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Google accuses Microsoft, Nokia of patent 'trolling'

Summary: The patent wars hit another twist: Google says Microsoft and Nokia are colluding to fire the patent cannon through a third-party, while the smartphone partners accused Google of "abuse".

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Google has accused Microsoft and Nokia of conspiring to use their patents against their smartphone rivals --- including the search giant --- and has complained to the European Commission.

Yep, another antitrust suit.

The search and mobile giant said in its complain to Europe's regulators that Microsoft and Nokia transferred 2,000 patents to the MOSAID group. The intellectual property company has been dubbed a "patent troll" that aggressively seeks litigation against alleged infringers.

Google said it had kept the U.S. Justice Dept. and the Federal Trade Commission in the loop.

1,200 of those patents are standard-essential patents, meaning they must be licensed fairly and reasonably to others, including smartphone rivals, because they are vital for compatibility across the smartphone industry.

It's no surprise Google is worried. Some of the patents cover the Linux Kernel --- used by Google in its market share busting Android operating system --- and could cause future harm to the software if litigated on.

MOSAID may be in breach of a 2005 regulatory agreement Nokia signed where it said Linux Kernel-related patents would not be enforced, Google said.

Microsoft and Nokia teamed up in 2011 to bring Windows Phone to Nokia's Lumia hardware. Nokia has already had its foot in the patent lawsuit door, and is now enlisting the help of its smartphone partner to join in with the patent-slinging party.

In May, Google was given the all-clear by Chinese antitrust regulators, paving the way for an acquisition of Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. In the deal, Google acquired more than 17,000 mobile patents.
The timing of this seems to indicate an ongoing case of patent oneupmanship.

Google has been accused of throwing stones from its glass house --- again. Microsoft fired back calling Google's move a "desperate tactic". Nokia said in a statement, despite it not seeing the complaint, that Google's assertions are "wrong."

"Google is complaining about antitrust in the smartphone industry when it controls more than 95 percent of mobile search and advertising," Microsoft said in an emailed statement to Reuters. It noted Google's length of legal battles regarding patents and accused it of standard-essential patent "abuse".

Image credit: CNET.

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26 comments
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  • Google controlling search market...

    But does not mean that Google is going to drag your a#s to court for patent infringement if you created an alternative to Google's search engine. What Microsoft fear is that they would be forced to provide interoperability which would delude their business model.
    andries.spies@...
    Reply 1 Vote

  • Microsoft a patent troll?

    "Microsoft and Nokia transferred 2,000 patents to the MOSAID group. The intellectual property company has been dubbed a ???patent troll??? that aggressively seeks litigation against alleged infringers."

    This is news? Saying Microsoft is a Patent Troll, is like saying water is wet. Or that it's colder in Antarctica, than the Sahara Desert. Nokia is also known to be a Patent Troll. It's what happens when once great companies get fat, and lazy.
    Jumpin Jack Flash
    Reply Vote

    • You're exactly right.

      http://www.seobythesea.com/2011/09/google-acquires-mosaid-technologies-patents/
      live.tiles
      Reply Vote

    • And you would know a thing or two about trolls

      you know, you being one of the [b]Angry Minions of Mountain View[/b] trolls.
      William Farrel
      Reply Vote

      • You need to go back under your Bridge in

        Redmond Washington. Rather than dispute anything I posted, you resort to a personal attack? You and the other [b]Angry Minions of Microsoft[/b] must spend all day flagging and down rating posts all over the web, or are you each assigned a territory on the web to patrol?
        Jumpin Jack Flash
        Reply 1 Vote

      • Sorry, JJF

        I was doing exactly what you do all the time.

        I thought you would like that.
        William Farrel
        Reply Vote

      • How many of you are do they have assigned

        to a dorm room in Mountain View, Jumping Jack Flash?

        And is the food in the cafeteria [i]really[/i] as good as eveyone says? I figured you could tell us, as the cafeteria is only open to Google employees.
        William Farrel
        Reply Vote

  • M$ is desperate to slow Google down...

    any way they can. Would be interesting to see the patents on Linux Kernel they claim they have. I suspect there will be arguments regarding the validity of that based on open source, public domain, prior art and history to name a few. Heck, Oracle v Google showed that a clean room implimentation would work quite well. Problem is the main trouble with a law suit against Google is that they have better lawyers than M$. Hey, good luck.
    droidfromsd
    Reply Vote

    • Microsoft already tried to get Linux on the desktop

      nt
      marcfinnwilson@...
      Reply Vote

  • urgent legal action against M$ & nokia is required

    to protect the people and the FOSS community against patent trolls.
    The Linux Geek
    Reply Vote

    • What about Google's trolling on FRAND patents?

      Urgent legal action needed there as well?
      Bruizer
      Reply Vote

  • Google accuses Microsoft, Nokia of patent 'trolling'

    Oh that's rich, Google accusing others of patent trolling. The whole reason Google bought Motorola Mobility is for the patents and now that its approved you will see them going after others. Maybe Google should patent whining, they seem to do that best.
    Loverock Davidson-
    Reply Vote

    • Let us all know when Google transfers its patents to the MOSAID group

      From the article:
      [i]The search and mobile giant said in its complain to Europe???s regulators that Microsoft and Nokia transferred 2,000 patents to the MOSAID group. The intellectual property company has been dubbed a ???patent troll??? that aggressively seeks litigation against alleged infringers.[/i]
      Rabid Howler Monkey
      Reply Vote

    • @Loverock

      Hey, Loverock. When did Google sue anyone for patent infringement last time? It uses patents in this very imperfect world of fat trolls like M$ to protect itself.
      eulampius
      Reply Vote

  • US DOJ and the European Commission need to wake up !

    US DOJ and the European Commission cannot turn a blind eye to this detrimental behaviour which can cause immense harm to the consumers and the software industry.
    mantrik00
    Reply Vote

    • Not Sure What They're Going to Do

      Google hasn't been sued by the company they mentioned. "They will probably sue us" is not a very strong foundation for a lawsuit, IMO.
      dunraven
      Reply Vote

  • they go

    > > > as Billy explained I didnt know that a stay at home mom able to get paid $7613 in a few weeks on the computer. have you read this webpage [N][u][t][t][y][R][i][c][h] . c o m
    BattleCraig
    Reply Vote

  • all about nothing.

    What if the reason behind this is that these patents are heavily licenced and MS / Nokia just want to effectively outsource the licencing to another company so that they can concentrate on software / hardware. They are not preventing anyone from using said patents as long as they pay for them. Fair enough, surely? Of course Google doesn't like paying for other peoples ideas.
    TKR1
    Reply Vote

    • TKR1, forrest through the trees.

      If all battles are fought by a Proxy, Microsoft can claim "it's not us". When the Patents in question come from Nokia, one has to question why Microsoft assigned them to MOSAID?
      Jumpin Jack Flash
      Reply Vote

  • Heh, M$ has it's fools out in force today.

    Good luck in court. Oracle found out but it looks like yer too stupid. Let the good times begin.
    droidfromsd
    Reply Vote
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