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：
- http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/20/us-google-rockstar-settlement-idUSKCN0J41ZJ20141120
- http://cdnet.stpi.narl.org.tw/techroom/pclass/2013/pclass_13_A370.htm
- http://www.cnet.com/news/google-fights-back-against-rockstar-patent-group/
- http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/11/google-agrees-to-settle-patent-case-with-rockstar-consortium.html
- http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/11/20/google-settlement-shows-smartphone-patent-wars-dying-down/
http://enpan.blogspot.tw/2014/02/relecura.html
Ron
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