Purdue University is accusing Google of infringing on a patent for smartphone technology.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the Western District of Texas, the university says Google is using patented software code without permission.
The university argues that two professors and two students jointly developed and patented the software.
The lawsuit says the technology “allows the detection of errors in programming which could result in impaired power management.”
It says Google incorporated the patented code into Android Lint, a software package available to Android app developers for detecting coding errors.
On Thursday, a Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) official said the lawsuit followed a year-long investigation, which revealed Google’s infringement on several patents.
“Many of the innovations are supported by taxpayer-funded grants and research endowments, and PRF is tasked with protecting those public investments from those who would infringe for private gain,” wrote Brooke L. Beier, senior vice president for commercialization, in an emailed statement.
Beier said Purdue “was left with no option but to initiate suit" after attempting unsuccessfully to set up a meeting with Google.
Beier added that Purdue could add other patents to the lawsuit.
“What happens next is completely up to Google,” Beier said.
The lawsuit requests a jury trial and seeks damages as well as a finding that the Purdue developers hold the patent to the technology.
A Google representative didn’t immediately respond to inquiries Thursday.
