Voice communication device with PSTN and internet pathway analysis, selection and handoff

摘要

A voice communication device that supports both Internet telephony and public switched telephone network telephony, and maintains the quality of communication. The voice communication device consists of a user interface, a plurality of communication interfaces and a processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the user interface and to the plurality of communication interfaces. The voice communication device maintains quality of service by analyzing the service characteristics of a plurality of communication pathways and determining one communication pathway that compares best in terms of quality of service and cost and transferring to that communication pathway prior to or during the call. Alternatively, a user set service characteristic configurations may also determine the choice of a communication pathway that meets the user requirements of quality of service and cost.