Patent ID: 9450991
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: H04L,H04W

Claim Text:
1. A method for controlling sharing of participant identity during a group communication session, the method comprising: receiving, at a server, a first communication from a source participant in the group communication session; first accessing, by the server, a set of privacy rules for participants in the group communication session, the set of privacy rules specifying whether, for each of a plurality of different sets of identity sharing circumstances, an identity of the source participant is to be shared or not shared with other participants in the group communication session; responsive to the first accessing of the set of privacy rules and as a function of a first set of identity sharing circumstances, one of sharing and not sharing, by the server, the identity of the source participant with the other participants and transmitting the first communication towards the other participants; receiving, at the server, a second communication from the source participant in the group communication session; second accessing, by the server, the set of privacy rules; responsive to the second accessing of the set of privacy rules and as a function of a second set of identity sharing circumstances different from the first set of identity sharing circumstances, the other of sharing and not sharing, by the server, the identity of the source participant with the other participants and transmitting the second communication towards the other participants; applying a default privacy rule to the source participant in response to determining that the participant did not provide its own privacy rule; and wherein different first and second sets of identity sharing circumstances include one or more of: whether a participant with special privileges has joined the group communication session, whether a participant or device with a specific function has joined the group communication session, whether a participant with a specific agency affiliation has joined the group communication session, and what type of media is being sourced by the source participant.