Defendant

Google LLC

22 cases as defendant.

Also appears as a plaintiff in 14 cases View as plaintiff

Company profile

Google LLC is a multinational technology company founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Headquartered in Mountain View, California, it operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of its parent company, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL, GOOG). As Alphabet's largest subsidiary, Google is a significant financial contributor, with Alphabet reporting annual revenues exceeding $400 billion and employing over 180,000 people.

Google specializes in internet-related services and products, including its core search engine, online advertising technologies, cloud computing (Google Cloud), and a wide range of software and hardware. Its major product lines include the Android mobile operating system, the Chrome web browser, Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) for productivity, and consumer hardware such as Pixel smartphones, Nest home devices, and Fitbit wearables. YouTube, a video-sharing platform, is also a key Google property. A substantial portion of the company's revenue is generated through online advertising.

The company's patent litigation history shows it is primarily a defendant, a common posture for a large operating company. Of the eight tracked cases, Google is the defendant in seven. These suits are frequently filed in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions like the Western District of Texas. The plaintiffs in these cases are often non-practicing entities (NPEs) or patent assertion entities. For example, Malikie Innovations Limited acquired a large patent portfolio from BlackBerry and has sued multiple technology companies. Similarly, VB Assets LLC was formed to license and enforce patents from the voice technology pioneer VoiceBox Technologies.

Notable recent cases include a suit from Cedarwood Ventures Inc. concerning automated messaging technology in Android Auto. Another case involves Athena Security Inc., a developer of weapons detection and visitor management systems. The single instance of Google as a plaintiff in the provided data is a case against K. Mizra LLC, filed in the Northern District of California. The various suits against Google cover a range of its technologies, from mobile device features and voice assistants to advertising technology, reflecting its broad operational footprint.

VB Assets LLC v. Android International Inc et al.

Open
Docket:
1:26-cv-00443
Forum:
District Court
Filed:
2026-04-17
Cause:
Infringement
Industry:
High-Tech (T)
π type:
NPE (Patent Assertion Entity)

Infringed product

The infringement claim covers Google's AI assistants, like Gemini and Google Assistant, and voice search features in Google and YouTube. The accusation extends to the entire ecosystem supporting these services, including the hardware, operating systems, apps, and AI models that run them.

Headwater Research LLC v. Google LLC

Settled/Dismissed
Docket:
7:25-cv-00231
Filed:
2025-05-16
Terminated:
2026-02-23
Patents:10321320

This case was initially filed in the Texas Western District Court. It was settled and dismissed on February 23, 2026, following the cancellation of a Markman hearing, indicating a confidential settlement or licensing resolution.

CardWare Inc. v. Google LLC

Active
Docket:
7:24-cv-00278
Filed:
2024-11-04
Patents:11176538

CardWare Inc. sued Google LLC for infringement of US Patent No. 11,176,538, among other patents, related to NFC payment technology. A motion to transfer venue to the Northern District of California was denied, and a jury trial is scheduled for May 28, 2026.

B.E. Technology, L.L.C. v. Google LLC

judgment
Docket:
1:20-cv-00622-GBW
Filed:
2020-05
Terminated:
2026-04-16

B.E. Technology, L.L.C. sued Google LLC for infringement of patents, including 9462411, 9462410, and 9462440. The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware granted summary judgment in favor of Google, finding the asserted claims patent ineligible. The case had been stayed pending inter partes review proceedings.

Personal Audio LLC v. Google LLC

Judgment of no infringement
Docket:
1:17-cv-01751
Filed:
2015
Terminated:
2023-09-05
Patents:6199076

A federal jury found Google's Play Music service infringed two patents, including 6,199,076, and awarded $15.1 million. However, the presiding judge overturned the verdict, ruling there was insufficient evidence and entering a judgment of no infringement.