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Commission to review Kodak complaint against iPhones, Blackberry devices

17.02.10

The U.S. International Trade Commission said Wednesday it has voted to began an investigation of Eastman Kodak Co.’s patent infringement complaint against the makers of iPhones and BlackBerry devices.

Kodak filed a complaint on Jan. 14 alleging Apple Inc.’s iPhone and some BlackBerry models, sold by Research in Motion Ltd., infringe on a Kodak 2001 patent. It asked the Washington, D.C.-based ITC to block imports of the devices. The case involves smartphones with build-in cameras.

The commission’s chief administrative law judge will assign the case to one of the six administrative law judges who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing. That judge will make an initial determination as to whether there is a violation. The determination is subject to review by the commission.

Kodak last month reached an agreement with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. following an ITC ruling in Kodak’s favor. On Dec. 17, an ITC administrative law judge issued a ruling declaring the Kodak patent covering color image preview was valid and enforceable, and that Samsung’s camera-enabled mobile devices infringed upon that Kodak patent.

Source: Rochester Business Journal