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Apple asks ITC to block import of HTC handsets in latest patent complaint

Apple has filed a new patent complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission, asking it once again to block the import of hardware made by rival smartphone maker HTC.

The complaint was filed with the ITC on July 8, and was revealed through a notice on its official website posted Monday. As noted by Bloomberg, the nature of the complaint was not revealed in the notice, and the document is not yet available to view.

The new complaint, numbered 2828, is categorized with "Portable Electronic Devices and Related Software." Named as proposed respondents are HTC Corp., of China., HTC America Inc. of Bellevue, Wash.

Asking the ITC to ban the import of devices is standard practice when a lawsuit is filed. Similar motions were made in legal spats Apple has had with Nokia and Samsung.

Apple first sued HTC in the ITC in March of 2010, and accused the Taiwanese company of infringing on 20 patents related to the iPhone's user interface, underlying architecture and hardware. In a statement, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said though competition is "healthy," competitors should not "steal" Apple's technology.

Though the suit was directed at HTC, the complaint specifically targeted a number of phones that run Google's Android mobile operating system, leading many to believe the real purpose of the complaint was to serve as a warning shot toward Google. For its part, HTC fired back with its own lawsuit, accusing Apple of infringing on five patents.

The first complaint filed by Apple against HTC is set to be decided on by a judge on Aug. 5. The findings will the be subject to review by the full commission.

HTC saw an early victory in the case in April, when the ITC staff voiced it support for the company as the trial began. The staff made the non-binding recommendation in favor of HTC, but the actual ruling will be made by ITC Administrative Law Judge Carl Charneski next month, and will then be reviewed by the six-member commission.

33 Comments

gatorguy 14 Years · 24705 comments

Of course they filed another complaint. There's always room for more lawyers. They can share cubicles or get outsourced. Engineers require more overhead.

cy_starkman 17 Years · 653 comments

Has the ITC ever blocked a major before? I read of kodak this, apple that, etc etc but nothing ever comes of it.

Lawsuits and patents are useless. Just innovate like a mofo.

cloudgazer 14 Years · 2161 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy

Of course they filed another complaint. There's always room for more lawyers. They can share cubicles or get outsourced. Engineers require more overhead.


This may be linked to HTC's recent purchase of S3 graphics, which is of course suing Apple.

dmarcoot 16 Years · 191 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by cy_starkman

Has the ITC ever blocked a major before? I read of kodak this, apple that, etc etc but nothing ever comes of it.

Lawsuits and patents are useless. Just innovate like a mofo.


What point is there to for you or Apple spend money on R&D to "innovate like a mofo" (as Apple does) to just have me come in steal your or Apple's innovation for nothing? That is why we have patents; to encourage and reward people and companies to innovate.

And what does come out of if nothing else is Apple may be rewarded with a licensing fee paid out by HTC, so that in effect their R&D is not free.

stupidhero 15 Years · 29 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by dmarcoot

What point is there to for you or Apple spend money on R&D to "innovate like a mofo" (as Apple does) to just have me come in steal your or Apple's innovation for nothing? That is why we have patents; to encourage and reward people and companies to innovate.

And what does come out of if nothing else is Apple may be rewarded with a licensing fee paid out by HTC, so that in effect their R&D is not free.

We'll, while the whole patent idea is nice and all, as long as patent trolls exist and make up a major part of patent law suits, the whole system is useless.

But no one dares to interfere :/

The only one winning in the long run are the patent lawyers :>