Method and apparatus for accessing communication data relevant to a target entity identified by a number string

A method of accessing a target entity identified by a number string, said method comprising:

• (a) storing in a database records each associated with a corresponding domain name and holding a uniform resource identifier (URI) of an entity associated with the domain name, each said domain name being related to a respective number string from which it can be derived by a process including parsing at least a portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name;
• (b) applying, by a computing system, said process to the said number string identifying the target entity to form the related domain name;
• (c) supplying the domain name formed in (b) to the database to retrieve the URI held in the corresponding said record, the URI being that of the target entity;
• and
• (d) using the URI retrieved in (c) to access, or facilitate access to, said target entity.

A method of accessing, or facilitating access to, a target entity identified by a number string, said method comprising:

• (a) forming, by a computing system, from said number string identifying the target entity, a domain name by a process including parsing at least a portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name;
• (b) supplying the domain name formed in (a) to the domain name system of the Internet and receiving back from the domain name system a resource record including a uniform resource identifier (URI) of the target entity;
• and
• (c) using the URI received back in (b) to access, or facilitate access to, said target entity.

An apparatus for facilitating access to a target entity identified by a number string, said apparatus comprising:

• a database comprising at least one server storing records each associated with a corresponding domain name and holding a uniform resource identifier (URI) of an entity associated with the domain name, each said domain name being related to a respective number string from which it can be derived by a process including parsing at least a portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name;
• and
• a computing system configured to:
• apply said process to the said number string identifying the target entity to form the related domain name, and
• supply the domain name to the database to retrieve the URI held in the corresponding said record, the URI being that of the target entity.

An apparatus for accessing a target entity identified by a number string, said apparatus comprising:

• a network interface;
• and
• a computing system, the computing system being configured to:
• form, from said number string identifying the target entity, a domain name by a process including parsing at least a portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name;
• supply the domain name to the domain name system of the Internet via the network interface, and receive back from the domain name system a resource record including a uniform resource identifier (URI) of the target entity;
• and
• use the URI to access said target entity.

An apparatus for accessing a target entity identified by a number string, said apparatus comprising:

• a network interface;
• and
• a computing system, the computing system being configured to:
• form, from said number string identifying the target entity, a domain name by a process including parsing at least a portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name;
• supply the domain name to a database through the network interface and receive back from the database a resource record including a uniform resource identifier (URI) of the target entity;
• and
• use the URI to access said target entity.

A method of accessing a target entity identified by a number string, said method comprising:

• (a) forming, by a computing system, from said number string identifying the target entity, a domain name by a process including parsing at least a portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name;
• (b) supplying the domain name formed in (a) to a database of the Internet and receiving back from the database a resource record including a uniform resource identifier (URI) of the target entity;
• and
• (c) using the URI received back in (b) to access said target entity.