Reuters: Technology News: Microsoft to add Google as defendant in Motorola patent fight

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Microsoft to add Google as defendant in Motorola patent fight Oct 12th 2012, 19:46 Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Analysis: Smaller firms grab big slice of mobile advertising 3:44pm EDT Google in industry's "defining fight" with Apple, Schmidt says Thu, Oct 11 2012 U.S. court clears Samsung phone, hands Apple setback Thu, Oct 11 2012 UPDATE 2-U.S. court clears Samsung phone, setback for Apple Thu, Oct 11 2012 Motorola wins German patent case against Microsoft Fri, Oct 5 2012 Analysis & Opinion Motorola loses bid to reshape crucial trial on essential patents Counterparties: Wall Street's oddly lucrative malaise A Motorola Droid phone is seen displaying the Google search page in New York August 15, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Brendan McDermid SEATTLE | Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:46pm EDT SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Friday it plans to add Google Inc as a defendant in Germany in one of its patent actions against Google's phone maker, Motorola Mobility, marking the first time the two tech giants have come into direct legal conflict over Google's Android mobile software. Microsoft contends that Google's Android infringes its software patents but so far has pursued handset makers rather than Google itself for payment of royalties. Many hardware companies have settled with Microsoft over their use of Android, but Motorola -- which Google bought this year -- is fighting a range of patent issues with Microsoft in courts in the United States and Germany. In the latest move, Microsoft said in a court in Munich that it plans to add Google as a defendant in a case in which it claims a mapping feature on Motorola phones infringes one of its patents. "It became necessary to add Google to this particular case because Motorola maintains that it lacks sufficient information about actions occurring on Google's servers," said a Microsoft spokesperson in an e-mailed statement on Friday. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The patent in question defines a method for a mobile device to obtain a map from one database, call up resource information such as the location of a hotel from a second database, and overlay the two sets of data. Motorola and Microsoft are engaged in separate patent disputes in courts in Mannheim, Germany and Seattle over Motorola's use of scheduling software and Microsoft's use of some video and wireless technology. (Reporting By Bill Rigby; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) Related Quotes and News Company Price Related News Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above.

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