Kodak settles camera patent dispute with Samsung
Eastman Kodak Co and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will license one another's digital camera technology, settling a lingering dispute between the two companies, Kodak said on Monday.
The announcement follows a ruling last month by an U.S. International Trade Commission judge that Samsung had infringed on two Kodak patents. As a result of the agreement, each company will be allowed to access the other's patent portfolio.
Kodak said Samsung would pay it royalties, but it did not disclose further financial details of the pact.
The photography company initially complained to the commission in November 2008, saying the digital cameras in mobile phones made by Samsung and LG Electronics Inc infringed on technology it had patented.
The ITC is a common venue for patent infringement cases because it can stop imports of items made with the technology in question.
The companies said they would file joint requests for the termination of patent infringement proceedings before the U.S. ITC.
Kodak and LG announced a similar agreement over patents early in December.
Both the settlement of the litigation and the license agreement with Samsung become effective upon approval by the ITC of the joint requests for termination, Kodak said.
The ITC is expected to make its determination by the end of January, Kodak said.
(Reporting by Franklin Paul; Editing by Derek Caney)
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