ITC to investigate major handset manufacturers in patent dispute

Licensing firm Digitude claims four patents are being infringed

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into a number of high-profile tablet and smartphone manufacturers after licensing firm Digitude Innovations alleged patent infringement.

Digitude alleges that devices made by a number of manufacturers including Amazon, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson infringe four of its patents.

"The complaint alleges violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 in the importation into the United States and sale of certain portable communication devices that infringe patents asserted by Digitude Innovations," noted the ITC.

"The complainant requests that the USITC issues an exclusion order and a cease and desist order."

The technologies at the centre of the dispute cover remote management of calls and the way in which users are notified about unopened messages.

Interestingly, Apple has not been named as a respondent as the firm reportedly joined forces with Digitude late last year. Digitude has a portfolio of more than 550 patents ranging from consumer electronics to portable communication devices.

The case will be assigned to an administrative law judge (ALJ), who will schedule and hold an evidentiary hearing.

This is the latest in a long line of patent disputes involving mobile technology. Several manufacturers are involved in bitter legal disputes against each other and patent licensing firms.

Apple and Samsung battled over their smartphone and tablet range throughout 2011 and HTC has been embroiled in a patent battle with IPCom.

Last week, Android manufacturer Motorola had a victory in the courts against Apple. The ITC said in its preliminary decision that the Android vendor was not violating Apple patents