System and method for service advertising and discovery

A communications ecosystem comprising:

• one or more networks;
• a plurality of electronic devices, each registered for service over at least one of the one or more networks;
• and
• a centralised identity and capability resolution server comprising:
• a memory having stored thereon a database of a plurality of unique ecosystem identifiers for a respective plurality subscribers within the communications ecosystem, each entry in the database being for a unique ecosystem identifier associated with a single respective subscriber and comprising account information associated with the unique ecosystem identifier, the account information including at least one device identifier, at least one service identifier, and at least one account identifier for the service;
• the memory further having stored thereon one or more relationship states between unique ecosystem identifiers, device identifiers, service identifiers and account identifiers;
• a communication interface for communicating with devices within the communications ecosystem;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• upon receiving notification of any new account information associated with a given subscriber, enter the new account information into the database entry in association with the ecosystem identifier associated with the given subscriber;
• and
• upon receiving, from a first device associated with a first subscriber, a request for information about a second subscriber, identify whether there is a relationship between the first and second subscribers, and when there is a relationship between the first and second subscribers, identify information stored in the database about the second subscriber using a unique ecosystem identifier associated with the second subscriber, and provide the information stored in the database about the second subscriber to the first device.

A method of resolving capabilities and identities within a communications ecosystem, the method comprising:

• maintaining, at a centralised identity and capability resolution server, a database of a plurality of unique ecosystem identifiers for a respective plurality of subscribers within a communications ecosystem, each entry in the database being for a unique ecosystem identifier associated with a single respective subscriber and comprising account information associated with the unique ecosystem identifier, the account information including at least one device identifier, at least one service identifier, and at least one account identifier for the service;
• maintaining one or more relationship states between unique ecosystem identifiers, device identifiers, service identifiers and account identifiers;
• upon receiving notification of any new account information at the centralised capability and identity resolution server associated with a given subscriber, entering the new account information into the database entry in association with the ecosystem identifier associated with the given subscriber;
• and
• upon receiving, at the centralised capability and identity resolution server from a first device associated with a first subscriber, a request for information about a second subscriber, identifying whether there is a relationship between the first and second subscribers, and when there is a relationship between the first and second subscribers, identifying information stored in the database about the second subscriber using a unique ecosystem identifier associated with the second subscriber, and providing the information stored in the database about the second subscriber to the first device.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor implement a method, the method comprising:

• maintaining, at a centralised identity and capability resolution server, a database of a plurality of unique ecosystem identifiers for a respectively plurality of subscribers of services within a communications ecosystem, each entry in the database being for a unique ecosystem identifier associated with a single respective subscriber and comprising account information associated with the unique ecosystem identifier, the account information including at least one device identifier, at least one service identifier, and at least one account identifier for the service;
• maintaining one or more relationship states between unique ecosystem identifiers, device identifiers, service identifiers and account identifiers;
• upon receiving notification of any new account information at the centralised capability and identity resolution server associated with a given subscriber, entering the new account information into the database entry in association with the ecosystem identifier associated with the given subscriber;
• and
• upon receiving, at the centralised capability and identity resolution server from a first device associated with a first subscriber, a request for information about a second subscriber, identifying whether there is a relationship between the first and second subscribers, and when there is a relationship between the first and second subscribers, identifying information stored in the database about the second subscriber using a unique ecosystem identifier associated with the second subscriber, and provide the information stored in the database about the second subscriber to the first device.