Sonos has filed a new lawsuit against the Google, alleging it has infringed five more patents. The patents cover technologies that form the basis of some of Sonos’ best-known features, including its Trueplay tuning tool.
Sonos filed its first lawsuit against Google in January, accusing the search giant of copying its multi-room audio technology. Google countersued in June, also alleging patent infringement.
In the latest complaint, filed Sept. 29 in the U.S. District court for the Western District of Texas, Sonos claims that Google products such as Chromecast and Nest infringe on core patents covering modern smart device speakers.
Some of the intellectual property that Sonos is bringing into play include patents for remote audio playback controls and multi-zone audio systems. The listed patents include U.S. Patent numbers 9,967,615; 10,779,033; 9,344,206; 10,469,966; and 9,219,460.
Compared to the IP in Sonos’ original lawsuit, the new patents-in-suit are much more recent and less focused on foundational aspects of audio systems. One of the patents, for example, was just granted to Sonos earlier in September 2020.
“Google has chosen to double down on its disregard for IP and smaller American inventors and we believe it is vitally important that Sonos, both for its own sake and for that of other smaller innovative companies, stand up to monopolists who try to copy and subsidize their way to further domination,” a Sonos spokesperson said.
Sonos claims that Google’s willful enforcement has caused significant damage, and suggests that Google’s devices have “predatorily” implemented its IP. It also suggests that Google sells its speakers are a highly subsidized price, or even gives them away for free.
Sonos is asking for a jury trial in the suit, and seeks an injunction from further patent infringement, damages, and legal fees.
