Patent ID: 8838676

Claim:
A computer implemented method of receiving information about one or more service providers in a network comprising a first entity and a second entity, the method comprising: generating, by the first entity, a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message for performing a service provider discovery of one or more service providers providing a service; transmitting the first SIP message to the second entity; in response to the first SIP message, receiving, by the first entity, a second SIP message including information about the one or more service providers from the second entity, wherein the service comprises an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service; wherein the first SIP message comprises a SIP SUBSCRIBE message requesting information about one or more IPTV service providers, wherein the second SIP message comprises a SIP NOTIFY message comprising information about one or more IPTV service providers, wherein the SIP SUBSCRIBE message comprises a first header requesting the information about the one or more IPTV service providers providing the service, wherein the SIP NOTIFY message comprises a second header for providing the information about the one or more IPTV service providers providing the service.