Oracle sued Google over Android. Apple sued handset maker HTC over Android. Microsoft sued Motorola, and so on. News and analysis about the Oracle-Google lawsuit, and other software patent related news on Android (in roughly reverse chronological order).

• 2011-01-24: Florian Mueller claimed to have discovered a smoking gun of Android files taken from Sun's Java code [blog]. Although this story was widely reported, other analysts have seen it differently: that the files are test files, do not ship with Android [ZDNet, Ars Technica] and why, even if the claims were true, that would not constitute infringement [Groklaw].
• 2010-12-07: Apple adds 11 more software patents to its lawsuit against Motorola, bring total patents-in-suit to 42. [AppleInsider, FOSS Patents]
  • US Pat. 5,455,599: Object-oriented graphic system
  • US Pat. 5,519,867: Object-oriented multitasking system
  • US Pat. 5,566,337: Method and apparatus for distributing events in an operating system
  • US Pat. 5,915,131: Method and apparatus for handling I/O requests utilizing separate programming interfaces to access separate I/O services
  • US Pat. 5,929,852: Encapsulated network entity reference of a network component system
  • US Pat. 5,946,647: System and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data
  • US Pat. 5,969,705: Message protocol for controlling a user interface from an inactive application program
  • US Pat. 6,275,983: Object-oriented operating system
  • US Pat. 6,343,263: Real-time signal processing system for serially transmitted data
  • US Pat. 6,424,354: Object-oriented event notification system with listener registration of both interests and methods
  • US Pat. RE39,486: Extensible, replaceable network component system
• 2010-11-11: Motorola sues Microsoft alleging infringement of 16 patents by Windows, Windows mobile and Xbox.

  The Motorola patents directed to PC and Server software relate to Windows OS, digital video coding, email technology including Exchange, Messenger and Outlook, Windows Live instant messaging and object oriented software architecture. The Motorola patents directed to Windows mobile software relate to Windows Marketplace, Bing maps and object oriented software architecture. The Motorola patents directed to Xbox relate to digital video coding, WiFi technology, and graphical passwords. Motorola Mobility has requested that Microsoft cease using Motorola's patented technology and provide compensation for Microsoft's past infringement. [PRNewswire]

• 2010-10-25: Gemalto sues Google, HTC, Motorola and Samsung for patent infringement, alleging "use of Gemalto's innovations in the Android operating system, Dalvik virtual machine and associated development tools and products... Gemalto's patented technologies are fundamental to running software, developed in a high level programming language such as Java, on a resource constrained device". [Gemalto press release] (LPF is working to post the claimed patent numbers)
• 2010-10-26: Microsoft seeks patent royalties from handset makers Acer and Asustek. [ComputerWorld]
• 2010-10-1: Microsoft sues Motorola and brings complaint to ITC, alleging 9 patents are infringed by Motorola's Android-based phone. At least 7 of the patents, seem to be software-related. Ars Technica has the full list. [Ars]
• 2010-10-10: Google files answer to Oracle, counterclaims and motion to dismiss the copyright claim. Copies of filings and on-going analysis of the case at Groklaw. [Groklaw]
• 2010-09-08: Free Software Foundation responds to Oracle v. Google and the threat of software patents [FSF]
• 2010-08-20: In Oracle's Android lawsuit: A Pandora's box of serious evils, Martin Heller asks is this the case that could invalidate all software patents? [Infoworld]
• 2010-08-14: Stephen O'Grady, Oracle v. Google: Why? [RedMonk]
• 2010-08-14: Dalvik: how Google routed around Sun's IP-based licensing restrictions on Java ME (from 2007) [www.betaversion.org]
• 2010-08-13: Google responds:

  "We are disappointed Oracle has chosen to attack both Google and the open-source Java community with this baseless lawsuit. The open-source Java community goes beyond any one corporation and works every day to make the web a better place. We will strongly defend open-source standards and will continue to work with the industry to develop the Android platform." [TechCrunch]

• 2010-08-13: Miguel de Icaza predicts the outcome. [tirania.org]
• 2010-08-13: Groklaw asks, are any of the asserted Oracle patents tied to a specific machine? [Groklaw]
• 2010-08-13: Carlo Daffra lists Oracle's patent claims and US patent numbers. [carlodaffara.conecta.it]
• 2010-08-12: James Gosling is not surprised by the Oracle complaint. [Gosling 'blog]
• 2010-08-12: A copy of Oracle's complaint: [PDF]
• Oracle's patent policy, circa 1990s, begins this way:

  Oracle Corporation opposes the patentability of software. The Company believes that existing copyright law and available trade secret protections, as opposed to patent law, are better suited to protecting computer software developments. [LPF Archives]

• 2010-08-12: Oracle files complaint against Google for patent and copyright infringement. "In developing Android, Google knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property. This lawsuit seeks appropriate remedies for their infringement," said Karen Tillman, speaking for Oracle. [Press Release]
• 2010-03-02: Apple sues HTC over Android. Analysis by Engadget of all twenty claimed patents. [Engadget]