2014年11月21日 星期五

Google與Rockstar和解 - 關聯式搜尋引擎技術

「Rockstar Consortium LP」為Apple Inc.與Microsoft Corp.的專利聯盟,其他主要成員還有Sony, Ericsson, RIM等,其中除了兩間公司貢獻的專利以外,多數來自過去的北美網絡(Notel Networks)的專利,看這樣的組合,顯然是針對Android陣營來的!

科技產業資訊室整理了Rockstar去年對各公司的專利爭議的一些資訊,還有曾經Google企圖買下Notel專利的競標關係:http://cdnet.stpi.narl.org.tw/techroom/pclass/2013/pclass_13_A370.htm

專利侵權訴訟(2013-10-31):
Rockstar當時對Google提告的相關專利有:US6,098,065; US7,236,969; US7,469,245; US7,672,970; US7,895,178; US7,895,183; US7,933,883

以下簡介這些專利,關於關聯式搜尋引擎的各種面向,看來直指Google的搜尋技術核心!

US6,098,065
這件是Rockstar直接從Notel取得,揭露一種關聯式搜尋引擎,不囉唆,專利範圍就1項,步驟也很直接明瞭,先取得使用者搜尋的請求,根據"使用者資料(profile)",從資料庫得到搜尋結果,將這個結果提供給使用者,之後描述這個搜尋方法採用了模糊邏輯演算法(fuzzy)。
1. A method of searching for desired information within a data network, comprising the steps of:
receiving, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information;
searching, based upon the received search argument and user profile data, a database of information to generate a search result; and
providing the search results to the user
wherein searching the database includes correlating, as a function of a fuzzy logic algorithm, the received search argument and user profile data to particular information in the database, and providing the particular information as the search results.

US7,236,969
這也是Rockstar直接從Notel取得的專利,也是一個關聯式搜尋引擎,專利範圍共23項,其中主要請求項1揭露了根據使用者搜尋關鍵字提供關聯式廣告的方法,能夠根據使用者搜尋的關鍵字自另一個廣告資料庫取得相關的廣告,一併與搜尋結果提出到使用者端。
1. A method of providing advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network, comprising the steps of:
receiving, from the user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information;
searching, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results;
correlating the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information; and
providing the search results together with the particular advertisement to the user.

US7,469,245
這件直接自Notel取得的專利是一個關聯式搜尋引擎,有25項範圍,請求項1界定提供廣告給使用者端裝置的方法,先取得使用者喜好,經取得使用者提交的搜尋請求時,根據使用者喜好選取相關廣告,再一起提供給使用者。
1. A method for operating an advertising machine implemented on at least one computer to provide advertisements via a communications link to a data processing device of a user, the method comprising:
receiving user preference input from the data processing device via the communications link;
creating user preference data based upon the user preference input;
receiving from the data processing device via the communications link a search request that includes a search argument;
searching at least one database using the search argument to produce search results;
selecting at least one advertisement from an advertisement database relating to the search argument using the user preference data; and
transmitting the search results together with the at least one advertisement via the communications link to the data processing device.

US7,672,970
這件也是Rockstar自Notel取得的專利,名稱也是關聯式搜尋引擎,專利範圍共有48項,請求項1界定一個連結到使用者裝置的廣告機器,其中的資料庫搜尋引擎與發廣告的機器,也是一種可以根據使用者搜尋的請求提供相關廣告資訊的技術。
1. An advertising machine implemented on at least one computer and operable to provide advertisements via a communications link to a data processing device of a user, the advertising machine comprising:
a communications interface operable to interface with the data processing device of the user via the communications link;
a database search engine operable to:
receive from the data processing device via the communications link a search request that includes a search argument; and
search at least one database using the search argument to produce search results;
an associative search engine operable to select at least one advertisement from an advertisement database based upon at least one of the search argument and the search results; and
the advertising machine operable to:
transmit the search results together with the at least one advertisement via the communications link to the data processing device;
receive a response from the data processing device via the communications link that indicates selection of an advertisement; and
based upon the advertisement selection, generate a fee record.

US7,895,178
這件關聯式搜尋引擎從Notel直接取得,專利請求項1界定關聯式廣告發送的技術,同樣先取得搜尋請求,並得到關聯的廣告,一併提交給使用者端,接著再取得更細節的搜尋要求(receiving search refinement input),提供修改後的搜尋結果,因此提供不同的廣告。
1. A method for operating an advertising machine implemented on at least one computer to provide advertisements via a communications link to a data processing device of a user, the method comprising:
receiving from the data processing device via the communications link a search request that includes a search argument;
searching at least one database using the search argument to produce search results;
selecting at least one advertisement from an advertisement database relating to at least one of the search argument and the search results;
transmitting the search results together with the at least one advertisement via the communications link to the data processing device;
receiving search refinement input from the data processing device via the communications link;
producing modified search results based upon at least the search refinement input;
selecting at least one other advertisement from the advertisement database based upon at least one of the search refinement input and the modified search results; and
transmitting at least one of the modified search results and the at least one other advertisement via the communications link to the data processing device.

US7,895,183
揭露一個關聯式搜尋引擎,自Notel直接取得,請求項1界定的廣告機器的運作,範圍就細節到顯示端,先取得使用者端的搜尋請求並得到相關廣告,之後以網頁格式傳送到使用者端,之後在終端顯示器上不同區域分別顯示搜尋結果與廣告。
1. A method for operating an advertising machine implemented on at least one computer to provide advertisements via a communications link to a data processing device of a user, the method comprising:
receiving from the data processing device via the communications link a search request that includes a search argument;
searching at least one database using the search argument to produce search results;
selecting at least one advertisement from an advertisement database based upon at least one of the search argument and the search results; and
transmitting the search results together with the at least one advertisement via the communications link to the data processing device in a web page data format that causes the data processing device to display the search results in a first display portion of a display of the data processing device and to display the at least one advertisement in a second display portion of the display of the data processing device.

US7,933,883
這件由Notel直接取得,揭露的關聯式搜尋引擎主要如請求項1揭露,也是一個廣告關聯式的搜尋方法,方法先建立與儲存使用者資料(profile),取得搜尋請求,得到結果,同時選擇與使用者profile資料關聯的廣告,一併傳送到使用者端。
1. A method for operating an advertising machine implemented on at least one computer to provide advertisements via a communications link to a data processing device of a user, the method comprising:
creating user profile data for the user;
storing the user profile data;
receiving from the data processing device via the communications link a search request that includes a search argument;
searching at least one database having data network related information using the search argument to generate search results;
selecting at least one advertisement from an advertisement database relating to the search argument using the user profile data; and
transmitting the search results together with the at least one advertisement via the communications link to the data processing device.


不侵權確認之訴(2013-12-23):
自然Google並不會坐以待斃,立即於兩個月後進行反訴:declaratory judgment of non-infringement,(新聞:http://www.cnet.com/news/google-fights-back-against-rockstar-patent-group/),宣告不侵權,提出不侵權證明。


和解(2014-11-12,雙方同意):
華爾街日報到導Google同意與Rockstar和解,主要消息來源:http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/20/us-google-rockstar-settlement-idUSKCN0J41ZJ20141120

法院決定書:http://www.iam-magazine.com/files/RockstarvGoogle.pdf

後語:

Notel Networks的專利佈局廣且深,值得探討與學習,甚至影響我們現在的生活!

從這些專利技術看出,現在Google或是各種搜尋服務無時無刻都在收集我們的資訊,真是不曉得是要用哪種心情面對!

這些系爭專利就是當年Notel破產後Google與其廠商積極要取得的專利池中的專利,顯然Google疑似採用了當中的專利技術,特別是關鍵字搜尋、廣告等,這回,雖然Google重申並未侵權外,確實也在要進行Discovery的時候低頭認栽,確認要結束這個痛苦的專利訴訟。

Rockstar Consortium成功地贏了這回戰爭,顯然Notel專利確實是有用而具開創性的,因此如Cisco等公司也都在這類訴訟下認賠;但如Apple等公司,也正在遭遇一些"早期"專利的困擾,使得在創新上需要付出不少這類額外的成本。

看來看去,Microsoft始終在這類訴訟與授權金的議題下占了不少便宜。 

資訊來源:
一點點其他資訊:
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/02/relecura.html

Ron

沒有留言: