A trademark lawsuit filed against Google earlier this year has been dismissed, it has been reported.Beijing-based firm Gu Ge Technology - an online shopping service company - had sued the search engine provider, claiming that Google's Chinese name Gu Ge is the same as its own.
The firm had argued that it had prior use of the name and had requested that Google change its identity in China.
Gu Ge Technology was officially registered with Beijing's Municipal Industrial and Commercial Bureau in April 2006, whereas Google established its Chinese branch in November 2006, according to Variety Asia.
During a hearing in a local Beijing court, Google defended itself using the argument that Gu Ge Technology had registered its name in so-called "bad faith" four days after widespread media reports in the country that Google had decided to call itself Gu Ge.
According to reports on ChinaCourt.org, which were subsequently translated into English and posted on Pacific Epoch, the court has thrown out the lawsuit, deciding that Google China had indeed begun using the name prior to the registering of Gu Ge Technology.
In related news, Google is also embroiled in a legal battle with Northeastern University over an alleged patent infringement concerning search databases.
Legal papers filed earlier this year stated that the university has "suffered damages as a result of Google's infringement and will continue to suffer damages" unless a court order prevents it.
