Studying and understanding patents filed by Google may be difficult however this information will make it easier to to grasp what the patents are about and to as keep away from the numerous widespread errors that result in misunderstandings.
How To Perceive Google Patents
Earlier than beginning to learn a patent it’s necessary to grasp how one can learn the patents. The next guidelines will type the inspiration upon which you’ll construct a stable understanding of what patents imply.
Step #1 Do Not Scan Patents
One of many largest errors I see folks make when studying patents is to strategy the duty as if it’s a treasure hunt. They scan the patents in search of tidbits and secrets and techniques about Google’s algorithms.
I do know folks do that as a result of I’ve seen so many incorrect conclusions made by SEOs who I can inform didn’t learn the patent as a result of they solely communicate concerning the one or two sentences that bounce out at them.
Had they learn all the patent they might have understood that the passage they obtained enthusiastic about had nothing to do with rating web sites.
Studying a patent is just not like a treasure hunt with a steel detector the place the treasure hunter scans a whole discipline after which stops in a single spot to dig up a cache of gold cash.
Don’t scan a patent. Learn it.
Step #2 Perceive The Context Of The Patent
A patent is like an elephant. An elephant has a trunk, massive ears, just a little tail and legs thick as bushes. Equally, a patent is made up of a number of sections which are every crucial as a result of they create the context of what the patent is about. Every part of a patent is necessary.
And identical to how every a part of an elephant within the context of all the animal helps to raised perceive the creature, so it’s with patents that each part solely is sensible throughout the context of all the patent.
With a view to perceive the patent it’s necessary to learn all the patent a number of instances with a purpose to have the option step again and see all the patent, not only one a part of the patent.
Studying all the patent reveals what the context of all the patent is, which is crucial factor concerning the patent, what all the factor means.
Step #3 Not Each Patent Is About Rating
If there’s anyone factor I want the reader to remove from this text is that this rule. After I learn tweets or articles by individuals who don’t know how one can learn patents, that is the rule that they haven’t understood. Consequently, the interpretation of the patent is incorrect.
Google Search is not only one rating algorithm. There are various algorithms that comprise completely different elements of Search. The Rating Engine and the Indexing Engine are simply two elements of Search.
Different components of search which may be referred to are:
- Rating engine
- Modification engine
- Indexing engine
- Question reviser engine
These are only a few of the sorts of software program engines which are part of a typical search engine. Whereas the completely different software program engines aren’t essentially part of the rating a part of Google’s algorithms, that doesn’t reduce their significance.
Again in 2020 Gary Illyes of Google tweeted that Search consists of hundreds of various methods working collectively.
He tweeted concerning the indexing engine:
“The indexing system, Caffeine, does a number of issues:
1. ingests fetchlogs,
2. renders and converts fetched information,
3. extracts hyperlinks, meta and structured information,
4. extracts and computes some alerts,
5. schedules new crawls,
6. and builds the index that’s pushed to serving.”
He adopted up with one other tweet concerning the hundreds of methods in search:
“Don’t oversimplify seek for it’s not easy in any respect: hundreds of interconnected methods working collectively to offer customers top quality and related outcomes…
…the final time i did this train I counted off the highest of my head about 150 completely different methods from crawling to rating, so hundreds is probably going not an exaggeration. Sure, some issues are micro providers”
Right here’s The Essential Takeaway:
There are various elements of Search. However not all elements of Search are part of the rating methods.
A vital behavior to domesticate when studying a patent is to let the patent inform you what it’s about.
Equally necessary is to not make assumptions or assume that one thing is implied. Patents don’t usually suggest. They might be broad and they usually might appear to be so repetitive that it nearly appears like a deliberate try obfuscate (make it arduous to grasp) they usually constantly describe the innovations in extraordinarily broad phrases, however they don’t actually suggest what they’re describing.
Patents, for authorized functions, are literally fairly particular about what the patents are about.
If one thing is used for rating then it won’t be implied, the patent will say so as a result of that’s an necessary high quality to explain in a patent software.
Step #4 Entity & Entities: Perceive The Use Of Abstraction
One of many largest errors that occurs to individuals who learn patents is to miss the context of the place the invention can be utilized. For instance, let’s assessment a selected patent known as “Figuring out subjective attributes by evaluation of curation alerts.”
This patent mentions entities 52 instances and the phrase “entity” is talked about within the patent itself 124 instances. One can simply guess that this patent might be about entities, proper? It is sensible that if the patent mentions the phrases “entities” and “entity” practically 200 instances that the patent is about entities.
However that may be an unlucky assumption as a result of the patent is just not about entities in any respect as a result of the context of the usage of the phrases “entity” and “entities” on this patent is to discuss with a broad and inclusive vary of things, topics, or objects to which the invention may be utilized.
Patents typically solid a large internet by way of how the invention can be utilized, which helps to make sure that the patent’s claims aren’t restricted to at least one kind of use however may be utilized in some ways.
The phrase “entity” on this patent is used as a catch-all time period that permits the patent to cowl a variety of several types of content material or objects. It’s used within the sense of an abstraction in order that it may be utilized to a number of objects or types of content material. This frees the patent to give attention to the performance of the invention and the way it may be utilized.
The usage of abstraction retains a patent from being tied all the way down to the specifics of what it’s being utilized to as a result of normally the patent is making an attempt to speak how it may be utilized in many alternative methods.
Actually, the patent locations the invention within the context of various types of content material entities equivalent to movies, pictures, and audio clips. The patent additionally refers to text-based content material (like articles, weblog posts), in addition to extra tangible entities (like merchandise, providers, organizations, and even people).
Right here is an instance from the patent the place it explicitly refers to video clips as one of many entities that the patent is worried with:
“In a single implementation, the above process is carried out for every entity in a given set of entities (e.g., video clips in a video clip repository, and so on.), and an inverse mapping from subjective attributes to entities within the set is generated based mostly on the subjective attributes and relevancy scores.”
On this context, “video clips” are explicitly talked about for instance of the entities to which the invention may be utilized. The passage signifies that the process described within the patent (figuring out and scoring subjective attributes of entities) is relevant to video clips.”
Right here is one other passage the place the phrase entity is used to indicate a kind of content material:
“Entity retailer 120 is a persistent storage that’s able to storing entities equivalent to media clips (e.g., video clips, audio clips, clips containing each video and audio, pictures, and so on.) and different sorts of content material objects (e.g., webpages, text-based paperwork, restaurant evaluations, film evaluations, and so on.), in addition to information constructions to tag, manage, and index the entities.”
That a part of the patent describes “content material objects” as entities and offers examples like webpages, text-based paperwork, restaurant evaluations, and film evaluations, alongside media clips equivalent to video and audio clips. This and different related passages present that the time period “entity” throughout the context of this patent broadly encompasses a number of types of digital content material.
That patent, titled Figuring out subjective attributes by evaluation of curation alerts, is definitely associated to a recommender system or search that leverages Person Generated Content material like feedback for the aim of tagging digital content material with the subjective opinions of these customers.
The patent particularly makes use of the instance of customers describing an entity (like a picture or a video) as humorous, which may then be used to floor a video that has the subjective high quality of humorous as part of a recommender system.
The obvious software of this patent is for locating movies on YouTube that customers and authors have described as humorous. The usage of this patent isn’t restricted to simply YouTube movies, it can be utilized in different situations that intersect with consumer generated content material.
The patent explicitly mentions the appliance of the invention within the context of a recommender system within the following passage:
“In a single implementation, the above process is carried out for every entity in a given set of entities (e.g., video clips in a video clip repository, and so on.), and an inverse mapping from subjective attributes to entities within the set is generated based mostly on the subjective attributes and relevancy scores.
The inverse mapping can then be used to effectively establish all entities within the set that match a given subjective attribute (e.g., all entities which have been related to the subjective attribute ‘humorous’, and so on.), thereby enabling fast retrieval of related entities for processing key phrase searches, populating playlists, delivering commercials, producing coaching units for the classifier, and so forth.”
Some SEOs, as a result of the patent mentions authors 3 times have claimed that this patent has one thing to do with rating content material authors and due to that in addition they affiliate the patent it with E-A-T.
Others, as a result of the patent mentions the phrases “entity” and “entities” so many instances have come to consider it has one thing to do with pure language processing and semantic understanding of webpages.
However neither of these are true and now that I’ve defined a few of this patent it must be obvious how a lack of expertise of how one can learn a patent plus approaching patents with the mindset of treasure attempting to find spicy algorithm clues can result in unlucky and deceptive errors in understanding what the patents are literally about.
In a future article I’ll stroll by completely different patents and I believe doing that may assist readers perceive how one can learn a patent. If that’s one thing you have an interest in then please share this text on social media and let me know!
I’m going to finish this text with an outline of the completely different elements of a patent, which ought to go some technique to constructing an understanding of patents.
Step #5 Know The Elements Of A Patent
Each patent is comprised of a number of elements, a starting, a center and an finish that every have a selected goal. Many patents are additionally accompanied by illustrations which are useful for understanding what the patent is about.
Patents usually comply with this sample:
Summary:
A concise abstract of the patent, giving a fast overview of what the invention is and what it does. It’s gives a quick rationalization. This half is definitely necessary as a result of it tells what the patent is about. Don’t be a type of SEOs who skip this half to go treasure looking within the center elements for clues concerning the algorithm. Take note of the Summary.
Background:
This part presents context for the invention. It usually offers an summary of the sector associated to the invention and in a direct or oblique approach explains how the invention matches into the context. That is one other necessary a part of the patent. It doesn’t surrender clues concerning the algorithm however it tells what a part of the system it belongs to and what it’s making an attempt to do.
Abstract:
The Abstract gives a extra detailed overview of the invention than the Summary. We frequently say you may step again and look at the forest, can step nearer and see the bushes. The Abstract may be stated to be stepping ahead to see the leaves and identical to a tree has a whole lot of leaves, a Abstract can include a whole lot of particulars.
The Abstract outlines the invention’s major aims, options, and the trivia of the way it does it and all of the variations of the way it does it. It’s nearly all the time an eye-wateringly complete description.
The very first paragraph although can typically be probably the most descriptive and comprehensible half, after which the abstract deep-dives into wonderful element. One can really feel misplaced within the seemingly redundant descriptions of the invention. It may be boring however learn it at the very least twice, extra if you could.
Don’t be dismayed for those who can’t perceive all of it as a result of this half isn’t about discovering the spicy bits that make for good tweets. This a part of studying a patent is typically extra about form of absorbing the concepts and getting a really feel for it.
Temporary Description Of The Drawings:
In patents the place drawings are included, this part explains what every drawing represents, generally with only a single sentence. It may be as transient as this:
“FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates acquiring an authoritative search outcome.
FIG. 2 is a diagram that illustrates assets visited throughout an instance viewing session.
FIG. 3 is a circulate chart of an instance course of for adjusting search outcome scores.”
The descriptions present useful info and are simply as necessary because the illustrations themselves. They each can talk a sharper understanding of the operate of the patent invention.
What might look like an invention about selecting authoritative websites for search outcomes would possibly within the illustrations change into about discovering the best information on a cell phone and never have something to do with info retrieval.
This the place my recommendation to let the patent inform you what it’s about pays off. Individuals too typically skip these elements as a result of they don’t include spicy particulars. What occurs subsequent is that they miss the context for all the patent and attain utterly mistaken conclusions.
Detailed Description Of The Patent:
That is an in-depth description of the invention that makes use of the illustrations (determine 1, determine 2, and so on.) because the organizing issue. This part might embody technical info, how the invention works, how it’s organized in relation to different elements, and the way it may be used.
This part is meant to be thorough sufficient that somebody expert within the discipline might replicate the invention but additionally normal sufficient in order that it may be broadly utilized in numerous methods.
Embodiment Examples:
Right here is the place particular examples of the invention are supplied. The phrase “embodiment” refers to a specific implementation or an instance of the invention. It’s a approach for the inventor to explain particular methods the invention can be utilized.
There are completely different contexts of the phrase embodiment that make it clear what the inventor considers part of the invention, it’s used within the context of illustrating the real-world use of the invention, outline technical facets and to point out alternative ways the invention may be made or used.
That final one you’ll see a whole lot of paragraphs describing “in one other embodiment the invention can bla bla bla…”
So if you see that phrase “embodiment” strive to think about the phrase “physique” after which “embody” within the sense of constructing one thing tangible and that may make it easier to to raised perceive the “Embodiment” part of a patent.
Claims:
The Claims are the authorized a part of the patent. This part defines the scope of safety that the patent is in search of and it additionally presents insights into what the patent is about as a result of this part typically talks about what’s new and completely different concerning the invention. So don’t skip this half.
Citations:
This half lists different patents which are related to the invention. It’s used to acknowledge related innovations but additionally to point out how this invention is completely different from them and the way it improves on what got here earlier than.
Agency Beginning Level For Studying Patents
You need to by this level have a basis for training how one can learn a patent. Don’t be discouraged if the patent appears opaque and arduous to grasp. That’s regular.
I requested Jeff Coyle (LinkedIn), cofounder of MarketMuse (LinkedIn) for recommendations on studying patents as a result of he’s filed some patent functions.
Jeff supplied this recommendation:
“Use Google Patent’s non-obligatory ‘non-patent literature’ Google Scholar search to search out articles which will reference or help your information of a patent.
Additionally perceive that generally understanding a patent in isolation is sort of unattainable, which is why it’s necessary to construct context by accumulating and reviewing related patent and non-patent citations, little one/precedence patents/functions.
One other approach that helps me to grasp patents is to analysis different patents filed by the identical authors. These are my core strategies for understanding patents.”
That final tip is tremendous necessary as a result of some inventors are inclined to invent one form of factor. So for those who’re doubtful about whether or not a patent is a couple of sure factor, check out different patents that the inventor has filed to see if they have a tendency to file patents on what you assume a patent is about.
Patents have their very own form of language, with a proper construction and goal to every part. Anybody who has discovered a second language is aware of how necessary it’s to search for phrases and to grasp the construction that’s inherent in what’s written.
So don’t be discouraged as a result of with apply it is possible for you to to learn patents higher than many within the search engine optimisation business are presently in a position to.
I intend in some unspecified time in the future to stroll by a number of patents with the hope that this may make it easier to enhance on studying patents. And bear in mind to let me know on social media if that is one thing you need me to jot down!
