Only Google can explain their rationale, but it's fairly safe to expect that they won't, at least until the whole application process is done. Your interpretat

Only Google can explain their rationale, but it's fairly safe to expect that they won't, at least until the whole application process is done. Your interpretation is one of the plausible scenarios here. It's one in which Google wins, whether they are granted the patent or not. The Polish researcher and his university don't agree, but perhaps they have never been on the receiving end of a patent lawsuit. Yes, I'm very, very jaded.