A Fragmented Legal Saga Unfolds
The decision is only the latest skirmish in a multi-front legal war that began in 2020, when Sonos sued Google, accusing the tech giant of stealing core innovations originally developed under a partnership. A $32.5 million jury win for Sonos was later tossed out by U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who criticized the patent prosecution process as legally defective and “sad.”
That case is now awaiting oral arguments at the Federal Circuit in July, and could potentially reshape the landscape once again.
Trade Commission, Other Courts Also in Play
Meanwhile, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in April closed another investigation into whether Sonos products infringe on Google’s patents — this time siding with Sonos after finding Google’s asserted patents invalid.
On a separate front, Judge Edward M. Chen of the Northern District of California granted summary judgment for Sonos in a Google-initiated suit, invalidating the last of five patents originally asserted by Google. That ruling is also under appeal, adding yet another twist to this ongoing IP chess match.
