The telecommunications company BT has become the latest in a long line of companies to file a patent infringement lawsuit against Google over its highly successful Android operating system.
In the lawsuit, filed in Delaware, in the US, BT is claiming that the mobile platform infringes on a number of patents relating to BT’s work in several fields. These include information systems, service provision for communications networks, telecommunications apparatus, navigation information (specifically relating to Google Maps) and many more.
BT is understood to be seeking damages from Google over the infringements, and has also added an accusation of wilful infringement which will triple the damages if proved in court. This means that the search company will need to use its professional indemnity insurance if it loses the case, as the damages awarded are likely to be substantial.
Although BT is the latest to sue over the Android operating system, many other lawsuits have been brought before this one. Apple has been the most prolific when it comes to litigation over alleged Android patent infringement, but Microsoft, eBay and Oracle have also filed similar suits against Google.