The US International Trade Commission has found that Samsung infringes four patents held by Apple, including one for the front face of the iPhone and one for touch-screen technology co-invented by Steve Jobs. ITC Judge Thomas Pender posted the notice, and his findings remain subject to review by the full commission, which has the power to halt imports of the products. It should finish its investigation by late February, Bloomberg reports. The design patent found to be infringed is for the flat front face of the phone, with wider borders at the top and bottom and a lozenge-shaped speaker slot above the display screen. The Jobs patent is being reviewed by the US Patent and Trademark Office to confirm whether it covers a new invention. Also found to be infringed were a patent that covers the translucent images for applications displayed on a screen, and one to detect when headsets are plugged in. A second patent for headset-jack detection wasn't violated, the judge said. Samsung said it was confident that the full commission would not uphold the initial ruling. If so, the company can still appeal in court. Samsung already is challenging a different ITC judge's findings that its own patents weren't infringed by Apple.
