives a single LNP query based upon dialed digits from the originating means, the combined LNP and ENUM database returns an LNP response containing an LRN of the terminating office to the originating means, the LRN indicating that a terminating device has either a POTS format or an IP format such that a POTS format initiates a POTS routing and an IP format initiates the return of ENUM information to the originating means in an ENUM response with the LNP response, and the originating office receives the ENUM response and analyzes the ENUM response to determine what information format is necessary for the terminating device.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said originating office includes an LNP capable central office.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 :

wherein said LNP central office includes an LNP application and a routing table for portable numbers;

wherein said database is in communication with said LNP central office via an STP; and

wherein said originating office further includes an originating end office.

10. A system as claimed in claim 7 , further including a media gateway through which said terminating office and said database are in communication.

11. A method for utilizing local number portability features to implement telephone number mapping comprising the steps of:

providing a combined LNP and ENUM database in communication with a first service provider and a second service provider for ready access by both the first or second service providers;

receiving dialed digits of a dialed call having IP type call data from an originating telephone of the first service provider for forwarding to the second service provider associated with a terminating exchange of the dialed call;

performing a digit analysis of the dialed digits to determine that the dialed call is directed to an IP device and that the terminating exchange of the dialed call is marked portable;

sending a single query to the LNP and ENUM database based on the dialed digits to determine an LRN for the terminating exchange and ENUM information for the IP device; and

routing of the dialed call to the IP device in accordance with the LRN and ENUM information obtained from the LNP and ENUM database,

wherein the combined LNP and ENUM database receives the single query based upon dialed digits from an originating exchange, the combined LNP and ENUM database returns an LNP response containing the LRN of the terminating exchange to the originating exchange, and the originating exchange receives the ENUM information and analyzes the ENUM information to determine what information format is necessary for the IP device.

12. A method according to claim 11 :

wherein said performing and said sending steps are made by the first service provider; and

wherein said routing step includes the steps of

routing the dialed call and ENUM information to the second service provider by the first service provider, and

routing of the dialed call by the second service provider to the IP device.

13. A method according to claim 12 :

wherein said performing a digit analysis step includes the steps of

receiving the dialed call at an originating end office of the first service provider and forwarding the dialed call to an LNP central office of the second service provider, and

determining at the LNP central office that the terminating exchange of the dialed call is portable; and

wherein said sending a query step includes the step of sending of a query by the LNP central office to the database to determine the LRN and ENUM information.

14. A method according to claim 11 , wherein said performing, sending and routing steps are made by the second service provider.

15. A method according to claim 14 :

wherein said performing a digit analysis step includes the steps of

receiving the dialed call at the first service provider and forwarding the dialed call to the second service provider which performs the digit analysis, and

determining at the second service provider that the terminating exchange of the dialed call is portable;

wherein said sending a query step includes the steps of

transferring the dialed call from the second service provider to a media gateway associated therewith, and

sending of a query by the media gateway to the database to determine the LRN and ENUM information;

wherein said routing step includes the steps of

routing the dialed call by the media gateway to the IP device.

16. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 11 .

17. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 13 .

18. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 14 .

19. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 15 .

20. A method for utilizing local number portability features to implement telephone number mapping comprising the steps of:

providing a combined LNP and ENUM database in communication with a first service provider and a second service provider for ready access by both the first or second service providers;

receiving dialed digits, including a terminating exchange of the second provider, of a dialed call having IP type call data from an originating telephone at an originating office of the first service provider for forwarding to a terminating office of the second service provider associated with the terminating exchange;

performing a digit analysis of the dialed digits to determine that the dialed call is directed to an IP device and that the terminating exchange of the dialed call is marked portable;

sending a single query to the LNP and ENUM database based on the dialed digits to determine an LRN for the terminating exchange and ENUM information for the IP device; and

routing of the dialed call to the IP device in accordance with the LRN and ENUM information obtained from the LNP and ENUM database,

wherein the combined LNP and ENUM database receives the single query based upon dialed digits from an originating office, the combined LNP and ENUM database returns an LNP response containing the LRN of the terminating exchange to the originating office, and the originating means receives the ENUM information and analyzes the ENUM information to determine what information format is necessary for the IP device.

21. A method according to claim 20 :

wherein said performing and said sending steps are made by the originating office; and

wherein said routing step includes the steps of

routing the dialed call and ENUM information to the terminating office by the originating office, and

routing of the dialed call by the terminating office to the IP device.

22. A method according to claim 21 ;

wherein said performing a digit analysis step includes the steps of

receiving the dialed call at an originating end office of the originating office and forwarding the dialed call to an LNP central office of the originating office, and

determining at the LNP central office that the terminating exchange of the dialed call is portable; and

wherein said sending a query step includes the step of sending of a query by the LNP central office to the database to determine the LRN and ENUM information.

23. A method according to claim 20 , wherein said performing, sending and routing steps are made by the terminating office.

24. A method according to claim 23 :

wherein said performing a digit analysis step includes the steps of

receiving the dialed call at the originating office and forwarding the dialed call to the terminating office which performs the digit analysis, and

determining at the terminating office that the terminating exchange of the dialed call is portable;

wherein said sending a query step includes the steps of

transferring the dialed call from the terminating office to a media gateway associated therewith, and

sending of a query by the media gateway to the database to determine the LRN and ENUM information;

wherein said routing step includes the steps of

routing the dialed call by the media gateway to the IP device.

25. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 20 .

26. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 22 .

27. A computer-readable medium system comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, perform the steps of claim 24 .