This is more or less how the Slashdot tagging system works, but more advanced than how the moderation system works. But still, abstracts in patent filings are generally oversimplifications.
To your question about bonuses though, when I worked there they were aggressive at getting things filed and just filing was a bonus (didn't have to issue, if it issued that was another (bigger) bonus). Someone once pointed out the not so strange correlation between patent filings and needing a bit of extra money for Christmas shopping :-) So not to worry the Googlers in question were well compensated, enough for many many beers.
I did an IDF for something June 2010 or so, the patent application was eventually filed in April 2011, and I just got the bonus this week. (And to top it off, I'd left Google in the meanwhile, so getting that bonus at all was a bit of a surprise).