Patent ID: 7376109

Claim:
A data communication device comprising: a first interface for communicating with a portable terminal; a second interface for communicating with another communication device; and a controller that makes a judgment as to whether a first connection format for communication with said portable terminal via the first interface should be allowed when the data communication device receives a first connection request from said portable terminal via the first interface, selects another communication device that is capable of communicating with said portable terminal when the first connection format is not allowed, and transmits to said portable terminal the connection information concerning a second connection format for communication with said portable terminal via said another communication device and the second interface, wherein said controller switches the communication with a second portable terminal to the first connection format when the communication with a first portable terminal ends while the communication with the first portable terminal is conducted in the first connection format and the communication with the second portable terminal is conducted in the second connection format, wherein said controller selects one portable terminal based on a specified order of priority when there are multiple portable terminals that are communicating in the second connection format when the communication with the first portable terminal ends, and switches the communication with the selected portable terminal from the second connection format to the first connection format.