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The verdict is in: Android did not infringe upon Oracle’s patents

[tweet https://twitter.com/timbray/status/205359972647829504]

A jury decided this morning that Google did not infringe upon Oracle’s patents.

The verdict came unanimously as jurors in the Google vs. Oracle trial found six claims in U.S. Patent RE38,104, including two claims in U.S. Patent number 6,061,520, did not infringe.

“Today’s jury verdict that Android does not infringe Oracle’s patents was a victory not just for Google but the entire Android ecosystem,” announced Google in a public statement, according to CNET.

Oh, and here is Oracle’s public statement on the decision: “Oracle presented overwhelming evidence at trial that Google knew it would fragment and damage Java. We plan to continue to defend and uphold Java’s core write once run anywhere principle and ensure it is protected for the nine million Java developers and the community that depend on Java compatibility.”

Oracle, a database software giant based in Redwood City, Calif., sued Google in August 2010, while alleging the Android operating system violated a number of patents and copyrights within Java, which Oracle acquired through Sun Microsystems. Android currently powers more than 150 million mobile devices. Google, based in Mountain View, Calif., has adamantly denied Oracle’s contention, while even claiming the Android team was unaware of Sun’s patents before the suit.

The Google vs. Oracle trial has stretched into weeks, with much interesting news unveiling along the way. Chairman Eric Schmidt gave a sarcasm-riddled testimony, and Android’s founder Andy Rubin even took the stand to reveal a slide deck with Google’s ambitions to sell 10 million Android tablets during 2011. Images of the original Google phone concept, which were presented to carriers almost two years before the first Android handset, were also unearthed during the trial.

Before dismissing the jury, Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court of Northern California announced he would decide a related copyright issue next week, with final proceedings scheduled to resume May 29. One cannot help but wonder how Larry Ellison, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle, is reacting to the verdict right now….

This story is developing.

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