Virtual Office Resource

Vonage (News - Alert) has received seven new patents, the communications services provider has announced.

One enables the creation of user-defined SMS groups. Vonage explained that “group account settings may be configured to provide features such as specifying which group members are copied on outgoing messages, or setting the group identifier which is displayed to recipients on outgoing messages.” The company added that the feature can be useful for businesses that want to provide a group identity to their customers for customer support or help desk scenarios.

"By providing our customers with the ability to enhance the customer journey, whether through personal or group messages via SMS to a client or client group, or the ability to easily identify those recipients, Vonage is focused on creating pathways to engage with customers in new and more meaningful ways," said Alan Masarek, CEO of Vonage. "With these capabilities, Vonage is offering businesses the technology to provide their own customers with a superior experience - from service, delivery, support and beyond - and changing the way they connect for better business outcomes."

Vonage also has been granted to patents that involve advanced call processing. One of those provides the ability to automatically identify and notify a user that a call is no longer on hold. Another allows incoming cellular calls to users roaming internationally to be rerouted for delivery over the internet. The goal in this case is to provide cost savings.

Additionally, Vonage has received patents related to quality of service. One of the QoS-related patents details techniques for allowing a service provider to make better network route selection decisions based on both quality and cost. Another patent allows for better scalability and redundancy related to a conference call architecture.

And the important topic of security is the focus of two more of Vonage’s new patents. One talks about methods for masking VoIP traffic by transmitting voice data over separate streams. Another details techniques for enhanced account verification prior to authorizing a user to make chargeable calls on an account.

Vonage held more than 150 U.S. patents as of the end of the first quarter this year. The company also has 160 U.S. patent applications pending.