Google and some of its Android device partners are currently being targeted by a patent lawsuit ironically revolving around search and advertising, the very heart of Google’s business and profits. The plaintiff, in this case, is the Rockstar consortium that outbid the giant over purchasing patents from the bankrupt Nortel Networks.

In 2011, Google and the Rockstar consortium underwent a bidding process for several of Nortel’s patents. Google placed an initial $900 million bid but eventually stopped at $4.4 billion. The consortium then swooped in with $4.5 billion. Google later purchased Motorola Mobility for almost half its Nortel bid, at $12.5 billion, in order to protect itself using Motorola’s own patents.

The Rockstar consortium has now filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the US District Court of Texas, a favorite venue of patent litigation. Along with Google are Samsung, Huawei, and HTC as defendants. Perhaps it is quite curious to note that the Rockstar consortium is made up of Microsoft, Apple BlackBerry, Ericsson, and Sony, who, with the exception of Sony, are mostly rivals of the Android platform.

According to the lawsuit, Google has infringed and continues to infringe on seven yet unnamed patents owned by Nortel even after it lost the bidding process. Rockstar is thus seeking higher damages. At the moment, none of the defendants have made any public comment about the lawsuit.

VIA: SlashGear

5 COMMENTS

  1. The following doesn’t make much sense:
    “Google…eventually stopped at $4.4 billion.”
    “…for almost half its Nortel bid, at $12.5 billion…”

    Half of $4.4 billion is $2.2 billion, not $12.5 billion.

  2. I thought the Nortel patents were to be used only for defensive purposes? And definitely not against something that was preexisting. I agree that this BS needs to stop.

  3. One solution would be if a company as large and great as Nortel falls
    then their patents holdings are null and void making them general public use.

    It also must be noted that off topic,
    Hell has a very special place for you John Roth, all of us former Nortel
    Employees and contractors can’t wait for that day to come. You can hide out on your ranch
    all you want with your paid security guards which I’m sure are being paid from our
    Now defuncted pension fund you took. The only experience Roth has in management
    Is knowing how to screw everyone around him. So good luck there big guy getting
    another job. Everyone knows your track record. It’s one thing for a large
    Corp to fall, it’s far more when you steal everyone’s financial life on the way out to
    the tune of 400 billion in total assets failure.

    Casperi

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