Samsung filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission on Tuesday in an effort to block the import of the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad into the United States. The filing follows an ongoing patent infringement legal battle between Apple and Samsung over mobile devices.
Samsung takes its fight with Apple to the ITC
The filing specifically mentions Apple, along with a product list that includes “Mobile Electronic Devices, Including Wireless Communication Devices, Portable Music and Data Processing Devices, and Tablet Computer.”
Florian Mueller has been following the patent battle at Foss Patents.
“The combination of the accused products and the defendant means that Samsung is asking for an import ban against the iPhone, iPad and iPod,” he said on his Web site. “If the ITC agrees to investigate such a complaint (which is pretty certain to happen here), a final decision is reached within 16 to 18 months.”
Apple and Samsung have been locked in a legal battle over mobile device patents for several months. Apple filed a U.S. lawsuit in April alleging Samsung was copying the iPhone design, and Samsung responded by filing patent infringement suits against Apple in Japan, Germany and South Korea.
Samsung later filed a similar case in the U.S. Apple followed up by broadening its claims against Samsung, and was granted access to several of the company’s products as part of its legal strategy.
Apple has not commented on Samsung’s ITC filing.