The US International Trade Commission (ITC) finalised a decision to award Sonos a win in a patent infringement dispute with Google over use of the former’s audio technology in the latter’s devices.

In a decision yesterday (6 January) the ITC said Google was found to have broken rules around importing or selling products in the US which use protected technologies without permission.

The ITC slapped a cease and desist order on Google, along with a limited exclusion order banning the import of audio players and controllers infringing five patents.

It added the case was now closed and the decision submitted to President Joe Biden, who has the power to overturn it.

The ITC began investigating in 2020 after Sonos filed a complaint claiming its IP was being used in various networked speaker devices and related controllers: Google denied wrongdoing and vowed to vigorously defend the action.

The New York Times reported a Google representative stated the company was working to ensure there was no disruption to products by using alternative product designs.

Although the decision ends the ITC case, outstanding lawsuits between Sonos and former partner Google are making their way through the US legal system.