

Google patents Google doodles - bauchidgw
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,912,915.PN.&OS=PN/7,912,915&RS=PN/7,912,915

======
reader5000
Honestly, who is working in the patent office? A monkey with an "approved"
stamp?

------
jsmcgd
This is a very cynical use of the patent system that I hadn't expected of
Google.

~~~
ChuckMcM
I don't think it is cynical, I think its more in line of "Having a zillion
patents helps you when Oracle bitch slaps you about your use of Java."

So while I agree that its a silly patent, the idea of patenting as much stuff
as possible to defend yourself against silly patents (ammunition for
countersuits) is understandable.

------
saulrh
Since this is apparently patentable, I'm actually kind of happy that it's
Google that got it.

1) They're not going to actually enforce it because that would damage their
image significantly.

2) In the absolute best unicorns-and-rainbows case, I can even see Google
using it to demonstrate how ludicrous the patent wars are getting these days.
This even makes a little bit of sense, given that the first hundred hits (on
bing!) for '"Google sues" patent' are for patent countersuits.

~~~
danssig
> 1) They're not going to actually enforce it because that would damage their
> image significantly.

The motto again? They are a _public company_. They have a silly motto on a
wall and _laws they must obey_. When the two are in conflict with each other
which do you think is going to be followed?

I have to say though, if this whole thing has taught me anything it's taught
me that every business I make from here on out is going to have some sappy
stupid motto. That way, even otherwise intelligent people like are found on HN
will give me the benefit of the doubt every time I do something that is in my
interests and against everyone else's.

~~~
notahacker
As a _huge_ public company providing services to consumers, any damages they
could conceivably win would be dwarfed by the damage to their public image by
doing it (not to mention the high likelihood of the suit failing, countersuits
or scrutiny of other areas of their patent portfolio they'd really rather
protect)

If I held Google shares I'd actually consider it a breach of their fiduciary
duty for Google's management to waste resources and goodwill pursuing a suit
over something so trivial.

~~~
danssig
>any damages they could conceivably win would be dwarfed by the damage to
their public image by doing it

Given the things they've _already_ said and done (e.g. the cell thing, "if
you've got nothing to hide", the fake china pull out) I don't buy it. They've
got enough people to buy into this "Don't do evil" nonsense that even if they
did sue someone over this silly patent a million google defenders would pop
out and explain why they just _had to_ do it.

------
SimonPStevens
There must be prior art for this.

Coca cola used to have a variant of their logo and jingle for adverts at
Christmas. There must be stacks of other examples.

codeproject.com have a alien logo that they dress up for special events.
(Although admittedly I'd guess Google doodles probably pre-dates this one)

~~~
benatkin
The first thing I thought of was <http://mit.edu/>

It changes every day and is very elaborate.

~~~
ajarmoniuk
Google had their doodles as early as 1998:
<http://www.google.com/logos/logos98-3.html>

------
oscilloscope
"FIG. 4 is a diagram of an exemplary story line 400 according to an
implementation consistent with the present invention. In this example, the
story line 400 involves aliens that steal a company's logo and includes five
animated images 410-450. The animated image 410 represents the beginning of
the story and shows an alien spacecraft approaching the company logo. The
animated image 420 shows the alien spacecraft landing on the company logo and
an alien inspecting the logo. The animated image 430 shows the aliens leaving
their spacecraft to further inspect the company logo. The animated image 440
shows the aliens hauling away the company logo with their spacecraft. Finally,
the animated image 450 shows the company logo after being deposited on another
world by the aliens."

Google Mars.

------
binarymax
Not granted because of prior art cited by examiner:
[http://replay.waybackmachine.org/19961223150621/http://www8....](http://replay.waybackmachine.org/19961223150621/http://www8.yahoo.com/)

~~~
rexreed
It is indeed granted: Patent #7,912,915. The reference you cite is just a
reference cited by an examiner, but nonetheless, the patent was granted.

~~~
binarymax
I stand corrected. Maybe it got through since it ties the depicted event or
'storyline' to search results.

------
yycom
It's a patent application, 10 years old and still not granted.

~~~
rexreed
It has indeed been granted. According to the USPTO Public PAIR system, the
status is "Patented Case", and has a Patent # of 7,912,915 and an issue date
of 03-22-2011.

You can view the status at <http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal/pair>

------
ch0wn
Careful there, Reddit!

