In another blow to Samsung Electronics in its continuing patent disputes with Apple, the Obama administration has decided to uphold a ban requested by Apple of some of Samsung’s mobile products, Brian X. Chen reports.
Michael Froman, the United States trade representative, said in a statement that he decided to allow the ban to proceed after “weighing policy considerations, including the impact on consumers and competition, advice from agencies and information from interested parties.”
The ban, which was ordered by the International Trade Commission, was issued in August after the agency determined that Samsung had violated two Apple patents. The Obama administration could have vetoed the ruling, as it did in August with a ban ordered on Apple’s products.
Mr. Froman said the ban would cover Samsung’s older smartphones and tablets. The decision, he said, would have little effect on the availability of Samsung products, because Samsung has been able to make changes to its newer products so that they avoid infringing on Apple’s patents.
In its case with the trade commission, Apple accused Samsung of violating four patents, including a design patent for the general look of an iPhone — a rectangle with rounded corners — and a utility patent for detecting when headphones are plugged into a device.
After a review, the commission said Samsung had violated the patent regarding headphone detection and another patent covering the mechanics for touch-screen technology.
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