Apple, Samsung Both Lose Rulings in German Patent Cases (2)
March 2 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., which are suing each other over technology used in tablets and mobile phones, both lost rulings over patents in German lawsuits.
The Regional Court of Mannheim rejected Samsung's bid to protect mathematical coding procedures as well as Apple's case over features for unlocking touch screens. Neither company showed a patent was infringed, Presiding Judge Andreas Voss said when delivering the rulings.
Samsung lost because "the standard doesn't protect the result but the way to reach the code," Voss said. Apple didn't prevail because Samsung's devices "don't use a displayed pre- determined path on the touch screen."
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, and Samsung, the world's largest mobile phone maker, are among several device makers clashing in German courts over patents. More disputes over smartphones and tablets are pending in German courts.
The rejection of Apple's case confirms that Samsung's devices are distinctive and don't infringe Apple's intellectual property, Samsung spokesman Alexander Engelhardt said in an e- mail. The company is disappointed the court didn't share its view in its own suit and may appeal.
Apple spokesman Alan Hely declined to comment on today's rulings and referred to the company's earlier statement that Samsung is "blatantly" copying the iPhone and iPad.
Two weeks ago in a Munich court, Apple prevailed in a case over on the same "slide-to-unlock" technology, winning an injunction against Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc.
Today's cases are LG Mannheim 7 O 326/11 (Samsung v. Apple) and 7 0 247/11 (Apple v. Samsung).
To contact the reporter on this story: Konstantin Riffler in Mannheim via kriffler@bloomberg.net; Karin Matussek in Berlin at kmatussek@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@Bloomberg.net.
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