Google Patent: Link Churn

What is it?

[Pat1975]

61. The method of claim 54, further comprising: determining an indication of link churn for a linking document providing the linkage data; and based on the link churn, adjusting the ranking of the linked document.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the indication of link churn is computed as a function of an extent to which one or more links provided by the linking document change over time.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein adjusting the ranking includes penalizing the ranking if the link churn is above a threshold.

So, what is the meaning of link churn here.

[GerBot]

can you link to the original document so we can read the context?

I suspect 'link churn' is referring to the addition and subtraction of inbound links to a site.
You would expect that massive swings in links to be un-natural and therefore should not be credited as highly.

[rustybrick]

I believe it is here [appft1.uspto.gov]

[edited by: tedster at 6:33 pm (utc) on Jan. 9, 2006]
[edit reason] avoid side scroll [/edit]

[ken_b]

I haven't followed the link provided yet, but on first glance I wonder if this relates to the possible devaluation of short term paid links. That might not be the expree purpose, but rather a possible result.

[rustybrick]

link churn is computed as a function of an extent to which one or more links provided by the linking document change over time.

That is what it means. How often the link or the anchor text changes on a particular document.