Trials for Apple, Samsung coming in waves in U.S.

Apple and Samsung Electronics, the world’s top two smartphone makers, are heading to trials that may resolve global patent disputes their chief executive officers were unable to resolve independently.

Overlapping trials are beginning this week at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington, where each company accuses the other of infringing patents for features and hardware.

They will be followed up in July by a jury trial involving other patent claims in federal court in San Jose, California.

“This is about brinkmanship and bargaining position,” said Rodney Sweetland, a patent lawyer with Duane Morris in Washington who specializes in ITC cases. “They both have too much to lose and too much to gain to not make a settlement.”

The first ITC trial, scheduled from yesterday through June 6, involves Apple’s patent-infringement claim against Samsung. Apple accuses its Korean rival of copying six patents including ones covering inventions related to touch-screen devices, headset detection and the look and shape of the iPhone.

Apple is seeking to block imports of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablet computer and phones including the Nexus, Captivate, Indulge, Infuse and Sidekick. Bloomberg