Google patented "Graphical User Interface" from Dirson notes that Google was granted a patent today on its "graphical user interface" that most of us would call its search results page. Perhaps that might stop some of the copying going on! Seriously, I can’t find enough about the patent to see how extensive it might be or what exactly it covers. You’ll find the actual filing here. Bill Slawski might be along in a bit to dig deeper into the patent. Here are the three screenshots from the filing:

Postscript, from Bill Slawski:

While a utility patent protects the way that something may be used and how it works, a design patent protects the way that it looks. The US Patent and Trademark Office describe the protection under that type of patent more fully in their Design Patent FAQ

Google had four other design patents granted this year before this newest design patent.

Graphical user interface for a display screen of a communications terminal
US Patent D528,553
Granted September 19, 2006
Filed September 29, 2003

Graphical user interface for a display screen of a communications terminal
US Patent D529,920
Granted October 10, 2006
Filed September 29, 2003

Graphical user interface for a display screen of a communications terminal
US Patent D529,036
Granted September 26, 2006
Filed January 24, 2005

Graphical user interface for a display screen of a communications terminal
US Patent D529,037
Granted September 26, 2006
Filed January 24, 2005

Related Topics: Google: User Interface | Legal: Patents

About The Author: Danny Sullivan is editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land. He’s a widely cited authority on search engines and search marketing issues who has covered the space since 1996. Danny also oversees Search Engine Land’s SMX: Search Marketing Expo conference series. He maintains a personal blog called Daggle (and maintains his disclosures page there). He can be found on Facebook, Google + and microblogs on Twitter as @dannysullivan. See more articles by Danny Sullivan

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