Apple Gets Investigated for Patent Infringement, ITC Says

Cupertino-based company Apple will be investigated by the U.S. International Trade Commission following a complaint filed by Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia in December, which alleges that the iPhone, iPod and other wireless electronic communications devices from Apple are infringing a series of patents it holds in various technologies. ITC announced publicly that it would institute an investigation, and that detail on the matter would be delivered as the story developed.

“The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Nokia Corporation of Finland and Nokia Inc. of White Plains, NY, on December 29, 2009. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain electronic devices, including mobile phones, portable music players, and computers that infringe patents asserted by Nokia. The complainants request that the USITC issue an exclusion order and a cease and desist order. The USITC has identified Apple, Inc., of Cupertino, CA as the respondent in this investigation,” a press-release from ITC states.

As many of you might already remember, Nokia has filed a lawsuit against Apple back in October, alleging that the latter is infringing a series of technology patents it holds in various essential wireless communication areas, and also filed the ITC complaint in late December, after Apple responded with a countersuit stating that Nokia infringes its patents in user interfaces. Moreover, Apple also filed its own ITC complaint in mid-January, on the same basis, yet ITC hasn't responded to that complaint so far. 

When filing the complaint with ITC against Apple, Nokia asked for almost all of the company's products to be banned from the United States. According to Nokia, not only do the iPhone and iPod infringe its patents, but the same applies to most of Apple's products. However, the investigation from the Commission has just started, and it will take a while before we can learn what they found. “The USITC will make a final determination in the investigation at the earliest practicable time. Within 45 days after institution of the investigation, the USITC will set a target date for completing the investigation,” the press-release notes.