System and method for efficiently storing information related to a telephone number

A computer-implemented method for efficiently storing information related to a telephone number, comprising:

• obtaining a list of telephone number prefixes from a parameter file;
• sorting the obtained list of telephone number prefixes;
• storing, in a first memory location, the list of telephone number prefixes;
• obtaining, from the first memory location, a prefix of the telephone number;
• determining if the obtained prefix of the telephone number matches a telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes;
• and
• if the prefix of the telephone number matches the telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes, then:
• generating an index corresponding to a location where the information related to the telephone number is to be stored, herein generating an index corresponding to a location where the information related to the telephone number is to be stored comprises:
• determining a position in the list of telephone number prefixes of the telephone number prefix that matches the prefix of the telephone number,
• multiplying a numerical value of the position of the telephone number prefix in the list of telephone number prefixes by a number of telephone numbers that can be represented by the telephone number prefix that matches the prefix of the telephone number to generate an index product, and
• adding a numerical value of remaining digits in the telephone number to the index product to generate the index, the remaining digits in the telephone number comprising digits of the telephone number remaining after removal of the prefix of the telephone number from the telephone number, and
• storing, in a second memory location in accordance with the generated index, the information related to the telephone number;
• and
• if the prefix of the telephone number does not match the telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes then returning an indication that the telephone number is invalid.

A computer-implemented method for efficiently retrieving information related to a telephone number, comprising:

• obtaining a list of telephone number prefixes from a parameter file;
• sorting the obtained list of telephone number prefixes;
• storing the list of telephone number prefixes;
• obtaining a prefix of the telephone number;
• determining if the obtained prefix of the telephone number matches a telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes;
• and
• if the prefix of the telephone number matches the telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes, then:
• generating an index corresponding to a location where the information related to the telephone number is to be stored and retrieved, wherein generating an index corresponding to a location where the information related to the telephone number is to be stored and retrieved comprises:
• determining a position in the list of telephone number prefixes of the telephone number prefix that matches the prefix of the telephone number,
• multiplying a numerical value of the position of the telephone number prefix in the list of the telephone number prefixes by a number of telephone numbers that can be represented by the telephone number prefix that matches the prefix of the telephone number to generate an index product, and
• adding a numerical value of remaining digits in the telephone number to the index product to generate the index, the remaining digits in the telephone number comprising digits of the telephone number remaining after removal of the prefix of the telephone number from the telephone number, and
• retrieving, from the location associated with the index, the information related to the telephone number;
• and
• if the prefix of the telephone number does not match the telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes, then returning an indication that the telephone number is invalid.

A system for efficiently storing and retrieving information related to a first telephone number, comprising:

• a computer, comprising a disk;
• a parameter file stored on the disk, the parameter file including a list of telephone number prefixes;
• a random access memory in the computer into which the list of telephone number prefixes is stored;
• and
• the computer further comprising:
• means for causing the computer to load the list of telephone number prefixes into the random access memory,
• means for causing the computer to sort the list of telephone number prefixes,
• means for obtaining a portion of the first telephone number, wherein obtaining the portion of the first telephone number comprises removing from the first telephone number the following:
• any leading one, any leading zero, and a country code, and wherein the portion of the first telephone number comprising less than ten digits,
• means for determining if the portion of the first telephone number matches a telephone number prefix of the list of telephone number prefixes, and
• if the portion of the first telephone number matches the telephone number prefix, then:
• means for causing the computer to generate an index corresponding to a location where the information related to the first telephone number is to be stored on the disk, wherein generating the index comprises:
• determining a position in the list of telephone number prefixes of the telephone number prefix that matches the portion of the first telephone number,
• multiplying a numerical value of the position of the telephone number prefix in the list of telephone number prefixes by a number of telephone numbers that can be represented by the telephone number prefix that matches the portion of the telephone number to generate an index product, and
• adding a numerical value of remaining digits in the first telephone number to the index product to generate the index, the remaining digits in the first telephone number comprising digits of the first telephone number remaining after removal of the portion of the first telephone number from the first telephone number,
• means for causing the computer to store, on the disk, and retrieve, from the disk, information related to the first telephone number in accordance with the generated index, and
• means for forwarding the information related to the first telephone number for display.