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Nokia hits Apple again with patent complaints

The phone maker files another patent infringement complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission, just days after losing an ITC judgment on a claim against Apple.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
2 min read

In its patent battle against Apple, there's just no stopping Nokia.

The Finnish company announced today that it has filed another complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against Apple for allegedly violating Nokia patents "in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, tablets, and computers."

Nokia's complaint cites seven patents that it believes Apple violates through its use of "multitasking operating systems, data synchronization, positioning, call quality, and the use of Bluetooth accessories."

Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The legal skirmishing between the companies has been under way since 2009, when Nokia filed a patent-infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Delaware against Apple for allegedly violating 10 patents. Apple followed up later that year with a complaint against Nokia, saying that the company violated 13 of its own patents. At the end of 2009, Nokia lodged its first complaint with the U.S. ITC, and included seven alleged patent infringements in that suit.

Less than a month later, Apple responded with its own complaint to the U.S. ITC, requesting the federal agency block imports of Nokia mobile phones to the U.S. It alleged at the time that Nokia was violating patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Nokia pressed on with its lawsuits last year, filing a patent dispute in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin relating to the use of "enhanced speech and data transmission," among other features being used in Apple's iPad 3G and iPhone. It then took its fight to the U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands back in December, saying that the Cupertino, Calif.-based company violated 13 of its patents.

But it wasn't until just a few days ago that the U.S. ITC finally started to address the ongoing saga between Apple and Nokia.

A judge at the U.S. ITC ruled last week that Apple did not violate any of the patents Nokia included in its original 2009 complaint. Over the summer, the U.S. ITC will be holding a hearing to decide to either follow that judge's lead and throw the case out or reject the magistrate's ruling.

Nokia is taking issue with the U.S. ITC's decision. The company said today in the announcement of its new complaint that it "does not agree with the ITC's initial determination." The company plans to review the full ruling and determine how to respond after that.