Google is sued for patent violation over VoIP technology

Google is sued for patent violation over VoIP technology

Search engine giants Google launched their own Instant Messaging application Google Talk a couple of months ago. The application was simple and the instant messaging was based on the open source IM protocol XMPP. However, the interesting aspect of the launch was the integrated VoIP technology, which enabled users to talk with each other using their headphones and speakers.

This resulted in the first foray of the search engine giant in the highly regarded VoIP market as the analysts now believe that Google would like Skype and Yahoo! target this market with full force in the coming months. However, something has apparently gone wrong with Google being sued for patent violation in the Internet telephony technology used in Google Talk application.

Jerry Weinberger, chief executive of Rates Technology Inc. claims that he is the original inventor of the technology and his company is suing Google for up to five billion dollars for this infringement of their patents. He also went onto claim that 120 companies including biggies like Lucent, Cisco, IBM, Yahoo and Microsoft have paid his company licensing fees for using this similar technology from his company.

The company had filed this lawsuit in a Long Island federal court against Google two months ago. Weinberger added that when they tried contacted the company, “they told us to go to hell”. RTI is claiming that Google has abused two patented RTI software programs in Google Talk. Google on their part have stated that the lawsuit is without any merit and they would take appropriate steps to handle the accusation.