Oracle wants to talk with Google about Android

PEACE COULD BREAK OUT between Oracle and Google in the war over Android patents should mediation be allowed to take place, according to Oracle's lawyers.

The firms have bitterly fought over Google's alleged infringement of Oracle's Java patents in the Android source code, but perhaps this could be solved with mediation, or at least that is the opinion of Oracle. The company's lawyers say that now talks are "warranted", according to a report at Bloomberg.

"An additional attempt at settlement of the case through mediation before a United States magistrate judge is warranted," said Oracle attorney Michael Jacobs, in a filing in federal court in San Francisco seen by Bloomberg.

"Oracle has found previous efforts at settlement, including private discussions between the parties, frustrating for lack of follow-through, and believes that those efforts have not exhausted the possibilities for resolving the case," it added.

Google has not objected to the suggestion, according to other papers filed after the judge in the case called for a little more discussion between the players.

Legal bombs have been thrown by both firms and while Oracle wants to see Android devastated and has tried to call Google CEO Larry Page for a deposition, Google has thrown up a harassment card and accusations of unfairness.

Anyone that expects any patent argument to be civilised, at least in its early stages, will be very much mistaken, but perhaps more talks sanctioned by the judge in the case can change this.

The fact that Oracle is willing to talk suggests that it might want to salvage some damages and ongoing licence fees for its troubles, fearing that it might lose if it eventually goes to trial. µ