Patent ID: 8886684

Claim:
A method implemented on a computing apparatus for allocating a first range of unique identifiers to a customer-system from a register maintained by the computing apparatus, the register defining an entire range of unique identifiers, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request for a first number of identifiers from a new customer-system; (b) identifying a largest continuous range of unallocated unique identifiers to define an available range within the entire range of unique identifiers belonging to the register; (c) identifying a midpoint in the largest available range; (d) using the identified midpoint to determine a first continuous range of unique identifiers comprising the first number of requested identifiers, wherein the identified midpoint is a start location or an end location of the continuous range of identifiers; and (e) allocating the first continuous range of unique identifiers as the first range of unique identifiers to the customer-system, wherein data indicative of the allocated first range of unique identifiers is transmitted to the customer-system.