ITC Finds Kodak Did Not Infringe on Apple Patents

Kodak is not infringing on patents owned by Apple Inc., according to ruling handed down Monday by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The ITC was reviewing a decision issued by an Administrative Law Judge in May of 2011 who had sided with Kodak in complaints filed by Apple, and upheld that ruling.

The case was part of a back-and-forth battle between Apple and Kodak relating to digital cameras in Apple’s iPhones. Kodak has been quite successful in using ITC complaints and lawsuits in forcing companies to pay licensing royalties for some key patents that Kodak owns. Today’s ruling concerned counter claims that Apple had filed in response to an initial round of claims by Kodak.

“We are pleased that the commission has confirmed the [Administrative Law Judge’s] finding that there is no violation by Kodak,” a Kodak spokesman said in a statement.

Among the smartphone makers that Kodak has already settled with are Korean giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

Apple and Kodak still have cases pending in court, but today’s ruling is likely to protect Kodak from claims of infringement from Apple as those cases work their way through to completion.

Apple vs. Kodak

Apple vs. Kodak