Alphabet Inc's Google infringed Sonos smart speaker patents, US trade court rules

Google last night was ruled to have infringed several patents with its smart speaker system, phones and laptop computers.

The US International Trade Commission said the Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) arm was in violation of five Sonos (NASDAQ:SONO) audio technology patents relating to smart speakers.

As a result, the trade court blocked Google from importing the products infringing on Sonos (NASDAQ:SONO)’s intellectual property into the US.

The patents include technology to adjust the volume of all speakers connected in a group at once, meaning users will now need to adjust the volume of each of their Google speakers individually.

Sonos chief legal officer, Eddie Lazarus, said in a statement the Commission “has definitively validated the five Sonos patents at issue in this case and ruled unequivocally that Google infringes all five”.

Google spokesman José Castañeda said the company disagreed with the ruling and “do not expect any impact to our ability to import or sell our products” as the company has 60 days to implement changes before the ban is expected to be implemented.

The search giant said a preliminary ruling last summer approved alternative product designs that work around the patents.

“We will seek further review and continue to defend ourselves against Sonos’s frivolous claims about our partnership and intellectual property,” Castañeda said.

Story by ProactiveInvestors