A federal judge ordered Motorola Mobility Inc. (MMI) and Google Inc. (GOOG) to turn over information about their merger and the search giant's Android operating system, as part of a lawsuit by Apple Inc. (AAPL).

Apple, the plaintiff in a 2010 smartphone patent suit against Motorola, sought the documentation earlier this month. The request represents one effort in a wide-ranging battle among mobile device makers using intellectual property for legal and competitive advantage.

Monday, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner granted Apple's motion for information regarding Google's $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola, according to a court filing. Posner also backed Apple's request for documentation of Google's development of Android, its mobile operating system.

Apple lawyers argued in their March 2 discovery request that the information is relevant to its case because, for example, it will show the value Google placed on Motorola device features that allegedly infringe on Apple's patents.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based iPhone maker is arguing that several Motorola devices infringe on its patents involving touch-screen interfaces and other technologies. Motorola has countersued.

Posner, who was designated to hear the U.S. District Court case in December, has scheduled separate jury trials for Apple's and Motorola's cases later this year.

Representatives of Google and Motorola Mobility couldn't immediately be reached for comment. The order was reported earlier by Bloomberg News.

-By Matt Jarzemsky, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2240; matthew.jarzemsky@dowjones.com

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