The tech battlefield is heating up again. Headwater Research LLC, a Texas-based intellectual property firm, has filed another federal patent infringement suit against Google, alleging that the tech giant’s Android devices generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue by using wireless technologies that Headwater invented and patented.
The complaint, lodged Friday in Texas federal court, accuses Google LLC of infringing two wireless communication patents designed to reduce data consumption and extend battery life across millions of Android-powered smartphones and devices.
“On information and belief, Google’s revenues derived from the use of Headwater’s patented technologies extend well into the tens of billions,” the lawsuit claims.
Google Allegedly Ignored Patent Warnings
According to Headwater Research, Google has been aware of the patents since January 2024, when the company sued Samsung for similar violations. That litigation, which ended in September after a series of settlements, included one case where a jury awarded $279 million to Headwater.
The new suit asserts that Samsung shared complaint details and evidence from those earlier cases with Google, giving the search giant “clear notice” of the patents in question. Headwater also claims it served a subpoena on Google during the Samsung case, including full copies of the patents now at issue.
Despite this, Headwater alleges that Google “knowingly and intentionally induces and contributes to infringement,” willfully ignoring its obligations under U.S. patent law.
