Apple Wins Skirmish in Nokia Patent War
By REUTERS March 25, 2011
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Apple Inc won a round in its patent fight with Nokia on Friday as a U.S. trade panel judge ruled that the U.S. company did not violate any of five Nokia patents.
In its complaint, Nokia asked the trade panel to bar the importation of Apple devices that infringe Nokia patents, citing in particular the iPhone 3GS mobile phone and iPod Nano portable music player.
Judge James Gildea, of the International Trade Commission, which hears many patent cases, said in his initial determination that Apple did not violate the Nokia patents. The complaint had been filed in December 2009.
The next step will be for the entire commission to either uphold or throw out Gildea's decision. The target date for that decision is August 1, 2011.
In a separate decision on Friday, the ITC said it would review a judge's ruling that Research in Motion Ltd and Apple Inc did not infringe on Eastman Kodak Co patented technology. That final decision is expected in May.
Nokia said on Friday it was taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the ITC ruling in its fight with Apple.
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