Patent ID: 8818335
Filing Date: 2014-08-26
Classification: G06F,H04M

Abstract:
1. A functional device comprising: a local wireless transceiver for communicating with a remote wireless transceiver by means of a protocol according to which the local transceiver maintains a record of its connection state with selected devices that are within range of it by periodically checking whether a connection to a selected device is established, the device comprising: a memory for storing the identity of multiple selected devices; and a controller configured to inhibit one or more functions of the functional device if the connection state maintained by the transceiver is indicative of a selected device being out of range, the said function(s) being function(s) the performance of which is/are independent of the local wireless transceiver, wherein the function(s) include enablement of a user interface device of the functional device by a first predetermined process, the controller being configured to, if the user interface is disabled and the connection state maintained by the transceiver is indicative of the selected device being out of range, enable the user interface only in response to a second predetermined process, the second predetermined process being distinct from the first predetermined process, and wherein the controller is configured to inhibit one or more functions of the functional device if the connection state maintained by the transceiver is indicative of a specified group of the selected devices being out of range.