Patent ID: 8078107
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of connecting a Bluetooth device to a wide area network, comprising: pairing a first Bluetooth device with a plurality of the second Bluetooth devices, wherein the first Bluetooth device comprises a Bluetooth-enabled cellular device, wherein at least one of the second Bluetooth devices is operatively coupled to the wide area network, wherein the Bluetooth-enabled cellular device connects to the wide area network through a second Bluetooth device that has the best network access to the wide area network, wherein the best network access is based on a respective weight given to a speed, a link type and a dollar cost for each second Bluetooth device, and wherein each respective weight is determined by user input preferences; designating communication configuration parameters for use by the first Bluetooth device in connecting to the wide area network through the second Bluetooth device; using the Bluetooth communications to determine when the first Bluetooth device is in proximity with the second Bluetooth device; and using a second wireless communications protocol in communicating with the second Bluetooth device after it is determined, using the Bluetooth communications, that the first Bluetooth device is in proximity with the second Bluetooth device.