Alphabet‘S Google Patent holder Personal Audio LLC must pay $15.1 million (about Rs 120 crore) for infringing two patents related to audio software, a Delaware federal jury said in a decision made public on Wednesday.
Personal Audio argued that Google’s music app google play music Featured playlist downloading, navigation and editing features that infringe its patent rights.
The jury also said Google willfully infringed the patent, which could cause the judge to increase the award up to three times the amount of the verdict.
Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said Wednesday that the company is disappointed by the decision and plans to appeal. He said the decision pertained to a “discontinued product” and would not affect customers.
A spokeswoman for Yokka Carlson & Routh, the law firm straddling personal audio, said Wednesday that the firm is pleased with the decision.
According to a May court filing, Texas-based Personal Audio had sought $33.1 million (roughly Rs. 270 crores) in damages from Beaumont. It first sued Google in 2015 over the patent in a lawsuit that was later transferred from Texas to Delaware.
Delaware’s decision comes less than a month after a San Francisco jury ordered Sonos to pay $32.5 million (roughly Rs. 265 crores) for patent infringement amid an intellectual property dispute between the companies over smart-speaker technology. Ordered.
The case is Personal Audio LLC v. Google LLC, US District Court for the District of Delaware, No. 1:17-CV-01751.
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