ITC delays decision on Samsung import ban

On Tuesday, the ITC extended the target date for completing the investigation until August 30 and requested additional arguments on three out of four patents that Judge Thomas Pender ruled that Samsung had infringed.

The Commission said it will reconsider Judge Pender’s decision, made in March. It also sought comments on how the public would be affected by an import ban on the Samsung products in question.

The products that Apple is asking the ITC to block from being imported into the US include Samsung’s Replenish, Intercept and Nexus 4G phones, and some versions of its Galaxy Tab computer.

The case, which dates back to July 2011, is one of numerous patent disputes between the two companies. It concerns patents covering certain semiconductor chips and modules and products utilising dram circuitry.

Apple alleges that Samsung infringed the design and other features of its iPhone, while Samsung claims Apple uses data-transmission technology owned by Samsung. The ITC is expected to make a final ruling in Samsung’s case against Apple on May 31.