Apple has won another legal victory in its ongoing battle with Samsung (News - Alert), following an initial ruling from an International Trade Commission (ITC) judge.
Reuters reported the judge concluded that Samsung infringed on part of an Apple patent regarding a text-selection feature in tablets and smartphones. But the preliminary decision adds that Samsung didn’t infringe on a second Apple patent, which relates to a microphone or another device plugged into a microphone jack.
The ITC decision was issued on March 26, and was released late last week.
The full ITC can either agree with or overturn the initial ruling. It will likely release its decision in August. If the ITC agrees with the initial ruling, it could restrict imports into the United States of offending devices. Apple alleges the Samsung Galaxy, Transform and Nexus devices include the technology.
In 2011, Apple alleged Samsung infringed on its patents. In a decision in October, ITC Judge Thomas Pender ruled Samsung infringed on four Apple patents, but did not violate two others.
“The full commission then said it wanted the agency's judge to take a second look at portions of two patents where he had found that Samsung infringed,” Reuters (News - Alert) reported. “That remanded decision, issued in late March, was unsealed on Thursday.”
Court cases between Apple and Samsung have been waged in some 10 nations, with Google's (News - Alert) Android software at the heart of the conflict.
In Germany last week, a patent court invalidated a patent held by Apple, SAPA reported, which had been challenged by Motorola (News - Alert) and Samsung. It related to the “slide to unlock” function for smartphones. The new ruling can be appealed by Apple.
One visitor to SAPA’s article, “Luke,” complained that, “Apple [is] always trying to get patents in different countries or [is] fighting with Samsung over patents. It never seems to end.”
In addition, in September a German court dismissed a lawsuit by Apple against Samsung, according to TMCnet. Apple claimed that Samsung and Google-owned Motorola Mobility infringed on its patents which are used in touchscreen technology. Last year’s ruling by a Mannheim state court was similar to recent decisions in Britain and the Netherlands.
These rulings were in contrast to last year’s U.S. decision when Samsung was found to be infringing on Apple patents, and Apple was awarded $1.05 billion after a lengthy and much-publicized trial held in California, TechZone360 reported.
During that trial, Apple claimed Samsung stole patented features of the iPhone (News - Alert).