It’s a process that has been ten years in the making but Google has finally gotten a patent for their doodles. The drawings that replace the standard Google logo on holidays, anniversary’s, and when big events take place. The patent credited to co-founder Sergey Brin, is categorized as “systems and methods for enticing a user to visit a website.” It certainly has gotten me to visit Google on certain days. Something that might worry other websites though is the fact that is also covers changing the logo for holidays. I’m not even sure if you will be able to change your logo to something Google hasn’t used sometime in the years that Doodles has been used. Even if you could, you would still be seriously limited. It’s going to be interesting to see if Google enforces this patent.

Following the break is an excerpt from Google’s patent application describing what they are claiming

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method for attracting users to a web page, comprising: instructions for creating a special event logo by modifying a standard company logo for a special event, where the instructions for creating the special event logo includes instructions for modifying the standard company logo with one or more animated images; instructions for associating a link or search results with the special event logo, the link identifying a document relating to the special event, the search results relating to the special event; instructions for uploading the special event logo to the web page; instructions for receiving a user selection of the special event logo; and instructions for providing the document relating to the special event or the search results relating to the special event based on the user selection.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for creating a special event logo further include: instructions for modifying the standard company logo with at least one of video or audio data.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for creating a special event logo further include: instructions for modifying the standard company logo with information associated with a holiday.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for uploading the special event logo include: instructions for replacing the standard company logo with the special event logo on the web page.

You can view the full patent application by clicking the USPTO link below but, be warned, it is long.

Source: Engadget and USPTO