LG, Samsung under investigation for Kodak patent infringement

U.S. International Trade Commission agrees to look into Kodak's claims

By Nancy Gohring

December 16, 2008 12:00 PM ET

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IDG News Service - The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) agreed to investigate Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. based on a complaint filed by Eastman Kodak Co.

Kodak submitted its complaint in November, charging LG and Samsung with violating its patents in their camera phones and other mobile products. The relevant patents cover technology related to image capture, compression and data storage, as well as a method for previewing certain images, Kodak said.

The companies have all discussed the matter but haven't come to a satisfactory agreement, Kodak said.

Kodak is asking the ITC to prevent LG and Samsung from importing and selling the products that, according to Kodak, infringe on Kodak patents in the U.S.

The ITC will follow its standard timeline in the case, meaning that in 45 days it will set a target date for completing the investigation.

At the same time that it filed the ITC complaint, Kodak also filed a lawsuit against the companies in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. That suit seeks damages as well as an injunction.

Kodak does not name the specific products from either phone maker that it claims infringe on the patents. It says that it first approached the companies about certain patents as far back as 2004.

LG and Samsung did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Reprinted with permission from

IDG.net
Story copyright 2009 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

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