According to a Reuters report, Apple has asked the U.S. supreme court to issue a ruling against Samsung in a smartphone design patents case, clearing the way for the iPhone maker to secure hundreds of millions in damages from its South Korean rival. The two companies have been fighting over patents ever since Apple sued Samsung alleging infringement of the iPhone’s design patents, almost 5 years ago.
In its legal brief earlier today, Apple argued that Samsung had not yet provided evidence to support its argument that design patent damages should be decided on one component of a smartphone, instead of the entire product. Apple said there was no need for the Supreme Court to send the case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
Meanwhile, Samsung has said that a ruling for Apple would diminish innovation and negatively impact the economy.
Samsung asked the Supreme Court to review the case, calling the damages awarded excessive. In March, the justices agreed to look into whether courts should award in damages the total profits from a product that infringes a design patent, if the patent applies only to a component of the product.
In a filing last month, the U.S. Department of Justice said the case should be sent back to a lower court. But Apple said Congress has been clear on the issue of design patent damages, and there was no reason the Supreme Court should allow Samsung to make additional arguments.
Samsung representatives have declined to issue any comments.
