谷歌有意助三星應對蘋果專利訴訟

New evidence in the Apple-Samsung patent trial bolstered a widespread suspicion: this case might as well be called Apple v. Google.

蘋果公司(Apple)與三星電子(Samsung Electronics Co.)專利訴訟案流出的新證據支持了外界的一個廣泛猜測：或許這同樣是一場蘋果與谷歌(Google Inc.)之間的戰爭。

Apple on Tuesday introduced a deposition by Google lawyer James Maccoun, who verified emails that the search giant had offered to cover some of Samsung's legal costs and agreed to foot some of the damages if the Korean electronics giant lost.

AP蘋果週二出示了一份谷歌律師麥考恩(James Maccoun)的證詞。麥考恩證實了一批谷歌與三星的往來電子郵件。這些郵件顯示，谷歌願意承擔三星的部分訴訟成本，如果三星敗訴，谷歌還同意承擔部分賠償。

Google's legal protection pertained to two of the five patents asserted by Apple in this case. Apple is seeking $2.2 billion from Samsung for infringing those five patents. Samsung has countered by saying that Apple infringed two of its patents and is seeking $7 million.

蘋果在該案中指控三星侵犯了其五項專利，索賠22億美元，谷歌提供給三星的法律援助就涉及其中的兩項專利。三星反訴蘋果侵犯其兩項專利，要求蘋果賠償700萬美元。

The deep links between Google and Samsung are not surprising. Earlier in the trial, Samsung has said that four of the five patents Apple is asserting were covered by Google's work on the Android operating system and Google engineers testified on Samsung's behalf during the trial to counter Apple's claims. Samsung is the biggest manufacturer of smartphones and tablets running Android.

谷歌與三星過從甚密並不令人意外。在案件審理早期三星就曾表示，蘋果提及的五項專利中，有四項是谷歌爲安卓(Android)系統研發的，谷歌工程師也出庭爲三星作證。三星是全球最大的安卓智能手機和平板電腦生產商。

In the deposition, Maccoun confirmed that Google agreed to help defend Samsung against some intellectual property claims as part of the 'Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (MADA)' between the two companies. This agreement allows Samsung to use Google applications on its devices.

麥考恩證實，根據兩家公司簽署的“移動應用分銷協議”(MADA)，谷歌同意幫助三星應對知識產權訴訟。該協議允許三星在其設備上使用谷歌開發的應用。

The deposition was introduced by Apple to refute an earlier statement by Samsung saying that it was not seeking indemnification from Google in Sept. 2012 for the patents in question. This deposition authenticated emails from April 2012 of Samsung discussing indemnification terms with Google.

蘋果出示麥考恩的證詞，是爲了反駁三星之前在一份聲明中說它沒有在2012年9月就糾紛專利向谷歌索要補償。而這份證詞證實了2012年4月起三星與谷歌討論補償事宜的多份郵件的真實性。

Introducing the deposition was a slight departure from Apple's legal strategy so far in the trial, which is taking place in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif. Throughout the trial, Apple's lawyers had been downplaying Google's role in the case, making clear that Samsung was the main party in this case.

本案目前正在加州 何塞地區法院(District Court in San Jose)審理，出示這份證詞標誌着開庭以來蘋果的訴訟策略有了小小的變化。在之前的庭審過程中，蘋果律師一直淡化谷歌在本案中的角色，明確三星纔是案件主體。

Earlier on Tuesday, Apple defended itself against the two patents that Samsung is asserting by noting that the Korean firm had purchased the patents after the iPhone maker filed its first patent suit in 2011. Samsung has argued that it regularly acquires patents as part of building its intellectual property portfolio.

週二早些時候，蘋果爲自己被指控侵犯三星兩項專利做了辯護，稱三星是在2011年蘋果提起首樁專利訴訟後才購買的這兩項專利。三星則表示，爲了擴充知識產權組合，自己定期購買專利。