Trade judge backs Apple in Samsung fight A US International Trade Commission judge has backed a claim by Apple that South Korean rival Samsung Electronics infringed four of the US company's patents. Wednesday's preliminary ruling, which would only become effective if upheld at a meeting of the agency's commissioners, adds to the victories Apple has racked up on its home turf in its worldwide patent fight with Samsung. In August it won a jury award of more than $1bn in a separate case, though Samsung has appealed. The ITC has the power to block imports into the US, making it a favourite location for patent litigants to bring claims. However, the devices covered by the ITC case do not include Samsung's latest models, muting any potential fallout from the judge's decision. Samsung said that it was confident the full commission would back its arguments and warned that if upheld the preliminary decision "could lead to fewer choices, less innovation and potentially higher prices for the American consumer." One of the patents covers Apple's hardware designs, while the other three deal with features of its software. Judge Thomas Pender, while backing Apple, rejected claims related to two other patents. The ITC had already sided with Apple in one case between the companies last month rejecting a Samsung claim that Apple infringed four of its own patents.