Patent ID: 8098672

Claim:
An Internet telephone system for voice communication between a telephone associated with a first voice network and a telephone associated with a second voice network via a network using an Internet protocol (IP), the Internet telephone system comprising: a plurality of label switch routers configured to forward data using label switching; a first media gateway coupled to a first one of the plurality of label switch routers and to a first signaling transfer point, the first signaling transfer point being coupled to the first voice network; a second media gateway coupled to a second one of the plurality of label switch routers and to a second signaling transfer point, the second signaling transfer point being coupled to the second voice network; a path control unit configured to: store information identifying connection relationships associated with telephones in the first and second voice networks, the information including telephone numbers of telephones in the first and second voice networks, store information identifying connection relationships associated with the plurality of label switch routers and the first and second media gateways, determine whether a first path, having a first band larger than a band necessary for transferring a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) packet between said first label switch router and said second label switch router, exists and, when the first path does not exist, set a new path for transferring the VoIP packet; and a packet control unit, coupled to the path control unit, configured to: instruct the first media gateway and the second media gateway to transfer said VoIP packet via the first path or the new path.