Kodak patent complaint against Apple, RIM revived (AP)

Friday, March 25, 2011 6:01 PM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A federal authority said Friday that it module review Eastman Kodak Co.'s high-stakes patent-infringement verify against profession giants Apple Inc. and Research in Motion Ltd.

The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., united to examine a judge's finding in Jan that Apple's iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry don't break an image-preview papers the picturing originator obtained in 2001.

The selection revives Kodak's hopes of negotiating royalties worth $1 1000000000 or more. The agency's sextet commissioners module end by May 23 whether to edit the initial selection by its honcho administrative judge, Apostle Luckern, or permit it stand.

Kodak spokesman Gerard Meuchner said "we are entertained with the selection and we look nervy to the incoming travel in the process."

The consort has amassed more than 1,000 digital-imaging patents, and nearly every digital cameras rely on that technology. Mining its rich clothing of inventions has become an vital agency in a daylong and agonized turnaround.

That crusade was stalled by the recession, which began meet after Kodak complete a three-year, $3.4 1000000000 digital upkeep in 2007. Its section has plunged to 18,800 people, from 70,000 in 2002.

Kodak's shares jumped 27 cents, or 8.6 percent, to close at $3.40 Friday, then effort up 72 more cents to $4.12 in after-hours trading. They are trading in a 52-week range of $2.90 to $9.08.

Messages hunt interpret from RIM were not directly returned. An Apple spokeswoman said the consort had no comment.

After failed negotiations, Kodak filed a upset against Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple and Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM in Jan 2010 with the authorisation that oversees U.S. trade disputes. It also filed two lawsuits against Apple in federal suite in Rochester, but it has not given the damages it is seeking.

In December 2009, the authorisation ruled that radiophone phones made by Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. infringed the aforementioned Kodak patent, and Kodak received a one-time $550 meg house payment from Samsung and a $414 meg care was reached with LG Electronics.

The 131-year-old camera concern has said it expects to move to create an cipher of between $250 meg and $350 meg yearly finished 2013 from licensing its digital technology. Over the terminal threesome years, it outpaced that figure, engagement $1.9 1000000000 in revenue.

Kodak has banked on replacing powerful profits it erst made on film, with auspicious newborn lines of bag inkjet printers and high-speed inkjet presses. It expects to create its prototypal profits from consumer printers this year and its commercial distinction is targeted to turn juicy in 2012.

Separately, ITC determine E. James Gildea issued an initial judgement in a disagreement between Apple and Nokia Corp. on Friday, saying Apple did not infringe on five of Nokia's patents.

Nokia, the world's maximal concern of radiophone phones, filed a upset with the ITC in Dec. 2009, alleging Apple's iPods, iPhone and computers break Nokia's intellectual concept rights. At supply were key features institute in Apple products, including aspects of user interface, cameras, antenna and noesis direction technologies, Nokia said at the time. The consort claimed that the technologies in question help cut manufacturing costs, reduce gadget size and preserve shelling life.

The radiophone phone concern began its papers fight with Apple in October 2009, filing its prototypal papers infringement verify against Apple in Delaware. Apple filed a countersuit, claiming Nokia was infringing on a variety of its patents.

Apple countersued Nokia in the U.S., and also filed a counter-complaint with the ITC.

Nokia has also filed papers lawsuits terminal year against Apple in Britain, FRG and the Netherlands.

Apple had no interpret on Gildea's ruling. A spokeswoman for Nokia did not directly respond to requests for comment.

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AP Technology Writer wife Metz in San Francisco contributed to this report.


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