Google Patents Editorial Favorability

The US Patent and Trademark Office awarded Google a curious patent on Tuesday, filed for in 2000. The patent covers a "system and method for supporting editorial opinion in the ranking of search results." Observers are still uncertain if the patent is merely an "artifact" or a signal for a new direction in Google News. The patent application has some familiar names on it: Krishna Bharat, who invented Google News; and Marissa Mayer, Google's resident genius hottie executive. Covered in There's much discussion on the subject already, with a few could signal a move into social search or a new direction for Google News. The timing is the most interesting part. Late last Spring Marissa Mayer spoke of changes coming to Google News. Also a recent deal between Google and the Associated Press was cited by Google as a harbinger of a new product on the horizon. Does the awarding of this patent fall into play there? Add to Del.icio.us | Digg | Yahoo! My Web | Furl Bookmark Murdok: