August 18, 2010 – Last week on Thursday Oracle filed a lawsuit against Google, charging that the Internet giant’s Android software infringes on patents it now holds due to the recent acquisition of Sun Microsystems.
Oracle called on a federal court to stop Google from using Java technology patented by Sun and pay an unspecified amount in damages along with legal fees.
The 5.17-billion-euro (7.57-billion-dollar) deal for Sun, a one-time Silicon Valley star and developer of the popular Java programming language, was completed in January giving Oracle possession of the firm’s patent library.
“Google’s Android competes with Oracle America’s Java as an operating system software platform for cellular telephones and other mobile devices,” Oracle said in its legal filing.
“The Android operating system software ‘stack’ consists of Java applications running on a Java-based object-oriented application framework, and core libraries running on a Dalvik virtual machine that features just-in-time compilation.”
Google-backed Android software is used in an array of devices that have been gaining ground in the hotly competitive global smartphone market.
Oracle argued that Google has been aware of Sun’s patent portfolio since it hired former Java engineers years ago.
Google did not respond to an AFP request for comment.