Burst tethering for mobile communication devices

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer storage medium having a computer program encoded thereon that when executed by a processor in a mobile communication device enables synchronization of data between a tethered computing device and another computing device over a telecommunications network using the mobile communication device, the mobile communication device including a first network interface configured for connection to the telecommunications network to establish a network connection with the telecommunications network and a second network interface configured for connection to the tethered computing device to establish a series of tethered connections with the tethered computing device and permit the tethered computing device to use the network connection, the computer program including code for:
• receiving a first set of information from the tethered computing device during a first tethered connection of the series of tethered connections;
• determining, responsive to the first set of information, a first parameter associated with a first synchronization period of a subsequent connection during which the tethered computing device uses the network connection to synchronize data between the tethered computing device and the another computing device connected to the telecommunications network, the first parameter comprising a start time for the first synchronization period;
• providing the first parameter of the first synchronization period to the tethered computing device over the first tethered connection;
• generating a second set of credentials for the subsequent connection that remain valid for the first synchronization period of the subsequent connection;
• providing the second set of credentials to the tethered computing device over the first tethered connection;
• disabling the first tethered connection;
• establishing a first synchronization wireless access point responsive to the first parameter through which the tethered computing device establishes a second tethered connection of the series of tethered connections to access the network connection;
• and
• receiving a second request from the tethered computing device over the first synchronization wireless access point to establish the second tethered connection;
• and,
• establishing the second tethered connection if the second request includes the second set of credentials.

A method for enabling synchronization of data between a tethered computing device and another computing device over a telecommunications network using a mobile communications device, the mobile communication device including a first network interface configured for connection to the telecommunications network to establish a network connection with the telecommunications network and a second network interface configured for connection to the tethered computing device to establish a series of tethered connections with the tethered computing device and permit the tethered computing device to use the network connection, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first set of information from the tethered computing device during a first tethered connection of the series of tethered connections;
• determining, responsive to the first set of information, a first parameter associated with a first synchronization period of a subsequent connection during which the tethered computing device uses the network connection to synchronize data between the tethered computing device and the another computing device connected to the telecommunications network, the first parameter comprising a start time for the first synchronization period;
• providing the first parameter of the first synchronization period to the tethered computing device over the first tethered connection;
• generating a second set of credentials for the subsequent connection that remain valid for the first synchronization period of the subsequent connection;
• providing the second set of credentials to the tethered computing device over the first tethered connection;
• disabling the first tethered connection;
• establishing a first synchronization wireless access point responsive to the first parameter through which the tethered computing device establishes a second tethered connection of the series of tethered connections to access the network connection;
• receiving a second request from the tethered computing device over the first synchronization wireless access point to establish the second tethered connection;
• and,
• establishing the second tethered connection if the second request includes the second set of credentials.