If you are any ways concerned with social networking, search and IR, you might want to look at a patent application published by the USPTO early August from Yahoo. It deals with how a user views info in a social network setting. After only a quick read it looks similar to what Yahoo is developing with their Yahoo 360 platform.
Again, this is just a patent application. There are differences between a published patent application and an awarded patent. Let us begin. Look at Patent applications. Patent applications are just that, applications.
The application will be awarded to the person/company is not guaranteed. In other words, you cannot always get what you want. Patent applications are usually published 18 months after the application was filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office but not always. At this point, the patent is now publicly viewable and it is a time for other people, groups, companies who oppose the patent to speak-up and let the USPTO know why it should award it to the person/company who filed it. For example, the current Google patent application making news was submitted in December 2003. Yes, Google was doing RSS work even back then.
An awarded patent means the patent by the USPTO grants the company/person the patent. Even after the grant of patent, you can oppose it, but is more costly and time consuming process.