In his preliminary decision, the ITC judge found that while Samsung did infringe portions of the text-selection feature owned by Apple, it did not infringe portions of another Apple patent over detecting whether a microphone or other device is plugged into the microphone jack of a smartphone or tablet.
A final decision on the matter is expected in August and the full commission may overturn or uphold the preliminary decision.
If the decision is upheld then Apple gets its rights confirmed on text selection in tablets and smartphones. Apple can also bar infringing devices from being imported into United States, including Samsung’s Galaxy, Transform and Nexus devices.
Previously, in the same matter, ITC Judge Thomas Pender had held Samsung guilty of infringing four Apple patents, but not of violating two others. While Apple had initially accused Samsung of infringing seven of its patents, allegations over one of those patents were dropped during litigation.
However, the full commission did not uphold the previous findings of and sent it back for the agency judge to have a fresh look at the two patents in which he found infringement by Samsung. The new decision by the agency judge relieved Samsung from that of infringing one of the patents, but held that Samsung had, at least, infringed the feature of selecting text.
This remanded decision was unsealed on Thursday.
The Apple-Samsung patent war is being waged in courts across 10 countries where the companies are trying to gain market dominance.
The case at the International Trade Commission is No. 337-796