Google hit with US$15 million verdict in US trial over audio patents
ALPHABET’S Google must pay patent holding company Personal Audio US$15.1 million for infringing two patents related to audio software, a Delaware federal jury said in a verdict made public on Wednesday (Jun 21).
Personal Audio had argued that Google’s music app Google Play Music featured playlist downloading, navigation and editing features that violated its patent rights.
The jury also said that Google infringed the patents wilfully, which could lead to a judge increasing the award by up to three times the verdict amount.
Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said on Wednesday that the company was disappointed with the verdict and plans to appeal. He said the verdict concerns a “discontinued product” and would not affect customers.
Attorneys for Personal Audio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Beaumont, Texas-based Personal Audio had requested US$33.1 million in damages, according to a May court filing. It first sued Google in 2015 over the patents in a lawsuit that was later moved from Texas to Delaware.
The Delaware verdict came less than a month after a San Francisco jury ordered Google to pay Sonos US$32.5 million for patent infringement amid a sprawling intellectual property dispute between the companies over smart-speaker technology. REUTERS
Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
