Earlier this week, Oracle Corp. filed a damages report in a lawsuit against Google Inc., claiming that Google infringed on several of Oracle's patents when it created its popular Droid smartphones. Oracle is seeking damages amounting in the billions from the lawsuit, which many analysts believe may indicate a growing rivalry between the two tech companies. Google denies that it committed any patent infringement, indicating that the dispute may end up in a courtroom before the year is out.

Oracle originally sued Google last year, alleging that Google's popular Android smartphone operating system infringed on a number of Oracle's patents for the Java programming language. Oracle has not held claim to Java for long - it acquired it when it purchase Sun Microsystems at the beginning of 2010 - but it has already aggressively defended the profitable product, and continues to do so with this lawsuit.

Upon receiving the damages report, Google called it "unreliable and results-oriented," and asked a federal judge to disregard it. Oracle fired back, accusing Google of attempting to hide the fact that Oracle was seeking a substantive damage award.

With this lawsuit, it appears that the two California companies may be entering into an intense business rivalry as they release products and fight for profits. However, some analysts believe the lawsuit is only the latest in a serious of suits between software firms and smartphone developers over technologies used in mobile devices.

Barring any settlements or other developments in the case, the trial is expected to begin in California next fall.

Source: Reuters, "Oracle seeks billions in lawsuit against Google," Dan Levine, 16 June 2011