Patent ID: 8621056

Claim:
A method, performed by a physical communication system, for interacting with plural computing devices, including at least a master device of a plurality of master devices and a candidate device, comprising: receiving condition information regarding an operating environment associated with the candidate device, the condition information defining a current relation between the candidate device and the plurality of master devices, the condition information including (i) an indication of a distance between the candidate device and the plurality of master devices and (ii) a bandwidth parameter relating to an amount of bandwidth that communication between the plurality of master devices and the candidate device would use; determining, based on the condition information, whether the candidate device and a master device of the plurality of master devices satisfies a communication-enabling condition; enabling the candidate device to engage in wireless communication with the communication system upon the candidate device satisfying the communication-enabling condition; once the candidate device is enabled, communicating with the candidate device via wireless communication based on usage terms specified in a master account, the master account governing interaction of all of the plural computing devices with the communication system; receiving usage data pertaining to communication resources that are consumed by the candidate device in the course of said communicating; and associating the usage data with the master account.