Wireless personal area network having authentication and associated methods

A method for operating a wireless personal area network (WPAN) system comprising a plurality of WPAN devices having a limited communication range with at least one of the WPAN devices comprising a WPAN identity reader, the method comprising:

• using the WPAN identity reader for
• reading at least one identifying parameter of a user,
• confirming that the user is an authorized user based upon reading the at least one identifying parameter, and
• wirelessly communicating with at least one other WPAN device to switch the at least one other WPAN device and a further WPAN device from a disabled state to an enabled state based upon confirming the user is an authorized user, the at least one other WPAN device and the further WPAN device using encrypted wireless communication when in the enabled state and not wirelessly communicating when in the disabled state, the at least one other WPAN device wirelessly communicating with the further WPAN device, and the at least one other WPAN device and the further WPAN device when in the enabled state switching back to the disabled state based upon movement beyond the limited communication range of the at least one other WPAN device with the WPAN identity reader.