[JURIST] The International Trade Commission (ITC) [official website] on Friday ruled [order, PDF] that Samsung infringed two patents of Apple [corporate websites]. The two patents involves the detection of users’ finger movements on smartphone touchscreens and the way its plugs detect when other devices have been plugged in. The ITC, however, rejected four other patent infringement claims against Samsung. With the recent determination of infringement, the court issued a limited cease and desist order that would ban further imports, sales and distribution of Samsung’s infringing products. President Barack Obama [official website] has now 60 days to invalidate the order.

Apple has been involved in a protracted patent litigation battle [JURIST op-ed] with Samsung that spans over four continents. The two companies have been engaged in patent litigation since 2010, each filing lawsuits against the other over the design and functionality of their devices. Earlier this month, the Obama administration overturned [official text, PDF] a US trade panel ban on the sale of older iPads and iPhones. In June the Tokyo District Court ruled for Apple [JURIST report] in a patent infringement suit. Similarly in March a UK court also ruled for Apple permitting continued use of technology [JURIST report] that allows transfers of information over the third-generation networks that are used by smartphones. In January a Dutch court ruled that the designs of some Galaxy Tab models produced by Samsung do not infringe designs patented by Apple [JURIST report].