https://patentbrief.org/topic/patents-that-built-the-internet Plain-English explanations of patents in The Patents That Built the Internet, newest first. en-us Sat, 30 May 2026 23:25:46 GMT https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7352772/minimization-of-performance-impact-in-overlying-80211b-and-80211g-networks A 2003 patent by Lenovo for a Wi-Fi router that groups fast and slow wireless devices into separate time slots, preventing older 802.11b gadgets from dragging down the speed of newer 802.11g devices. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7352772/minimization-of-performance-impact-in-overlying-80211b-and-80211g-networks https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6285999/google-pagerank This patent describes a computer method for scoring and ranking documents in a linked database, like the internet, by evaluating the importance of other documents that link to them. Tue, 04 Sep 2001 00:00:00 GMT https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6285999/google-pagerank https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6122658/custom-localized-information-in-a-networked-server-for-display-to-an-end-user This 2000 Microsoft patent describes a system for combining general web content with user-specific local information to create a personalized viewing experience. Tue, 19 Sep 2000 00:00:00 GMT https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6122658/custom-localized-information-in-a-networked-server-for-display-to-an-end-user https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5960411/amazon-one-click Amazon's 1997 patent describes a method for buying an item online with just one click, by using previously stored customer and payment information, bypassing the traditional multi-step shopping cart process. Tue, 28 Sep 1999 00:00:00 GMT https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5960411/amazon-one-click https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5657390/secure-socket-layer-application-program-apparatus-and-method This 1997 patent describes the software and methods Netscape used to secure internet communications by encrypting data between web browsers and servers. Tue, 12 Aug 1997 00:00:00 GMT https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5657390/secure-socket-layer-application-program-apparatus-and-method