'Important' Oracle patent rejected in Google Android case
Oracle has suffered a setback in its lawsuit accusing Google of patent infringement and copyright violation in its Android operating system: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected one of Oracle's Java-related patents -- although it did uphold another.
The PTO's latest determinations, reported in a joint court filing Wednesday, are a mixed bag for both sides. However, at least one legal expert has said the Oracle patent that was rejected could be its most significant in the case.
The filing, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, also shows Oracle continuing to push for a jury trial early next year, while Google argues that trying the case before July would not be practical. Oracle sued Google last year, arguing that its Android software violates Java-related patents that Oracle acquired when it bought Sun Microsystems. Oracle initially sought damages of up to US$6.1 billion, although the court has told it to revise that estimate.
