Google triumphs in Android patent case

The threat of Google having to give up the Android name has been banished after a judge found in the search giant's favour in a long running patent case.

Erich Specht was asserting that he owned the rights to the name, and back in mid-2009 put together a court case and asked for £70 million in damages.

But a judge has sided with Google over who has the rights to use the name, despite the Big G being denied the trademark back in 2007.

What about Specht's appeal?

TechCrunch has published the full 57-page documentation of the case, and after sifting through, it appears that Specht was merely trying to get a slice of the pie for a trademark he'd given up on.

In 2003 he ceased trading through the Android Data company, after the company's he was providing systems for either stopped taking licenses or became defunct.

He attempted to sell the assets for the company, including giving up the trademark, but after that was unsuccessful he eventually left the name dormant and eventually let the domain AndroidData.com expire.

It was only after a call to purchase the trademark in 2009 did he learn of Google's intentions, and began trying to resurrect the company before filing the lawsuit.

But the judge has decided these efforts were simply designed to gain money from Android's success and sided with Google by throwing the case out.