Google LLC v. Sonos, Inc.

Google LLC v. Sonos, Inc.

Claim 7 must be construed to require distinct echo cancellation and noise suppression steps performed sequentially with the system adaptively selecting between different sequences based on the amount of noise (automatic, not user-triggered); Sonos Devices do not perform an adaptively determined change in the order based on noise (transitions are user-triggered or pre-determined), so no infringement; asserted prior art (including US 5,668,871) would not, in context, render Claim 7 obvious and the counterclaim of obviousness fails.

Citation
2022 FC 1116
Parties
Plaintiff (defendant by Counterclaim): Google LLC; Defendant (plaintiff by Counterclaim): Sonos, Inc.
Court
Federal Court
Jurisdiction
Canada
Judgment Date
15 August 2022
Procedural Posture
Patent Infringement and Validity / Trial Liability Phase (remedies Reserved)
Outcome
The Claim is dismissed; The Counterclaim is dismissed; Costs reserved
Legal Topics
Infringement, Obviousness, Claim Construction, Inducement (indirect Infringement)
Source Language
English
Patent Law Intellectual Property Civil Litigation Infringement Obviousness Claim Construction Inducement (indirect Infringement)

Case Brief

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Parties

Google LLC

Plaintiff (defendant by Counterclaim)

Sonos, Inc.

Defendant (plaintiff by Counterclaim)

Procedural Posture

Patent Infringement and Validity / Trial Liability Phase (remedies Reserved)

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Proper construction of Claim 7 of Canadian Patent No. 2,545,150
  2. 2 Whether Sonos directly infringes or induces infringement of Claim 7 by actions involving the Sonos Devices
  3. 3 Whether Claim 7 is invalid for obviousness under section 28.3 of the Patent Act having regard to CGK as of Nov 20, 2003

Ratio Decidendi

Claim 7 must be construed to require distinct echo cancellation and noise suppression steps performed sequentially with the system adaptively selecting between different sequences based on the amount of noise (automatic, not user-triggered); Sonos Devices do not perform an adaptively determined change in the order based on noise (transitions are user-triggered or pre-determined), so no infringement; asserted prior art (including US 5,668,871) would not, in context, render Claim 7 obvious and the counterclaim of obviousness fails.

Court Disposition

The Claim is dismissed; The Counterclaim is dismissed; Costs reserved

Orders

  • The Claim is dismissed; the Sonos Devices do not infringe Claim 7 of Canadian Patent No. 2,545,150
  • The Counterclaim is dismissed; Claim 7 of Canadian Patent No. 2,545,150 is not invalid for obviousness