Smartphone maker Samsung has sought for review of its two Smartflash patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This is being as a potential initiative by Samsung to pardon rival Apple Inc. of paying USD 532.9 million in damages after its victory in a Smartflash court in February.
Like Apple, Samsung is also facing a Smartflash patent lawsuits associated with the payment systems and data storage. In the lawsuit concerning Apple Inc., the case brought the company’s iOS, iAd, the Mac, iTunes Store and iOS App Stores under scanner.
According to the reports, Samsung has approached the US Patent and Trademark Office seeking its review into whether or not the two patents are invalid.
A patent agency review board had earlier this week issued initial findings against the patents, vying that abstract concepts are covered under it instead of definite inventions.
The fate of the patent lawsuits will finally be decided by a panel of judges who would be hearing the arguments from both Smartflash and Samsung. According to the insiders, Smartflash is expected to lose out in the decision.
In a 2014 ruling, the US Supreme Court had cited that having a computer to perform a business function simply doesn’t make up a new invention. The experts are believing that if go in tandem with this observation, the preliminary review of this week is expected to set a clear precedent.
If Samsung fails to get the case dismissed or settled beforehand, the tech giant will face an August trial date.
Meanwhile, Apple Inc. is working in the process of making an appeal against the February verdict.