The U.S. International Trade Commission will review a judge’s decision which found that Apple did not violate patents owned by Samsung Electronics in making the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad, reports “Reuters” (http://macte.ch/ZI7t5).
An administrative law judge at the ITC had said in a preliminary ruling in September that Apple was innocent of violating the patents. The ITC, which could have opted to simply uphold the judge’s decision, said that it would take up the matter. If Apple is found to infringe, its devices can be banned for sale in the United States, notes “Reuters.” A final decision is due in January.
In the preliminary ruling in September, ITC Judge Thomas Pender found Samsung in violation of four Apple patents, including intellectual property for touch-screen technology. This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.