Coinbase just submitted patents for 9 different Bitcoin related ideas - can't believe they tried to get a patent for "tip button" and "Bitcoin Exchange" 
Quote
20150262176, “Hot Wallet For Holding Bitcoin”;
20150262172, “User Private Key Control”;
20150262171, “Bitcoin Private Key Splitting For Cold Storage”
20150262168, “Instant Exchange”;
20150262141, “Personal Vault”;
20150262140, “Send Bitcoin To Email Address”;
20150262139, “Bitcoin Exchange”;
20150262138, “Tip Button”;
20150262137, “Off-Block Chain Transactions In Combination With On-Block Chain Transactions.”
20150262172, “User Private Key Control”;
20150262171, “Bitcoin Private Key Splitting For Cold Storage”
20150262168, “Instant Exchange”;
20150262141, “Personal Vault”;
20150262140, “Send Bitcoin To Email Address”;
20150262139, “Bitcoin Exchange”;
20150262138, “Tip Button”;
20150262137, “Off-Block Chain Transactions In Combination With On-Block Chain Transactions.”
They have patent wars in America where a multitude of companies are suing each other over vaguely worded ideas hidden in patents. I remember someone sued Apple because they had patented some extremely vague idea for a menu or something. Apple paid them millions. I doubt Coinbase will be granted a patent for a tip button because its already been demonstrated in public, but they might get a patent for something just as basic that hasn't been demonstrated publicly yet.
