By Dan Levine
SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb 14 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on
Thursday asked Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
whether an Apple patent lawsuit over search
technology should be put on hold for several months until after
an appeals court resolves a separate lawsuit between the two
companies.
Apple won a $1.05 billion verdict last year against Samsung
in a California trial court, but U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh
rejected Apple's request for a permanent sales ban against
several Samsung phones. Apple has appealed and a ruling is not
expected until September at the earliest.
Apple also accused Samsung in a second lawsuit of violating
a separate batch of patents, including the rights to search
technology that is part of the iPhone Siri voice feature. That
case is scheduled for trial in March 2014.
At a hearing on Thursday in a San Jose, California, federal
court, Koh told attorneys for both companies that a potential
resolution of the Apple versus Samsung legal war would cover
both lawsuits. Koh asked if the second case should be suspended
until after the appeals court ruled on the first.
"I just don't know if we really need two cases on this," Koh
said.
Apple attorney William Lee said the cases should proceed in
parallel as they involve different patents. However, Samsung
attorney Victoria Maroulis said there was substantial "overlap"
between the two proceedings.
Koh ordered attorneys for both sides to discuss the idea and
report back on their positions by March 7.
"I assume there have been no further settlement
discussions," Koh asked, "or at least none that have gone
anywhere?"
"The answer to the last question is, that's correct," Lee
said.
The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of
California is Apple Inc. vs Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al,
12-630.
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