US judge rules Samsung tablets infringe Apple patents, though no ban imposed

October 13, 2011 By Trevor Mogg

A US district judge ruled on Thursday that Samsung's tablets infringe Apple patents. However, no sales ban was imposed as the judge questioned the validity of the patents at the center of the dispute.

Samsung has no doubt had better weeks. A day after being told by an Australian court that it was prohibited from selling its Galaxy 10.1 tablet in the country, a court in the US ruled on Thursday that the Korean company’s Galaxy tablets infringe Apple’s patents.

However, it wasn’t all bad news – US district judge Lucy Koh stopped short of slapping a ban on sales of Samsung’s tablets in the US.

Reuters reported that for Apple to have any chance of getting an injunction preventing the sale of Samsung’s tablets in the US, the Cupertino company must first demonstrate the validity of the patents at the center of the dispute.

At the federal court hearing in San Jose, California, Koh decided not to issue an injunction regarding an Apple utility patent, but made no decision regarding an injunction on three other design patents. According to Reuters, Koh said her opinion on the utility patent was “tentative” and that a formal order would be issued shortly.

Although Apple was hoping for a ban on sales in the US of Samsung’s tablets, mobile operators Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA have been vocal in their opposition to any such ruling, concerned that Christmas sales would be harmed.

Apple first filed lawsuits against Samsung back in April, accusing the Korean company of “slavishly” copying various aspects of the iPhone and iPad in its design of the Galaxy S 4G smartphone and Galaxy 10.1 tablet.

Since then, the two technology giants have been filing various patent lawsuits against one another in nine countries across four continents.

Showing 8 comments

Richard Wills at 5:23am 15th October 2011 must be a judge bought by apple
honkj at 10:20pm 14th October 2011 "Since then, the two technology giants have been filing various patent lawsuits against one another in nine countries across four continents."well Apple has been filing lawsuits, Samsung has been filing stupidity... FRAND patents will not hold up as a means of injunction in any country with any self respect. (as the netherlands shows us)...and if this is the best Samsung has... well ... they are in for a very very bad time.
Scott Aron Bloom at 4:35pm 14th October 2011 Which I had to do for the first time on my xoom in about 3 months.. Because it now has 4g
Scott Aron Bloom at 4:35pm 14th October 2011 @Carl.. Have no idea what you are talking abut.. Have a Xoom here and wife has the Samsung 10... I also have a iPad 2 in the house... Frankly, never notice slugishness.. except on boot up because android support active widgets on the screen... So as they come up to speed there is some delay..but only from a cold boot
Kyle Hunter at 2:56pm 14th October 2011 IBM should sue all other laptop makers because they copied a screen and keyboard attached together powered by a battery.
Carl Friend at 2:46pm 14th October 2011 Honeycomb is sluggish. Play the same game on the Ipad 2 and notice the difference. Since Android Tablets have better specs it has to be the OS!
Robert Heptinstall at 1:02pm 14th October 2011 samsung suck :p
Luis Linares at 12:00pm 14th October 2011 New apple product gets announced, haters bash it and say why it won't work. Weeks later apple product hits the stores and sales are through the roof. Weeks later haters bring out their own product and try to compete and keep up....and now the haters have resorted to copying.....FUNNY.