Sonos ‘Confident About the Merit’ of Its Google Case, Now Under ITC Investigation

Sonos is “pleased” the International Trade Commission “confirmed it will initiate a formal investigation into all of our claims asserting Google blatantly infringed our intellectual property,” emailed a spokesperson Friday. “We’ll fully cooperate throughout the duration of the investigation and feel confident about the merit of our case.” The ITC voted 4-0 to open a Tariff Act Section 337 investigation into Sonos allegations that Google smart speakers and other devices infringe its multiroom audio patents (see 2002060070). The agency declined comment Friday on Commissioner Rhonda Schmidtlein’s recusal from the vote. The investigation was assigned to Chief Administrative Law Judge Charles Bullock, said a notice to the parties.