Apple is urging the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to toss the recent iPhone and iPad import ban won by Samsung, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/qem2vt4).

Three weeks ago the ITC issued its final ruling on Samsung's complaint against Apple and entered a limited exclusion order (i.e., U.S. import ban) against older iPhones and iPads over a patent Samsung once declared essential to the 3G cellular telecommunications standard and promised to license to all comers on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. After a series of FRAND-friendly rulings in different jurisdictions denying injunctive relief over standard-essential patents (SEPs), "it came as a surprise that the ITC granted Samsung's request for a ban," Florian Mueller writes for "FOSS Patents."

Apple's submission indicates that "USTR has decided to conduct a full review" and hopes that the ITC decision will be blocked, he adds. Naturally Samsung wants this import ban to enter into force.

This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.