Apple faces patent infringement allegations again, barely a week after it lost a $506 million case

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched a probe to look into whether certain Apple Inc mobile electronic devices and laptop computers infringed patents held by Japanese consumer electronic company Maxell. The company has alleged violation of section 377 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by the American tech giant.

“The investigation is based on a complaint filed by Maxell, Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, on July 17, 2020. The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain mobile electronic devices and laptop computers that infringe patents asserted by the complainant. The complainant requests that the USITC issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order, the trade regulator said in a statement.

Asking the commission to prohibit the importation and sale of the devices into the US, Maxell has requested USITC to issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order against Apple.

Section 377 investigations by the USITC pertain to cases of unfair imports, usually involving claims regarding intellectual property rights, including allegations of patent infringement and trademark infringement by imported goods. Other forms of unfair competition and antitrust claims involving imported products can also be asserted under the law.

This case comes only about a week after Apple Inc was reportedly ordered by a Texas jury to pay $506 million to telecom companies after it was found that it willfully infringed on as many as five patents. The tech company had, however, said it would appeal the decision by the court.

On August 19, Apple became the first US company to hit the two trillion-dollar market valuation, just two years after becoming the first to top  trillion dollar mark.Also Read | With $2 trillion market cap, Apple tops GDP of Brazil, Australia, Canada and more

Article Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/apple-faces-patent-infringement-allegations-again-barely-a-week-after-it-lost-a-506-million-case-5733621.html