Google seeks to patent new Web app tech

Three patent applications concern Google's Native Client, a technology for letting downloaded software modules run directly on a processor rather than more slowly through on-the-fly decoding as with the commonly used JavaScript. And one patent application involves O3D, a technology to let browser applications take advantage of 3D acceleration of graphics hardware.
Brad Chen

Patents can serve a variety of purposes. They can be used to keep competitors away from new technology until the patent expires. They can be licensed to others for their use or used as bargaining chips when negotiating patent cross-license agreements that let companies use each other's patents. They can be hoarded for defensive purposes, ready for deployment in a patent infringement countersuit if one company is sued by another. They can be used to gain more favorable terms in the creation of industry standards that relate to the patents. And of course they can bolster corporate chest-thumping when it comes time to boast about levels of innovation.

Thus far, Google hasn't proven to be a litigious company, but its presence is looming ever larger over the computing industry. The new patents are in a particularly fast-moving area, the development of Web browsers and associated technology for making cloud computing a more powerful foundation for applications.
Ultimately, Google hopes to standardize the technology so all browsers can use it, though it's not waiting for a standard.

"Native Client so far is outside any standards process. We're in discussions with other browser vendors on how to move that forward. We'd like to see all these things standardized," said Linus Upson, engineering director for the Chrome browser and Chrome OS, in a December interview. "At the end of day, don't think we'll refuse to ship something just because there isn't a piece of paper that says this is a standard."