Patent ID: 8068883

Claim:
A hands-free apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising: a short range radio communication unit capable of connecting a hands-free call protocol for establishing a hands-free call to a first cellular phone having a short range radio communication function and connecting another protocol that provides another function other than the hands-free call to the first cellular phone having the short range radio communication function; and a control unit that controls a connection and a disconnection of the hands-free call protocol and the another protocol that connects to the first cellular phone having the short range radio communication function; wherein the control unit i) switches a connection of the hands-free call protocol from the first cellular phone having the short range radio communication function to a second cellular phone having the short range radio communication function, ii) connects the another protocol between the short range radio communication unit and the first cellular phone, and iii) waits for a hands-free call using the second cellular phone, if (A) a connection request of the another protocol between the short range radio communication unit and the first cellular phone arises when the hands-free call protocol between the short range radio communication unit and the first cellular phone is established and (B) the second cellular phone capable of connecting the hands-free call protocol to the short range radio communication is known to exist.