Vonage (News - Alert), a provider of communications services, has been granted three new patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. With these three patents, the company now has 18 patents total.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,306,202 includes Method and System for Customized Caller Identification, which enables a user of a telephony system to deploy customized caller ID and call routing instructions for various contacts.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,305,933 involves Method and Apparatus for Detecting Devices on a Local Area Network, which allows a host computer to establish communication with any VoIP device on the network.

The third patent is U.S. Pat. No. 8,320,543, "System for Effecting a Telephone Call Over a Computer Network Without Alphanumeric Keypad Operation.” According to the company, this method allows users to get a VoIP telephony system to place calls with the help of a Web browser or other Internet-capable software.

Users reportedly do not have to use an alphanumeric keypad on a traditional phone to place their calls.

“These new patents relate to diverse areas of our business, covering device recognition, customized routing, and 'click to call' functionality, highlighting the breadth of our innovative efforts," said chief legal officer Kurt M. Rogers. "The issuance of these patents caps Vonage's most productive year to date in growing our patent portfolio.”

Recently, the company unveiled its Vonage Digital Calling Card. This is a pay-as-you-go calling card and is available on the company’s self-service website. Apart from the promise of transparency, Vonage also claims offer 75 percent lower charges on its cards, compared to competitors.

There are no hidden fees and the card can be used all over the world, including India, Mexico, Vietnam, South Korea and the U.K, the company stated. 

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