Google ordered to pay $15.1m in audio-playback patent trial loss
The federal jury in the District of Delaware found Google guilty of actively inducing users of unlicensed Android phones to infringe the patents.
A US court has instructed Google to pay $15.1 million for violating two audio-playback patents associated with its Google Play Music application. A federal jury in the District of Delaware found Google responsible for actively encouraging users of unlicensed Android phones to infringe on the valid and infringed claims.
The jury concluded that the infringement was deliberate, granting the judge the option to triple the awarded amount. The patent holder, Personal Audio, had initially sought a royalty exceeding $33 million for Google’s infringement.
A damages verdict was issued after Personal Audio’s victory in the liability phase of a divided trial. The case, initiated in September 2015, revolved around US Patent Nos. 6,199,076 and 7,509,178. It was later transferred from Texas to Delaware, where the trial occurred.
Google intends to contest the jury’s decision and highlights that the discontinued status of Google Play Music ensures that its customers will not be affected by the verdict. Google has submitted a judgement request that awaits a decision, requesting both non-infringement and invalidity.
About author
DW Team
The GIP Digital Watch Observatory team, consisting of over 30 digital policy experts from around the world, excels in the fields of research and analysis on digital policy issues. The team is backed by the creative prowess of Creative Lab Diplo and the technical expertise of the Diplo tech team.