How a Server Aggregates Comments from Different Websites About One File
A system that collects comments or data from multiple websites about a single photo or video and bundles them together to display on your device.
Original patent title: “Method and system for facilitating interaction with multiple content provider websites”
A system that collects comments or data from multiple websites about a single photo or video and bundles them together to display on your device. Granted to Google Technology Holdings LLC in 2015 with 27 claims and 2 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes an intermediary server that acts as a central hub for social media or content platforms. When you upload a photo or video to multiple sites, the server tracks comments or metadata from each site using unique identifiers. It then bundles these disparate comments into a single, organized package. Finally, it sends this package to your device so you can view the original media alongside a unified stream of feedback from every platform simultaneously.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover aggregating data without a unique identifier linking the content to the primary file.
- Does not cover direct peer-to-peer communication between websites without the intermediary server.
- Does not cover displaying information that is not associated with a specific primary photo or video file.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system uses an intermediary server to act as a translator and filter, ensuring that only comments specifically linked to a single 'primary information' file are grouped together, effectively stitching together separate conversations from different web domains.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Social media management dashboards like Hootsuite or Sprout Social
Aggregated comment sections on cross-platform content tools
Unified notification centers for social media activity
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology attempts to solve the fragmentation of social media, where a user's content exists in silos across different platforms. By centralizing feedback, it enables a unified view of engagement, which is a foundational concept for modern social media management tools and cross-platform analytics dashboards.
Filed
December 20, 2010
Granted
May 19, 2015
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Google remains a key player, as this technology aligns with their broader efforts in data aggregation and search indexing. Various social media management software companies also utilize similar backend architectures to pull data via APIs from platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Market impact
This patent reflects the industry's push toward interoperability in the early 2010s. It helped standardize the backend logic for cross-platform content management, enabling the rise of tools that allow creators to monitor their digital footprint across the fragmented social web.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes an intermediary server that acts as a central hub for social media or content platforms. When you upload a photo or video to multiple sites, the server tracks comments or metadata from each site using unique identifiers. It then bundles these disparate comments into a single, organized package. Finally, it sends this package to your device so you can view the original media alongside a unified stream of feedback from every platform simultaneously.
The clever bit
The system uses an intermediary server to act as a translator and filter, ensuring that only comments specifically linked to a single 'primary information' file are grouped together, effectively stitching together separate conversations from different web domains.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover aggregating data without a unique identifier linking the content to the primary file.
- Does not cover direct peer-to-peer communication between websites without the intermediary server.
- Does not cover displaying information that is not associated with a specific primary photo or video file.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
18/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$48K – $153K
Midpoint $96K · 4.5 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
27 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Foy, K., Brenner, D., Bye, R., & Noriega, L. R. (2015). How a Server Aggregates Comments from Different Websites About One File (U.S. Patent No. 9,037,656). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9037656/facebook-live-video
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Server Aggregates Comments from Different Websites About One File cover?
A system that collects comments or data from multiple websites about a single photo or video and bundles them together to display on your device.
Who owns patent US 9037656?
Google Technology Holdings LLC owns this patent, granted in 2015.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on May 19, 2035, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9037656 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology attempts to solve the fragmentation of social media, where a user's content exists in silos across different platforms. By centralizing feedback, it enables a unified view of engagement, which is a foundational concept for modern social media management tools and cross-platform analytics dashboards.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover aggregating data without a unique identifier linking the content to the primary file.
Same assignee
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