Linux Versions and Patches

Linux version
[1] 2.6.10
2.6 version number, 10 release number
[2] 2.6.10 and 2.6.11
They can differ significantly even in core components and in fundamental algorithms
[3] 2.6.11.12
when a new kernel release appears, it is potentially unstable and buggy. To address this problem, the kernel developers may release patched versions of any kernel, which are identified by a fourth number in the version numbering scheme
Which patch to apply which Release?
[1] Stable kernel patches apply to the base kernel version.
patch-2.6.17.10 --> linux-2.6.17 = linux-2.6.17.10
patch-2.6.17.10 -/-> linux-2.6.17.9
[2] base kernel release patches only apply to the previous base kernel version.
patch-2.6.18 --> linux-2.6.17 = linux-2.6.18
patch-2.6.18 -/-> linux-2.6.17.2
[3] incremental patches upgrade from a specific release to the next release
   patch-2.6.17.10-11 --> linux-2.6.17.10 = linux-2.6.17.11
An example
How to go from the 2.6.17.9 kernel release, to the 2.6.17.11 release?
Finding the incremental patches http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/incr/
patch-2.6.17.9-10 --> linux-2.6.17.9 = linux-2.6.17.10
patch-2.6.17.10-11 --> linux-2.6.17.10 = linux-2.6.17.11