Oracle accuses Google Android of infringing Java patents

Matthew DeCarlo

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Staff

Oracle has filed suit against Google for patent and copyright infringement in its Android OS. The filing states that in developing the now three-year-old mobile operating system, the search giant "knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property." Oracle acquired Java along with Sun Microsystems in January.

In total, seven patents are in question and Google's supposedly known about them for years, since the company hired former Sun Java engineers. Additionally, Oracle claims Google plainly "copied, prepared, published and distributed" copyrighted work without permission. Google hasn't reviewed the suit and thus cannot comment.

Anecdotally, it's amusing that Oracle claims Java "competes" with Android as an "operating system software platform" (page 3), but we're not sure how that is. If you have an explanation, we're all ears. You can read the full complaint after the break.

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A lot of corporations use Java and used to believe it is fine. Now Oracle demonstrates a danger to depend on a proprietary language.
 
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