Patent ID: 8063928

Claim:
A videophone system including a plurality of videophones, wherein at least one videophone is connected to a videophone interface unit, the system comprising: an adapter connected to and configured for affording communication with said videophone over a PSTN network or over a broadband network; processor means for selectably linking said videophone to said PSTN network or to said broadband network, wherein the videophone can selectably receive and make calls on the PSTN network or the broadband network; and an operations center connected to said broadband network and having means for storing information related to at least one user of said videophone, said operations center being configured to communicate with said videophone over said broadband network, wherein said operations center includes means for determining information indicating whether a calling and a called party each have a videophone, and means for communicating such information to said videophone interface unit, and wherein said videophone interface unit includes means for selectably routing a call over said broadband network or PSTN network.