Patent ID: 7395276

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of correcting telephone number status discrepancies using a telephone number inventory management system, the method comprising: providing a computer-based telephone number inventory management system; in the system, storing a list of rules, wherein each rule in the list of rules represents a unique combination of variables, each variable representing a status possibility for a telephone number in one of a plurality of data environments; receiving data from each of the plurality of data environments, wherein the data is indicative of a status of one or more telephone numbers in the data environment; for each of a plurality of telephone numbers, using the data from each of the plurality of data environments to select a rule from the list of rules, wherein the selected rule identifies the status of the telephone number in each of the plurality of data environments; for each telephone number, storing the telephone number and the selected rule in a record; from the list of rules, identifying a specific rule that reflects a discrepancy between a status possibility for a telephone number in one data environment and a status possibility for a telephone number in another data environment; electronically searching the records to identify telephone numbers stored in a record with the specific rule; transmitting from the telephone number inventory management system a command to one of the plurality of data environments to change the status of each of the telephone numbers relating to the specific rule; and thereafter, on a display associated with the computer-based telephone number inventory management system, displaying information relating to a changed status.