10 Unusual Patents Owned by Google

Eric Schmidt, Google's Chairman, once remarked that the patent system, intended to safeguard inventors, has become a mire of litigation and innovation-hindering delays. "These patent wars are death," he said during a 2012 talk at New York City's 92nd Street Y. "Everyone can find a prior art for everything. So the new trick is to get judges to block devices country by country. It's bad for innovation" [source: Ngak].

Despite Schmidt's criticism, Google has grown to be one of the leading patent applicants. In 2013, MIT Technology Review revealed that Google's team of scientists and engineers was securing around 10 patents each day that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office is open. As a result, the company has become one of the top 10 patent holders in the U.S. [source: Regalado].

MIT Technology Review speculated that Google shifted its approach to patents to safeguard its Android mobile platform, following Apple's lead when it launched the iPhone in 2007.

Many of Google's patents are focused on Android, its search engine technology, and other essential services that have made the company a household name. However, there are also patents related to groundbreaking future technologies like self-driving cars. Furthermore, Google's innovation engine is pushing the boundaries with some truly unconventional ideas, many of which might leave you perplexed.

Here are 10 examples of the strangest patents that Google has pursued in recent years.

10: Social Networking Updates by Comic Strips

Back in the early days of social networking—around 2006—it was quite the trend to post a text message on Facebook, letting everyone know you were on vacation in Hawaii, starting a new job, or even getting a mole removed at the dermatologist. (OK, perhaps some overshared a bit too much.)

As we've all seen countless status updates, the excitement of that medium has started to fade. This may be the reason why, in 2010, Google filed a patent for a technology called "Self-Creation of Comic Strips in Social Networks and Other Communications." This would allow users to share a multi-panel cartoon across multiple networks.

According to the patent filing, users would choose a theme, and the software would provide a cartoon, complete with a title and text that the user could modify to their liking [source: Sampath]. Google was granted the patent in 2013, but the comic-creating app has yet to be released [source: Frank].

9: Floating Wave-powered Server Farm

Every time you search for cute cat pictures on Google, watch a YouTube video, or send an email via Gmail, Google uses electricity to power those services. In 2010, the company consumed around 2.26 million megawatt-hours, roughly a quarter of what a typical nuclear power plant produces annually [source: Albanesius].

In 2008, possibly to cut down on its energy costs, Google filed a patent for a "Water-Based Data Center." This would involve a barge or cargo ship designed to capture energy from tides and convert it into electricity, which would then power rows of computer servers supporting Google's global information network [source: Clidaras et al.].

Though it may sound like something from the Kevin Costner post-apocalyptic film "Waterworld," recent reports suggest that Google could indeed be planning to deploy floating data centers. For instance, the San Jose Mercury News revealed in October 2013 that Google was constructing a mysterious four-story building on a barge in San Francisco Bay for an undisclosed purpose. The newspaper also mentioned that a similar massive barge-based structure was anchored in a harbor in Maine [source: Bailey].

8: Gadget That Projects Keyboard Onto Your Hand

Google Glass, the company's innovative vision of a wearable, voice and gesture-controlled computer with an optical head-mounted display resembling a pair of glasses, would make us all feel like Tony Stark from the "Iron Man" films.

While in theory this could liberate us from being tied to desks and eliminate the need to carry handheld devices like smartphones and tablets, in reality, it presents a few challenges. In a noisy setting, voice commands may fail to work properly, and trying to dictate anything longer than a short email might feel awkward for those who’ve spent years typing on traditional keyboards.

But don't fret. In 2013, Google applied for a patent for a technology called "Methods and Systems for a Virtual Input Device," where the Google Glass headset would project a virtual keyboard onto a user's hand, transforming it into a virtual touchscreen for their other hand, similar to a smartphone experience [source: Newton].

7: Throat Tattoo Microphone With Optional Lie Detector

The animated show "Futurama" once humorously suggested that future smartphones would be embedded as "eye-Phones" within users' eyeballs, but Google's idea of embedding a microphone in the throat doesn't seem much more far-fetched at this point.

In 2012, Google's Motorola Mobility subsidiary filed a patent application titled "Coupling an Electronic Skin Tattoo to a Mobile Communication Device." This concept involves attaching a digital tattoo—essentially a minuscule printed circuit—to the skin on the outside of the user's throat. (For those who associate neck tattoos with prison gangs, the device could alternatively be embedded in a collar or necklace.)

The tiny device would house both a microphone and a wireless transmitter to transmit the user's voice to a smartphone or other device. According to the patent filing, such an implant would offer benefits by minimizing background noise, thereby enhancing "communication" [source: Alberth].

And if that wasn't enough, there's more. As an option, the throat tattoo could light up whenever the user’s throat muscles contract. Additionally, the design includes a galvanic skin response sensor, which would enable the device to act as a lie detector [sources: Alberth, Myslewski, Schreier].

6: Image-capturing Walking Stick

One of the standout features of Google Maps is its extensive collection of street-level panoramic photographs, which give users the ability to explore neighborhoods not only in the U.S. but around the world. Beyond typical street views, Google has expanded its collection by adding 360-degree images of hiking trails across North America, captured using large, backpack-mounted cameras.

In 2013, however, Google was awarded a patent for a device that would simplify the process of capturing such scenic images. The patent, titled "Walking Stick with IMU [inertial measurement unit]," is essentially a walking stick embedded with cameras and location sensors, complete with a switch at the bottom that automatically takes pictures whenever the stick taps the ground.

While the device could certainly be used by Google's own photographers, the patent suggests that similar technology could also be incorporated into canes, crutches, and other mobility aids for disabled individuals. This would allow them to capture and send photos even when their hands are occupied or if they have a condition that makes using a camera difficult [sources: Bishop, Ratner and Smith].

Over the years, Google has generated substantial revenue by delivering highly targeted advertisements to search users. With the rise of smartphones and other mobile devices connected to the internet, a wealth of new opportunities has arisen to suggest products or local dining spots, and Google appears determined to capitalize on every one of them.

In a 2008 patent application titled "Advertising Based on Environmental Conditions," Google proposed equipping smartphones and other devices with sensors to detect factors like temperature, humidity, light, sound, and even the chemical makeup of the surrounding air. This data would then be sent to Google, which could use it to display ads tailored to the specific environmental conditions of the user.

For instance, if you're in a hot and humid area, your device might show an ad from an air conditioning brand. Alternatively, if you're using your phone at an Adele concert, the technology could send you ads for other British female artists or for nearby restaurants [source: Heath].

4: Software for Splitting Restaurant Bills

Ever had this happen? You go to a restaurant with a group of friends, but the waiter refuses to split the bill. You decide to pay the total upfront, expecting to be reimbursed by the others. The tricky part comes when some people "forget" to pay their share.

Say goodbye to the days of chasing your friends for their share of the bill, as Google is working on a solution. In 2013, the company applied for a patent for an app called "Tracking and Managing Group Expenditures." The app, likely designed for smartphones, not only calculates what each person owes the bill-payer but also automatically transfers the funds into the payer's online account. All that's needed is for your friends to download the app before you dine [source: Green et al.].

3: Pay-per-gaze Advertising Tracking System

You've probably heard advertising experts talk about how many "eyeballs" their ads are getting, but Web page views alone don’t really measure the impact of an ad. There was no reliable way to gauge how long someone looks at an ad or the effect it has. That is, until now.

In 2013, Google received a patent for a "gaze tracking system" that uses a head-mounted device — likely part of a system like Google Glass — to track everything the wearer gazes at, with a particular focus on advertisements. These could include ads projected by the wearable device or physical billboards and signs. The system tracks how long each ad is viewed and may even measure pupil dilation to assess the emotional response evoked by the ad [source: Neven].

2: Virtual Assistant That Tweets and Posts on Facebook

We all strive to leave a mark on social media by crafting witty replies to others' tweets and Facebook status updates. But let’s be honest, being quick and clever takes effort, and constantly coming up with snappy comebacks can feel like a full-time job.

What if your computer or smartphone could lend a hand in this? Once again, Google is ready to step in. In 2011, the company applied for a patent for "Automated Generation of Suggestions for Personalized Reactions in a Social Network." The technology would scan others' posts, gather related information, and automatically generate "personalized" responses based on how you’ve reacted in the past.

Before posting, the program would alert you and seek your approval. This precaution would prevent the awkward situation of having your digital assistant post a seemingly intimate birthday message to a Facebook friend you barely know [source: Bhatia].

1: The Heart-hand Gesture

Though Taylor Swift helped popularize the heart-hand gesture, Google isn’t letting that stop them from trying to patent it. In 2011, the tech giant filed a patent application titled "Hand Gestures to Signify What is Important," which seeks to lay claim to the hand gesture that forms a symbolic heart with two hands.