March 12 (Reuters) - Top phone makers Nokia and Apple will seek a U.S. court hearing in a key patent battle in mid-2012, a court filing showed, raising the spectre of a prolonged legal struggle.
Following are the key developments in the legal battle:
NOKIA OCTOBER ATTACK
Nokia filed a suit in the United States in October 2009, accusing Apple of infringing 10 patents in technologies including wireless data transfer, a key factor in the success of iPhone. The suit accused Apple of trying to hitch a 'free ride' on Nokia's technology investment.
APPLE COUNTERATTACK
Apple filed a countersuit on Dec. 11 accusing Nokia of infringing 13 Apple patents.
It later removed four patents from the list.
'Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours,' Bruce Sewell, Apple's General Counsel, said in a statement.
Nokia and Apple expect trials to take place in 2012.
ITC
On Dec. 29 Nokia said it had filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Apple infringes seven Nokia patents in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers.
Apple filed a complaint against Nokia with the ITC on Jan. 15.
The ITC will start investigations based on both complaints.
(Reporting by Tarmo Virki, Editing by Sonya Dowsett) Keywords: NOKIA APPLE/ (tarmo.virki@reuters.com, +358-9-680 50 235, Reuters messaging: tarmo.virki.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Following are the key developments in the legal battle:
NOKIA OCTOBER ATTACK
Nokia filed a suit in the United States in October 2009, accusing Apple of infringing 10 patents in technologies including wireless data transfer, a key factor in the success of iPhone. The suit accused Apple of trying to hitch a 'free ride' on Nokia's technology investment.
APPLE COUNTERATTACK
Apple filed a countersuit on Dec. 11 accusing Nokia of infringing 13 Apple patents.
It later removed four patents from the list.
'Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours,' Bruce Sewell, Apple's General Counsel, said in a statement.
Nokia and Apple expect trials to take place in 2012.
ITC
On Dec. 29 Nokia said it had filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Apple infringes seven Nokia patents in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers.
Apple filed a complaint against Nokia with the ITC on Jan. 15.
The ITC will start investigations based on both complaints.
(Reporting by Tarmo Virki, Editing by Sonya Dowsett) Keywords: NOKIA APPLE/ (tarmo.virki@reuters.com, +358-9-680 50 235, Reuters messaging: tarmo.virki.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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