Google's bids for a pool of wireless patents were formed on arithmetic constants, say sources.
The portfolio of 6,000 patents was auctioned to realize a few worth from the properties of broke telecoms definite Nortel.
During the sale, Google's bids were formed on pi, other constants and the stretch between the Earth and the Sun.
Google mislaid the auction as a consortium inclusive Apple and Microsoft done the winning bid of $4.5bn (2.8bn).
"Google was behest with figures that were not even numbers," a source entangled in the auction told the Reuters headlines group .
The sale of the obvious portfolio proposed as a five-way throw between two well-defined consortia and particular firms inclusive Google and Intel.
Initial estimates referred to the portfolio would capture around $2bn (1.24bn) but the 4 days of heated behest saw the complete way up sharply.
During its bids, Google picked figures inclusive Brun's regular and Meissel-Mertens regular that were mentioned to have "puzzled" others entangled in the auction. When bids from rivals strike $3bn, Google reportedly bid pi, $3.14159bn, to up the ante.
"Either they were magnificently assured or they were bored," Reuters' source said.
It is not coherent what desirous Google to pull on unknown mathematics for its bids. However, Google co-founder Sergey Brin is at large concurred to be a maths expert and the bids might exhibit his influence.
As the bids got bigger a few firms forsaken out and others became allies to pool their resources. From going it alone, Apple assimilated a consortium that enclosed Microsoft, Research In Motion and Sony.
"It did turn coherent to us really rapidly that this was something that a garland of big companies with humongous change sheets had motionless was vital for them," mentioned John Amster, Chief Executive of RPX that led one consortium. The RPX-led group forsaken out as the cost climbed.
Ultimately the portfolio was being fought over by two groups: Google and Intel on one side and the Microsoft/Apple-led consortium on the other.
Google's disaster to secure manage of the patents could cost it dear in the future, warned egghead skill researcher Florian Mueller.
"I would have considered they would grab this once in a lifetime chance to turn a new wireless obvious player," Mr Mueller told the BBC. "It's not going to have, any time soon, a similar chance to pick up such a farrago of applicable patents in a singular purchase."
Currently Google had about 700 patents in its mobile portfolio, he said, many of that describe to using handsets to offer its core competences such as search.
By contrast, he said, the Nortel patents describe to future technologies that will make mobile networks faster and handsets more powerful.
Controlling that, he sharp out, would be really utilitarian as a negotiate fragment with rivals. Owning the patents could moreover ease the weight on firms creation Android gadgets as they would have fewer looseness fees to pay.
Use of Android technology from Google is giveaway supposing handset makers siren traffic back to the hunting hulk so it can make money with adverts.
However, the figures of companies asking for cash to use the non-Google created technologies found in Android phones was rising, he said.
For instance, Microsoft has voiced chartering deals with many Android phone makers inclusive General Dynamics and HTC.
With the manage of the patents fleeting to a consortium that includes firms that are Google's caustic rivals in the mobile phone world, looseness fees could increase.
"It's shortening the affirm that Android is giveaway to an absurdity," mentioned Mr Mueller.
Google has not released a grave matter on the auction result but has reportedly called it "disappointing".
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