Oracle and Google have been locked in a legal battle over alleged patent infringement for quite a while now. Oracle filed the suit against Google alleging that Google’s Android platform infringed upon a number of Java-related patents which are originally owned by Oracle. Google tried to settle it out of court and made Oracle an offer which was turned down by the latter. And now, the case is all set to be decided in a court.
Both companies will go forth in the US District Court of San Francisco on April 16th to present their arguments. Although Oracle’s case has been trimmed down a lot ever since the legal battle ensued between the two companies, it still stands a fair chance of winning against Google.
The whole bone of contention are a few Java-related patents that Oracle claims have been used in Google’s mobile platform, Android, without prior permission or settlement. Moreover, Orcale also has copyright claims to Java API. Whereas most of Oracle’s patent claims have been dumped in prior hearings, the chief point which may tip the scales on either side is the company’s right to Java API’s copyrights.
Judge Paul S. Grewal, who decided that since the two have failed in settling among themselves, was of the opinion, ‘Despite their diligent efforts and those of their able counsel, the parties have reached an irreconcilable impasse in their settlement discussions with the undersigned.’
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