Google is being taken to court over patent infringement charges related to the search giant's nascent Internet calling service, in a case that could put a crimp in the rollout of Google Talk.

In October, Rates Technology filed suit against Google in a New York district court, alleging that Google violated two patents pertaining to technology that minimizes the cost of long-distance VoIP Relevant Products/Services from 3COM calls.

http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?sto...id=131000035TOX

To quote a bit more from the article...

Google Sued over VoIP Technology
http://www.toptechnews.com/story.xhtml?sto...id=131000035TOX
[quote]...
While the complaint could cause problems for Google, said IDC analyst Will Stofega, Rates Technology may have a difficult time proving its case. "The technology involved here applies to a lot of different devices and networks, and the accusations are pretty vague," he said.

Stofega said the issue centers on "least cost routing" capabilities that send calls through network channels that are the most cost effective. "It is vital to VoIP services, although to my knowledge the technology is based on open standards," he said.
...
"It's unclear how Google violated the patents, but it's not surprising that Rates Technology would go after them, given Google's deep pockets," said Stofega. "Their M.O. seems to be to go after the bigger companies and to ignore the smaller players."
...[/quote]

A bit more on this in another article.

RTI Sues Google for Voice Service Patent
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,180202,00.html
[quote]...
Weinberger said companies covered under RTI patents include Yahoo Inc. (YHOO), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Verizon Communications (VZ).

RTI is currently holding talks with Time Warner Inc. (TWX) about its Internet unit AOL and with online auction site eBay for its Skype voice offering. RTI is also locked in lawsuits with Cablevision for its cable voice service and with broadband phone service company Vonage.
...[/quote]

I saw this in today's Guardian (from the UK)

Internet call company to sue Google for $5bn

David Teather
Saturday December 31, 2005
The Guardian


Google is being sued by an American company that claims to hold patents for the technology that enables voice calls to be made over the internet. The New York-based Rates Technology said it would probably seek damages of about $5bn (£3bn). It alleges that the internet search engine has infringed its patents with the recently launched Google Talk.
RTI claims companies including Microsoft and Lucent have made one-off payments for use of its patents and that the firm is in similar talks with Time Warner and eBay. It is in legal action with others. Google said the suit was without merit.