Ah but there's a big difference: The Archimedes screw is a novel device with a unique design that's significantly different from other solutions for performing

Ah but there's a big difference: The Archimedes screw is a novel device with a unique design that's significantly different from other solutions for performing the same task (moving water up a hill). The Google patent here describes the mere process of picking a vendor based on their price. It's the equivalent to a patent on moving water--regardless of the mechanism. I can think of many novel, unique ways (in code) in which to perform the function described in this patent yet all of them would fall under the same umbrella of violation because, like I said, it is basically a patent on a generic process that could be preformed with a pencil and paper.