Oracle intends to rely heavily on Google's own internal emails to prove Google's top executives knew they were stealing a popular piece of technology to build the Android software that now powers more than 300 million smartphones and tablet computers.

Oracle's strategy emerged Monday as one of the company's lawyers kicked off the opening phase of a lengthy trial pitting two Silicon Valley powerhouses.

lawyers will make their opening statements Tuesday.

The showdown in a San Francisco federal court centers on allegations that Google's Android software infringes on the patents and copyrights of Java, a programming technology that began developing 20 years ago.

Oracle Corp. acquired the rights to Java when it bought Sun Microsystems for $7.3 billion in 2010.

. has denied Oracle's allegations.

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