The US International Trade Commission has dismissed the first complaint by graphics firm S3 against Apple since”no violation” was shown and that its investigation into the complaint against Macs has been terminated, “reports “FOSS Patents” (http://macte.ch/3Msaa).
The finding overturns a July ruling by ITC judge James Gildea, which determined that none of the S3 patents were relevant to Apple’s iOS products The operating system on the Mac infringes two S3 patents related to graphics chips involving image compression, Gildea said.
“It’s a setback for HTC, which is in the process of acquiring S3 Graphics and was hoping to gain leverage against Apple,” Florian Mueller writes for “FOSS Patents. ” HTC’s own first ITC complaint against Apple is rather unlikely to result in a finding of any violation. An Administrative Law Judge made an initial determination of no violation, and the ITC staff (the Office of Unfair Import Investigations) does not appear to oppose the ALJ’s position.”