In this exploration, we uncover ten intriguing Google patents from the year 2023, each holding significant implications for SEO practitioners.
From revolutionizing query filters to the integration of user-generated content in notebooks, these patents offer insights into the future of online search and the strategies that will shape effective SEO practices.
Join us on this journey as we dissect these patents, revealing the potential shifts in search algorithms, user interactions, and content optimization strategies.
Table Of Contents
- Understanding Google Patents
- Do Google’s Patents Align with Current Practices?
- Where to Find Google Search Patents?
- Google Patents and What They Mean for SEO
Understanding Google Patents
So let us understand first, “What is Google Patents”? Google Patents serves as a freely accessible search engine dedicated to indexing patents and patent applications.
This digital repository aggregates data from more than 100 patent offices globally, encompassing resources such as Google Scholar and Google Books.
Additionally, Google Patents incorporates details about patent litigation sourced from Darts-ip, a comprehensive global database on patent litigation.
Here’s a detailed explanation of key features and how to use Google Patents:
1. Search Interface
- Basic Search: Start with a basic keyword search related to the technology or invention you are interested in.
- Advanced Search: Use google patents advanced search options to filter results based on criteria such as publication date, inventor, assignee, and more. In google patents advanced, you can incorporate synonyms and additional search terms, alongside the option to refine results by date, assignee, inventor, patent office, language, filing status, citing patents, and CPC class.
2. Search Results
- Patent Thumbnails: The results page displays patent thumbnails, showing key information like the patent number, title, and inventors.
- Sorting and Filtering: Sort and filter results based on relevance, date, or other criteria.
3. Patent Document View
- Abstract and Title: Read the patent abstract and title for a quick overview.
- Inventors and Assignees: Identify the inventors and the entities that own the patent.
- Publication and Filing Dates: Check the publication and filing dates to understand the timeline.
- Claims: Focus on the claims section, which defines the legal boundaries of the invention.
- Description and Drawings: Review the detailed description and any accompanying drawings to understand the invention’s workings.
4. Citation and Prior Art
- Citations: Explore the list of references cited by the patent and examine how the invention relates to prior art.
- Forward and Backward Citations: Check which later patents cite the current one (forward citations) and which earlier patents it cites (backward citations).
5. Legal Status
- Family and Legal Events: Understand the patent’s family (related patents) and check for any legal events or changes in its status.
6. Download and Sharing
- Download Options: Download the patent document in PDF format for offline use.
- Sharing: Share links to specific patents with others.
7. Patent Analytics
- Charts and Graphs: Some patents may include charts and graphs, providing visual representations of data or statistics related to the invention.
8. Google Patent Search Tips
- Use Quotes: Enclose phrases in quotes for an exact match.
- Boolean Operators: Use operators like AND, OR, NOT to refine your search.
- Field Searching: Specify search terms in specific fields (title, abstract, claims) using operators like “intitle:” or “inabstract:.”
9. Integration with Google Scholar
- Google Patents integrates with Google Scholar, allowing users to explore scholarly articles related to patents.
10. Translate Patents
- Translate patents into different languages using the built-in translation feature.
11. Alerts
- Set up alerts for specific search queries to receive notifications when new patents matching your criteria are published.
Google Patents is a valuable tool for inventors, researchers, and businesses to conduct patent searches, analyze prior art, and stay informed about the latest developments in various technological fields.
Do Google’s Patents Align with Current Practices?
As reported by Search Engine Land, it’s important to note that the filing and publication of a patent application by Google doesn’t guarantee the incorporation of outlined methods into Google Search.
There are claims that Google acquires patents that may not have been profitably utilized by the original sellers.
For instance, one patent outlines a broad approach to developing a robot personality through cloud robotics, raising concerns about potential innovation constraints.
Google’s patent portfolio extends to advertising-related technologies as well. One patent details a system delivering ads to users based on search queries and user behaviour logs.
Another patent outlines systems and methods for suggesting items to users by leveraging a database of user-related information.
It’s worth considering that while patents indicate areas of interest, their existence doesn’t necessarily confirm the immediate implementation of these technologies in Google’s products or services.
Where to find Google Search Patents?
You can find Google Search patents on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website or Google Patents, a dedicated search engine for patents. Here’s how you can access them:
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):
- Visit the USPTO website at uspto.gov.
- Use the “Patents” tab on the main menu.
- You can search for Google patents by entering relevant keywords, patent numbers, or other search criteria.
- Google Patents:
- Go to Google Patents.
- Use the search bar to enter keywords related to the patents you are looking for.
- You can filter results based on various criteria and refine your search based on publication date, inventor, assignee (Google, in this case), and more.
When searching for Google Search patents, you may want to use keywords related to search algorithms, ranking methods, user experience, and any other specific aspects of Google Search technology. Additionally, you can look for patents assigned to Google or Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company.
Keep in mind that patent databases are extensive, and understanding patents may require some familiarity with patent language and legal terms. If you have a specific patent number or keywords, you can use those to narrow your search.
Interesting Google Patents and What They Mean for SEO
Let’s delve into more detail about each of the mentioned patents and their potential implications for SEO:
1. Search Rresult Filters from Resource Content
Identifier: US11797626B2
Countries: U.S., China, Europe, Russia
Publication date: October 2023
Google Search is evolving to include more sophisticated filters for refining searches, as indicated by a recent patent (US11797626B2). This patent introduces a system designed to enhance search experiences by dynamically generating query filters tailored to the content of relevant resources, such as web pages. The goal is to improve the relevance and diversity of search options.
Concept Overview
- Data Processing: The system analyzes a user’s search query to identify relevant resources, like web pages or documents.
- Keyword Extraction: Key terms are extracted from the content of these resources, reflecting primary subjects or themes.
- Filter Selection: Extracted keywords are refined into query filters based on criteria such as diversity and difference thresholds.
- User Interaction: These dynamic query filters are presented alongside search results, allowing users to further refine their searches based on specific interests.
SEO Implications
Understanding this dynamic search filter system is crucial for SEO practitioners. It underscores the importance of crafting diverse, rich, and relevant content aligned with potential search filters. SEO strategies should focus on developing content covering a broad spectrum of pertinent topics within a given field to enhance visibility.
2. Evaluating an Interpretation for a Search Query
Identifier: US20230334045A1
Countries: U.S., China, South Korea, Europe
Publication date: October 2023
Identifying the meaning and intent behind a search query is pivotal for search engines, as highlighted in a recent patent (US20230334045A1). This patent introduces a system for assessing the accuracy of human interpretations of search queries, incorporating two distinct models:
- First Model: Trained on a dataset with historical search queries, human interpretations, and accuracy labels.
- Second Model: Integrates additional factors like time-related and cluster characteristics of the search query to provide a final judgment on accuracy.
Concept Overview
- The system focuses on grouping or clustering search queries, inherently involving understanding the user’s intended purpose or goal, which aligns with the concept of search intent.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies should prioritize aligning content with users’ likely interpretations of search queries. Consideration of context, temporality, and search refinements becomes crucial for optimizing content and enhancing relevance in search results.
3. Providing Search Results Based on a Compositional Query
Identifier: US11762933B2
Countries: U.S., Europe, China
Publication date: September 2023
Google is transitioning towards an entity-based search engine, and a recent patent (US11762933B2) sheds light on delivering search results based on compositional queries. This method involves recognizing entity types, their relationships, and assessing attribute values within the query.
Concept Overview
- Compositional queries involve references to at least two different types of entities with relative relationships.
SEO Implications
SEO experts should note the evolution toward handling complex queries involving the interplay between various entities. Strategies should include optimizing content for recognition and categorization within knowledge graphs.
4. Contextualizing Knowledge Panels
Identifier: US11720577B2
Countries: U.S., Japan, South Korea, China, Germany, Europe
Last publishing date: August 2023
Knowledge panels offer insights into the Google knowledge graph, and a recent patent (US11720577B2) focuses on contextualizing them. This method enhances search engine results by incorporating knowledge panels providing contextual information related to search queries.
Concept Overview
- Knowledge panels are generated based on identifying entities and context terms within user search queries.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies should focus on entity-based optimization, creating content covering entities and related aspects to increase visibility in knowledge panels.
5. Systems and Methods for Using Document Activity Logs to Train Machine-Learned Models
Identifier: US20230267277A1
Countries: U.S., World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Last publishing date: Aug. 24, 2023,
While having a pending status, this patent describes systems and methods for training machine-learned models using document activity logs to determine document relevance.
Process Overview
- Data Collection: Obtain two documents with activity logs.
- Relation Label Determination: Determine a relation label indicating whether the documents are related.
- Semantic Similarity Assessment: Input the documents into the model to receive a semantic similarity value.
- Model Training: Modify model parameters based on the loss function assessing the difference between the relation label and semantic similarity value.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies might need to focus more on user interaction with documents and content relevance determined by user behaviours.
6. Query Composition System
Identifier: US20230244657A1
Countries: U.S., China, WIPO, Russia
Last publishing date: Aug. 3, 2023
This pending patent emphasizes contextual search results and introduces a system for generating data describing context clusters and their probabilities based on query inputs and associated context.
Process Overview
- Data Processing and Grouping: Access query data, grouping queries into context clusters based on input context and content.
- Context Cluster Probability Determination: Calculate probabilities for each context cluster based on the likelihood of a query input being selected.
- User Event Response: Select a context cluster based on user device context and calculated probabilities.
- Display and Selection: Display the selected context cluster for user selection, followed by a list of queries within that cluster.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies should prioritize content aligning with user contexts and understanding probable context clusters to tailor content more accurately.
7. Combining Parameters of Multiple Search Queries
Identifier: US11762848B2
Countries: U.S., China
Last publishing date: September 19, 2023
This patent introduces a method to intelligently combine multiple related search queries into a single, more effective query, leveraging semantic analysis and user interaction.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies may need to emphasize semantic relevance and context, with potential shifts towards long-tail keywords and content structuring for combined search scenarios.
8. Presenting Search Result Information
Identifier: US20230244657A1
Countries: U.S., China, WIPO, Russia
Last publishing date: October 3, 2023
This patent focuses on presenting computer-generated search results by ranking them using content from web notebooks, allowing for a more personalized and contextually relevant search experience.
Process Overview:
- Receiving a Search Request: Receive a search request from a client computer.
- Identifying Search Results: Identify search results responsive to the request.
- Ranking using Web Notebooks: Rank search results using content from Web Notebooks.
- Providing Ranked Results: Provide ranked results for presentation on the client’s computer.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies should consider the significance of user-generated content, with an emphasis on personalization and context-aware search results.
9. Multi-Source Extraction and Scoring of Short Query Answers
Identifier: US20230342411A1
Countries: U.S., Europe, WIPO, South Korea
Last publishing date: October 26, 2023
This patent focuses on improving the quality of short answers in search engine results by generating and scoring these answers based on multiple sources.
Process Overview
- Receiving Query Data: Receive a user’s search query.
- Generating Search Results: Generate multiple search results containing passages related to the query.
- Selecting Passages: Select a set of passages, including a candidate passage and context passages from different results.
- Scoring Candidate Passage: Score the candidate passage using context passages to produce an accuracy score.
- Display Decision: Display the candidate passage as a short answer based on the accuracy score.
SEO Implications
SEO strategies may need to focus on providing comprehensive, well-rounded content that aligns with the broader context of a topic rather than just targeting top-ranking keywords or phrases. Thorough research and diverse content perspectives become crucial.
These patents provide insights into potential directions for Google’s search algorithms.
While they don’t guarantee specific implementations, they offer SEO professionals valuable information for adapting strategies to align with the evolving landscape of search engine algorithms.
Remember that staying informed about patent filings and algorithm updates is crucial for effective SEO practices.
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