Patent ID: 8774753

Claim:
A communication system comprising: a plurality of wireless communication devices each having: a first transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless communication network; a second transceiver configured to communicate other than with the wireless communication network wherein the second transceiver is a short-range non-network transceiver to permit direct communication between a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices; and a controller configured to control operation of the second transceiver, wherein the controller in the first wireless communication device is configured to detect a beacon signal transmitted by the second transceiver of the second wireless communication device in a location proximate the first wireless communication device, the controller in the first wireless communication device being further configured to, automatically and without human intervention, establish a direct communication link for substantive communication between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device using the non-network transceivers of the first and second wireless communication devices.