IP Library Granted Patent US 8,433,047
Granted Patent B2
US 8,433,047 · App. 12/911,044 · Granted Apr 30, 2013

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

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,433,047
App. No.
12/911,044
Granted
Apr 30, 2013
Kind
B2
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 (26)

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.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: GRACENOTE, INC.; A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →