Methods, systems and computer readable media for providing session initiation protocol (SIP) event watcher entity information in a communications network

1. A method for collecting and distributing session initiation protocol (SIP) event watcher entity subscription information in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving, at one or more notifier servers from a plurality of watcher entities, subscription requests for SIP event information associated with a plurality of watched entities;

receiving, at a watcher information (WINFO) server from the notifier servers, SIP event subscription information that includes, for each watcher entity, an association between the watcher entity to each of the watched entities in which a subscription for SIP event information was requested by the watcher entity;

storing the SIP event subscription information in the WINFO server;

receiving, at the WINFO server from one of the watched entities, a request for watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity, wherein the watcher entity subscription information identifies one or more watcher entities that are subscribed to receive the SIP event information associated with the requesting watcher entity;

accessing, at the WINFO server, the SIP event subscription information to locate the watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity; and

providing, to the requesting watched entity, the watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the watcher entity subscription information includes a watcher entity identifier and at least one of: a SIP event subscription expiration time associated with the watcher entity or a pending SIP event subscription request from the watcher entity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more notifier servers includes one or more resource list servers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more notifier servers includes one or more presence service servers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the requesting watched entity includes at least one of a requesting watched subscriber entity or a requesting watched resource entity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the SIP event subscription information includes at least one of presence service subscription information, dialog subscription information, voice mail subscription information, automatic callback subscription information, PSTN and Internet Internetworking (PINT) subscription information, conference state information, cryptographic certificates, pending consent information, http resource information, keypad markup language information, push-to-talk settings, registration state information, REFER operation progress information, policy documents, intelligent networking (IN) detection point information, user agent profile information, media statistics information, or XCAP document change information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the SIP event information includes presence service information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence service subscription information comprising a watcher entity identifier, a watched entity identifier, and subscription details.

9. A system for collecting and distributing session initiation protocol (SIP) event watcher entity subscription information in a communications network, the system comprising: one or more hardware notifier servers that receive subscription requests for SIP event information associated with a plurality of watched entities from a plurality of watcher entities; a hardware watcher information (WINFO) server, that receives from the notifier servers, SIP event subscription information that includes, for each watcher entity, an association between the watcher entity to each of the watched entities in which a subscription for SIP event information was requested by the watcher entity, that stores the SIP event subscription information in the WINFO server, that receives, from one of the watched entities, a request for watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity from one of the watched entities, wherein the watcher entity subscription information identifies one or more watcher entities that are subscribed to receive the SIP event information associated with the requesting watcher entity, that accesses, at the WINFO server, the SIP event subscription information to locate the watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity, and that provides to the requesting watched entity the watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the watcher entity subscription information includes a watcher entity identifier and at least one of: a SIP event subscription expiration time associated with the watcher entity or a pending SIP event subscription request from the watcher entity.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the one or more notifier servers includes one or more resource list servers.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the one or more notifier servers includes one or more presence service servers.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the requesting watched entity includes at least one of a requesting watched subscriber entity or a requesting watched resource entity.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the SIP event subscription information includes at least one of presence service subscription information, dialog subscription information, voice mail subscription information, automatic callback subscription information, PSTN and Internet Internetworking (PINT) subscription information, conference state information, cryptographic certificates, pending consent information, http resource information, keypad markup language information, push-to-talk settings, registration state information, REFER operation progress information, policy documents, intelligent networking (IN) detection point information, user agent profile information, media statistics information, or XCAP document change information.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the SIP event information includes presence service information.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the SIP event subscription information includes presence service subscription information comprising a watcher entity identifier, a watched entity identifier, and subscription details.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving, at one or more notifier servers from a plurality of watcher entities, subscription requests for SIP event information associated with a plurality of watched entities;

receiving, at a watcher information (WINFO) server from the notifier servers, SIP event subscription information that includes, for each watcher entity, an association between the watcher entity to each of the watched entities in which a subscription for SIP event information was requested by the watcher entity;

storing the SIP event subscription information in the WINFO server;

receiving, at the WINFO server from one of the watched entities, a request for watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity, wherein the watcher entity subscription information identifies one or more watcher entities that are subscribed to receive the SIP event information associated with the requesting watcher entity;

accessing, at the WINFO server, the SIP event subscription information to locate the watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity; and

providing, to the requesting watched entity, the watcher entity subscription information associated with the requesting watched entity.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the watcher entity subscription information includes a watcher entity identifier and at least one of: a SIP event subscription expiration time associated with the watcher entity or a pending SIP event subscription request from the watcher entity.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the one or more notifier servers includes one or more resource list servers.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the one or more notifier servers includes one or more presence service servers.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the requesting watched entity includes at least one of a requesting watched subscriber entity or a requesting watched resource entity.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the SIP event subscription information at least one of presence service subscription information, dialog subscription information, voice mail subscription information, automatic callback subscription information, PSTN and Internet Internetworking (PINT) subscription information, conference state information, cryptographic certificates, pending consent information, http resource information, keypad markup language information, push-to-talk settings, registration state information, REFER operation progress information, policy documents, intelligent networking (IN) detection point information, user agent profile information, media statistics information, or XCAP document change information.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the SIP event information includes presence service information.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the SIP event subscription information includes presence service subscription information comprising a watcher entity identifier, a watched entity identifier, and subscription details.