US trade agency sides with Apple over Samsung

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- Apple Inc. scored another victory Friday over its rival Samsung Electronics Co., this time in a preliminary ruling by a U.S. government trade commission.

Apple didn't violate Samsung's patent rights in producing the iPod touch, iPhones and iPads, James Gildea, a judge at the International Trade Commission (ITC), said on its Web site.

The ITC's ruling deals another blow to Samsung, based in Korea, in its harsh patent war with Apple after a U.S. federal court in California issued a ruling in favor of Apple on Aug. 24.

The nine-member jury concluded that Samsung copied the appearances and features of Apple's flagship products, awarding the Silicon Valley firm more than $1 billion in damages.

However, the jury rejected Samsung's claims that Apple infringed on its patents on key technologies, including wireless telecommunication.

Lucy Koh, a judge in the Northern District of California, is scheduled to announce her ruling on Sept. 20.

The ITC's decision marks another home-turf triumph, albeit provisional, for Apple in its years-long patent disputes with Samsung. The final ruling by the full commission is due in January.

The ITC is an independent federal agency, working with the Department of Commerce, and it determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries and directs actions against unfair trade practices, such as subsidies, dumping, patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.

Samsung pinned hopes on the final ruling next year, pledging to continue to defend its intellectual property rights.

"We remain confident that the full commission will ultimately reach a final determination that affirms our position that Apple must be held accountable for free-riding on our technological innovations," the company said in a statement.

In June last year, Samsung filed complaints with the Washington-based ITC, arguing Apple infringed on its patents over wireless communication devices, portable music and data processing devices.

Later in the year, Apple filed counter-complaints with the agency, saying Samsung copied some of its products.

The ITC is expected to deliver a preliminary ruling on Apple's complaints next month.