Software company Oracle has filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the outfit nicked some of its ideas with the Android mobile operating system.

At the centre of the row is Oracle's Java software, which it acquired through the purchase of Sun Microsystems earlier this year. Oracle spokeswoman Karen Tillman said that Google knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle's Java-related intellectual property.

Google's Android platform has enjoyed a rapid ascent in the smartphone market due to the multiplicity of devices now running it. Industry insiders have wondered about Android's effect on the Java programming language. Oracle is seeking an injunction to stop Google from further building and distributing Android, plus higher monetary damages for willful and deliberate infringement.