Patent ID: 8478300

Claim:
A method of accessing, by a first device, a service provided by a second device that is in a proximity of the first device, the method comprising: prior to establishing a connection between the first device and the second device that is suitable for providing the service: broadcasting, by the first device, a wireless request message to one or more devices in the proximity of the first device, wherein the wireless request message requests a first service and comprises a first service information element including information about the requested first service, wherein the first service information element is registered on the first device, and wherein the one or more devices includes the second device; receiving a wireless response message from the second device, wherein the wireless response message comprises a second service information element, the second service information element comprising information pertaining to the requested first service provided by the second device, wherein the second service information element is shortened, the shortened second service information element comprising a format identifier, and wherein the format identifier is compressed using a hash function; determining, based on the wireless response message, whether the second device provides the requested first service, wherein the determining comprises comparing at least one field of the second service information element with at least one field of the first service information element; and establishing a connection between the first device and the second device, if the second device provides the requested first service.