Flagging/indicating user information in conference event package

Abstract

A system and method for indicating user information in a conference event package. An extension is added to the current conference event package in various embodiments of the present invention. This extension adds a new attribute to user information, including an indicator that explicitly indicates to a user that certain information is the user's own information. Therefore, when a user desiring anonymity joins a conference and then subscribes to the conference event package in order to obtain the roster, the conference lists one of the participants with an indicator that indicates to the user that this particular participant is the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by an apparatus, a request from a user device to subscribe to a conference as an anonymous participant; 
 in response to the request, assigning, by an the apparatus, an anonymous participant identifier to the user device, and; 
 sending, from the apparatus to the user device, a message comprising a plurality of anonymous participant identifiers including the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers is its own the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to other participants in the conference, wherein the other participants receive the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code that, when executed by a computer, results in operations comprising:
 receiving a request from a user device to subscribe to a conference as an anonymous participant; 
 in response to the request, assigning an anonymous participant identifier to the user device, and 
 sending, to the user device, a message comprising a plurality of anonymous participant identifiers including the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers is its own the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to other participants in the conference, wherein the other participants receive the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device. 
 
     
     
       5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, 
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 receiving a request from a user device to subscribe to a conference as an anonymous participant; 
 in response to the request, assigning an anonymous participant identifier to the user device, and 
 sending, to the user device, a message comprising a plurality of anonymous participant identifiers including the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, where the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers is its own the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to other participants in the conference, wherein the other participants receive the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       9. A method comprising:
 sending a request, from a user device to a server, that the user device remain anonymous during a conference; and 
 in response to the request, receiving, by the user device from the server, a message comprising a plurality of anonymous participant identifiers including an anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers is its own the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to other participants in the conference, wherein the other participants receive the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code that, when executed by a user device, results in operations comprising:
 sending a request, to a server, that the user device remain anonymous during a conference; and 
 in response to the request, receiving, from the server, a message comprising a plurality of anonymous participant identifiers including an anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers is its own the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to other participants in the conference, wherein the other participants receive the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers without the flag being set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 sending a request, to a server, that the apparatus remain anonymous during a conference; and 
 in response to the request, receiving, from the server, a message comprising a plurality of anonymous participant identifiers including an anonymous participant identifier assigned to the apparatus, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the apparatus that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers is its own the anonymous participant identifier of the apparatus, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device the apparatus is for use while the apparatus is known to other participants in the conference, wherein the other participants receive the plurality of anonymous participant identifiers without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the apparatus. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the apparatus and the flag. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       17. A method comprising:
 receiving, by an apparatus, a request from a user device to subscribe to a conference as an anonymous participant;   in response to the request, assigning, by the apparatus, an anonymous participant identifier to the user device, and   sending, from the apparatus to the user device, a message comprising at least one anonymous participant identifier including the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the at least one anonymous participant identifier is the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to at least one other participant in the conference, wherein the at least one other participant receives the at least one anonymous participant identifier without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, where the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17, where the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code,   where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 receiving a request from a user device to subscribe to a conference as an anonymous participant; 
 in response to the request, assigning an anonymous participant identifier to the user device, and 
 sending, to the user device, a message comprising at least one anonymous participant identifier including the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, where the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier, where the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the at least one anonymous participant identifier is the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, where the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is for use while the user device is known to at least one other participant in the conference, where the at least one other participant receives the at least one anonymous participant identifier without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device. 
   
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 20, where the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 20, where the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       23. A method comprising:
 sending a request, from a user device to a server, that the user device remain anonymous during a conference; and   in response to the request, receiving, by the user device from the server, a message comprising at least one anonymous participant identifier including an anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the user device that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the user device, wherein the user device is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the at least one anonymous participant identifier is the anonymous participant identifier of the user device, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the user device is configured to be used while the user device is known to at least one other participant in the conference which receives the at least one anonymous participant identifier without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the user device.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the user device and the flag. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 23, wherein the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 sending a request, to a server that the apparatus remain anonymous during a conference; and 
 in response to the request, receiving, from the server, a message comprising at least one anonymous participant identifier including an anonymous participant identifier assigned to the apparatus, wherein the message further comprises a flag set to “true” along with the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the apparatus, wherein the flag is configured to indicate to the apparatus that the anonymous participant identifier is assigned to the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured to identify, based on the flag, which of the at least one anonymous participant identifier is the anonymous participant identifier of the apparatus, wherein the anonymous participant identifier of the apparatus is configured to be used while the apparatus is known to at least one other participant in the conference which receives the at least one anonymous participant identifier without the flag set to “true” for the anonymous participant identifier of the apparatus. 
   
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the message comprises an extensible markup language document having a list of conference participant identifiers and wherein the extensible markup language document comprises the anonymous participant identifier assigned to the apparatus and the flag. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the anonymous participant identifier comprises a randomly assigned session initiation protocol uniform resource indicator.