What may be one of Google's best years yet has also been a tough one on the legal front. Everyone's open source favorite has been accused of patent infringement, yet again, and another lawsuit has been slapped on top of their already thick stack of legal paperwork. Android has been targeted by many companies, this time around its a company by the name of Gemalto.

Gemalto is the world leader in digital security and a "ground-breaking contributor to the JavaCard." The lawsuit isn't specific to Google as it directly states manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, and Motorola have all used Gemalto's innovations (Dalvik virtual machine and associated development tools and products) in the Android operating system. The good news is Google has stated before that they will, "...strongly defend open-source standards and will continue to work with the industry to develop the Android platform."

As Google and Android continue to grow, they will remain a target, and I foresee the lawsuits stacking even higher before the whirlwind dies down. Google has a gold mine all to itself right now and people want in on the coinage. If Google has wrongfully used someone else's patented technology, then that company has a right that money, but these patent infringements are a dime a dozen now. Whether patent was actually infringed on is unbeknownst to me, but I'm sure this one will end up like most of these infringement cases and see a lump settlement outside of court. However, a Gemalto spokesperson did make the company seem very motivated to elevate this as needed by stating :

“This lawsuit is necessary to protect our investment in innovation..." 

"The technologies we develop and associated intellectual property rights are essential to Gemalto's future. It is our commitment to our employees, customers, partners, and shareholders to protect those innovations from companies who ignore Gemalto's intellectual property rights."

Just know that we're rooting for you, Andy.

Via Mashable