Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#1

Post by nickb » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 7:29 PM UTC

Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)
appft1.uspto.gov

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#2

Post by BRadmin » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 8:05 PM UTC

so the more popular (or 'influential') I am the more ads I'll have on my profile?

filed only a year and a half ago -- pretty quick!

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#3

Post by jrockway » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 8:14 PM UTC

I thought Google was against software patents.

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#4

Post by yagibear » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 8:21 PM UTC

BRadmin wrote: post #2

so the more popular (or 'influential') I am the more ads I'll have on my profile? filed only a year and a half ago -- pretty quick!

It's just a provisional application so far => not so quick.

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#5

Post by Anon84 » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 8:37 PM UTC

Unfortunately, it doesn't really describe the algorithm. It would be interesting to see what the differences with vanilla PageRank might be.

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#6

Post by Anon84 » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 9:05 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #3

I thought Google was against software patents.

Specially when it means they can't use other peoples software... their patents, on the other hand...

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#7

Post by tomek » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 9:35 PM UTC

Software patents sereve no purpose other than inhibiting the progress of us a a species. And lawyers go "YES!".

And about Google: That's how it starts. Let's see when everyone's favorite Google changes their motto into "Don't be too evil".

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#8

Post by briansmith » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 9:39 PM UTC

jrockway wrote: post #3

I thought Google was against software patents.

Even if you are against software patents, you have to file them unless you want other people to use them against you. For example, if Facebook had patented this technique then Google wouldn't be able to use it without licensing it from Facebook, or spending a ton of money to dig up prior art.

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#9

Post by teamonkey » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 10:10 PM UTC

briansmith wrote: post #8

jrockway wrote: post #3

I thought Google was against software patents.

Even if you are against software patents, you have to file them unless you want other people to use them against you. For example, if Facebook had patented this technique then Google wouldn't be able to use it without licensing it from Facebook, or spending a ton of money to dig up prior art.

Surely all they need to protect themselves is publish a paper outlining the method into the public domain?

Re: Google Files "FriendRank" Patent (identifies the most influential of a circle of friends)

#10

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Jul 04, 2008, 10:26 PM UTC

[deleted]