The U.S. International Trade Commission (‘ITC’) issued a preliminary ruling today concluding that Apple iPhone and iPad wireless devices violate Motorola Mobility’s U.S. Patent No. 6,246,697.
Patent holder Motorola Mobility — whose acquisition by Android OS maker Google is still pending — holds this more than 10-year-old wireless method and system patent to reduce background signal noise in wireless transmissions.
The IP litigation between Apple and Motorola, however, is far from over.
Three other Motorola patents, however, were not found to have been violated because they either did not cover a new invention, or were not found to be infringing.
Today’s decision by Administrative Law Judge Thomas B. Pender is not final, however, however, because it still needs to get an official sign-off from all six members of the ITC.
In related Apple-Motorola litigation before the tribunal, another ITC Administrative Law Judge issued an initial determination in January 2012 year finding that Motorola’s Droid smartphones did not violate three Apple patents.
You can read ITC Judge Pender’s initial determination by here:
