Communication controller

Claim 1

A communication controller for routing information signals between a plurality of communication networks, at least two of the communication networks having different protocols, the communication controller comprising: a QoS monitor module configured to receive monitor signals containing quality of service network characteristic measurement data where such monitor signals are either from network monitoring equipment or from received test signals transmitted by the QoS monitor module and where the QoS monitor is further configured to compile the quality of service network measurement characteristic data; a User Interface module configured to receive user response signals from a user responding to a request message transmitted by the communication controller where such user response signals indicate whether the user has decided to reroute its information signals; and a Network Port coupled to the QoS monitor module and to the User Interface module where the Network Port is configured to receive signals and determine whether such signals are monitor signals, criteria signals, user response signals or information signals and where the Network Port is further configured to route received information signals to one of the networks with an acceptable QoS based on network characteristic measurement data contained in the received monitor signals, network and/or service provider criteria data contained in the received criteria signals and request messages contained in the received user response signals.

Claim 9

A method for routing information signals received by a communication controller from a plurality of communication networks, at least two of the communication networks having different protocols, the method comprising the steps of: receiving monitor signals, which contain quality of service network characteristic measurement data, from the communication networks; receiving network criteria signals, which contain criteria data, from the networks; receiving user response signals in response to a request message transmitted by the controller; generating a decision message based on the monitor signals and the network criteria signals; generating control signals based on the decision message and a user response message; and routing the received information signals via one of the networks selected in accordance with the control signals.

Claim 10

A method for routing information signals received by a communication controller from a plurality of communication networks, at least two of the communication networks having different protocols, the method comprising the steps of: receiving monitor signals, which contain quality of service network characteristic measurement data, from the communication networks; receiving network criteria signals, which contain criteria data, from the networks; receiving user response signals in response to a request message transmitted by the controller; generating a decision message based on the monitor signals and the network criteria signals; generating control signals based on the decision message and a user response message; and routing the received information signals via one of the networks selected in accordance with the control signals.