BT sue Google over Android patent

UK communications giant British Telecom have decided to sue Google over alleged Android patent infringement. They are claiming that the search engine leader ‘willfully infringes' on six patents that they hold.

The company have said in the suit “BT brings this action to recover the just compensation it is owed – and to prevent Google from continuing to benefit from BT’s inventions without authorization” – filed in the US District Court of the District of Delaware last Thursday.

BT say that Google+, Google Maps and a few other services are borrowing from their IP portfolio. FOSS patents have reported on the matter, saying that Google are still refusing to pay.

The six patents cover a wide range of technology, including navigation information with real time data on traffic and POIs and provisioning services based on connection type. BT claim that even the DRM based technology, such as how the Android market determines whether users are permitted to download apps they have previously bought uses their IP.

BT have filed the lawsuit in the U.S. and it is yet to be determined if they plan to file the same complaint in Europe, although with sentences such as “based on Google’s ongoing and pervasive infringement of BT patents” – it would appear to be taking a very aggressive stance on the matter.

Kitguru says: Google have yet to issue a statement on the suit, so it will be interesting to see the direction this heads.

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