Communication apparatus, phone set, communication system, communication method and communication program

A phone set configured to communicate with another phone set, said phone set comprising:

• a first communication section configured to communicate with another phone set through a first communication path;
• a second communication section configured to communicate with said other phone set through a second communication path;
• an audio-signal generation section configured to generate an outgoing audio signal from an outgoing voice output by a user of said phone set as an audio signal to be sent to said other phone set through said first communication section connected to said first communication path or said second communication section connected to said second communication path;
• a voice output section configured to output an incoming voice based on an incoming audio signal received by said first communication section from said other phone set through said first communication path or received by said second communication section from said other phone set through said second communication path;
• a communication-path determination section configured to produce a result of determination as to whether or not a present communication path is a specified communication path while communicating with said other phone set where said present communication path is said first or second communication path currently being used to communicate with said other phone set whereas said specified communication path is said first or second communication path specified to be used to communicate with said other phone set;
• and
• a communication-path switching section configured to replace said first communication section with said second communication section or replacing said second communication section with said first communication section in order to replace said present communication path with said specified communication path while communicating with said other phone set;
• wherein, if said determination result produced by said communication-path determination section while communicating with said other phone set indicates that said present communication path is not as said specified communication path, said communication-path switching section
• drives said first communication section or said second communication section to stop sending said outgoing audio signal to said other phone set through said present communication path,
• drives said first communication section or said second communication section to stop receiving said incoming audio signal sent by said other phone set through said present communication path,
• drives said first communication section or said second communication section to start sending said outgoing audio signal to said other phone set through said specified communication path, and
• drives said first communication section or said second communication section to start receiving said incoming audio signal sent by said other phone set through said specified communication path.

A communication system for communicating between a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus,

• wherein said first communication apparatus includes
• a first communication section configured to communicate with said second communication apparatus through a first communication path,
• a second communication section configured to communicate with said second communication apparatus through a second communication path,
• a communication-path determination section configured to produce a result of determination as to whether or not a present communication path is a specified communication path while communicating with said second communication apparatus where said present communication path is said first or second communication path currently being used in said communication with said second communication apparatus whereas said specified communication path is said first or second communication path specified to be used to communicate with said second communication apparatus, and
• a first communication-path switching section configured to replace said first communication section with said second communication section or replacing said second communication section with said first communication section in order to replace said present communication path with said specified communication path in the course of communicating with said second communication apparatus if said determination result produced by said communication-path determination section while communicating with said second communication apparatus indicates that said present communication path is not said specified communication path, and
• wherein said second communication apparatus includes
• a third communication section configured to communicate with said first communication apparatus through said first communication path,
• a fourth communication section configured to communicate with said first communication apparatus through said second communication path, and
• a second communication-path switching section configured to replace said third communication section with said fourth communication section or replacing said fourth communication section with said third communication section while communicating with said first communication apparatus in accordance with replacement of said first communication section with said second communication section or replacement of said second communication section with said first communication section carried out by said first communication-path switching section of said first communication apparatus.

A communication apparatus comprising:

• first communication means for communicating with another communication apparatus through a first communication path;
• second communication means for communicating with said other communication apparatus through a second communication path;
• communication-path determination means for producing a result of determination as to whether or not a present communication path is a specified communication path while communicating with said other communication apparatus where said present communication path is said first or second communication path currently being used to communicate with said other communication apparatus whereas said specified communication path is said first or second communication path specified to be used to communicate with said other communication apparatus;
• and
• communication-path switching means for replacing said first communication means with said second communication means or replacing said second communication means with said first communication means in order to replace said present communication path with said specified communication path while communicating with said other communication apparatus if said determination result produced by said communication-path determination means while communicating with said other communication apparatus indicates that said present communication path is not said specified communication path.

A phone set configured to communicate with another phone set, said phone set comprising:

• first communication means for communicating with said other phone set through a first communication path;
• second communication means for communicating with said other phone set through a second communication path;
• audio-signal generation means for generating an outgoing audio signal from an outgoing voice output by the user of said phone set as an audio signal to be sent to said other phone set through said first communication means connected to said first communication path or said second communication means connected to said second communication path;
• voice output means for outputting an incoming voice based on an incoming audio signal received by said first communication means from said other phone set through said first communication path or received by said second communication means from said other phone set through said second communication path;
• communication-path determination means for producing a result of determination as to whether or not a present communication path as a specified communication path while communicating with said other phone set where said present communication path is said first or second communication path currently being used in said communication with said other phone set whereas said specified communication path is said first or second communication path specified to be used in communicating with said other phone set;
• and
• communication-path switching means for replacing said first communication means with said second communication means or replacing said second communication means with said first communication means in order to replace said present communication path with said specified communication path while communicating with said other phone set;
• wherein, if said determination result produced by said communication-path determination means while communicating with said other phone set indicates that said present communication path is not said specified communication path, said communication-path switching means
• drives said first communication means or said second communication means to stop sending said outgoing audio signal to said other phone set through said present communication path,
• drives said first communication means or said second communication means to stop receiving said incoming audio signal sent by said other phone set through said present communication path,
• drives said first communication means or said second communication means to start sending said outgoing audio signal to said other phone set through said specified communication path, and
• drives said first communication means or said second communication means to start receiving said incoming audio signal sent by said other phone set through said specified communication path.

A communication system for communicating between a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus,

• wherein said first communication apparatus includes
• first communication means for communicating with said second communication apparatus through a first communication path,
• second communication means for communicating with said second communication apparatus through a second communication path,
• communication-path determination means for producing a result of determination as to whether or not a present communication path is a specified communication path while communicating with said second communication apparatus where said present communication path is said first or second communication path currently being used to communicate with said second communication apparatus whereas said specified communication path is said first or second communication path specified to be used to communicate with said second communication apparatus, and
• first communication-path switching means for replacing said first communication means with said second communication means or replacing said second communication means with said first communication means in order to replace said present communication path with said specified communication path while communicating with said second communication apparatus if said determination result produced by said communication-path determination means in while communicating with said second communication apparatus indicates that said present communication path is not the same communication path as said specified communication path, and
• wherein said second communication apparatus includes
• third communication means for communicating with said first communication apparatus through said first communication path,
• fourth communication means for communicating with said first communication apparatus through said second communication path, and
• second communication-path switching means for replacing said third communication means with said fourth communication means or replacing said fourth communication means with said third communication means while communicating with said first communication apparatus in accordance with replacement of said first communication means with said second communication means or replacement of said second communication means with said first communication means carried out by said first communication-path switching means of said first communication apparatus.