Patent ID: 8572266

Claim:
A method for managing portable communication devices in a group previously defined by an operator or a system and including a selecting device, the method comprising: displaying, on the selecting device, a list of the portable communication devices in the group including the selecting device; selecting, using the selecting device, a target portable communication device from the list; retrieving a connectivity allowance of the target portable communication device, the connectivity allowance including a connectivity calendar, a connectivity whitelist, and a connectivity blacklist; displaying, on the selecting device, the connectivity calendar, wherein the connectivity calendar includes a plurality of timeslots, each of the timeslots storing a connectivity flag indicating a connectivity restriction status of the target portable communication device during a time period specified by the timeslot; displaying, on the selecting device, the connectivity whitelist; and retrieving, on the selecting device, the connectivity blacklist, wherein the target portable communication device is permitted to establish communication with a whitelisted communication device identified in the connectivity whitelist independent of the connectivity restriction status; and wherein the target portable communication device is not permitted to establish communication with a blacklisted communication device identified in the connectivity blacklist independent of the connectivity restriction status.