Videophone System and Method

Abstract

System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location. In one or more embodiments the present invention further includes at least one networks operation center to store information related to the operation of the videophones and to facilitate the operation of the videophones.

1 . A videophone system including a plurality of videophones, wherein at least one videophone is connected to a videophone interface unit comprising: an adapter connected to, and configured for affording communication with said videophone over a PSTN network; an adapter connected to, and configured for affording communication with said videophone over a broadband network, and processor means for selectably linking said videophone to said PSTN network adapter or to said broadband network adapter, wherein the videophone can selectably receive and make calls on the PSTN network as well as on the broadband network. 
     
     
         2 . The videophone system of  claim 1  wherein said videophone system includes at least one PSTN telephone which is connected to a PSTN network and to a videophone interface unit, and wherein said videophone interface unit includes means for both the PSTN telephone and the videophone alerting users when there is an incoming call on either the PSTN network or the broadband network. 
     
     
         3 . The video system of  claim 2  wherein said videophone interface unit includes means for isolating said PSTN telephone from the PSTN network. 
     
     
         4 . The videophone system of  claim 2  further comprising means for using the same telephone number for said videophone and said PSTN telephone. 
     
     
         5 . The videophone system of  claim 1  wherein the videophone interface unit includes means for causing an incoming call on the broadband network to have a different alert on the videophone than an incoming call on the PSTN network, so as to allow the users to distinguish the network on which the incoming call is being made. 
     
     
         6 . The videophone system of  claim 1  wherein said videophone interface unit includes means for selectably routing an audio and a video call made on the videophone on the broadband net work, and an audio only call made on the videophone on the PSTN network. 
     
     
         7 . The videophone system of  claim 1  wherein said videophone interface unit includes means for selectably routing an audio and video call made on the videophone on the broadband network, and an audio only call made on the videophone on the broadband network as a VoIP call. 
     
     
         8 . A method for providing a videophone system including at least one videophone, said method comprising: selectably connecting and configuring the videophone for communication with a PSTN network selectably connecting and configuring the videophone for communication with a broadband network determining which network to use for a party to be called based upon the capability of that party to receive calls on each of the available networks, and determining which network to use for receiving a call based on the network used by the party placing the call.