Google Infringed on Five Sonos Patents, Says U.S. Trade Judge

Yesterday, Chief Administrative Law Judge Charles E. Bullock of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled in favour of Sonos in the audio product manufacturer’s patent infringement lawsuit against Google.

In January of last year, Sonos sued Google seeking financial damages, alleging that the tech giant was continually and knowingly infringing on five of the audio product maker’s patents. Later in the year, Google counter-sued Sonos, escalating the ongoing legal battle between the two.

In their initial decision on the matter, Judge Bullock and the U.S. ITC have held that all five of the subject patents are valid, and that Google has infringed on all of them. This is but only a first step in what is bound to be a lengthy process, as at this point, the U.S. ITC has merely ruled that there is merit to Sonos’ case.

With the validity of Sonos’ patents and Google’s violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 now established, the court will move on to determining remedy and bond for the wrongdoing. Rectification will likely take the form of financial damages and/or injunctive relief.

In an emailed statement to iPhone in Canada, Sonos Chief Legal Officer Eddie Lazarus said the following on the decision:

Today the ALJ has found all five of Sonos’ asserted patents to be valid and that Google infringes on all five patents.  We are pleased the ITC has confirmed Google’s blatant infringement of Sonos’ patented inventions. This decision re-affirms the strength and breadth of our portfolio, marking a promising milestone in our long-term pursuit to defend our innovation against misappropriation by Big Tech monopolies.

Earlier this year in June, Sonos put Google, Apple, and Amazon on blast for anticompetitive behavior in the smart home space at an antitrust hearing.

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