Samsung seeks US ban on Ericsson

Samsung has set the ball rolling on a new skirmish in the international patent wars, seeking a ban on American imports and sales of some Ericsson products after the Swedish technology company sued the South Korean conglomerate for allegedly infringing its intellectual property.

Ericsson accused Samsung of encroaching on its patents in November. Now, in a new complaint with the US International Trade Commission, Samsung has accused Ericsson of breaching seven of its patents after talks failed to produce a settlement.

Announcing the complaint, which was filed on Friday, Samsung said it had "no choice but to take the steps necessary to protect our company".

Ericsson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The complaint comes as Ericsson attempts to counter falling sales by protecting the income it draws from its library of patents.

It is also the latest in a series of disputes over patents that have involved a host of technology companies as they seek to secure the fruits of investment in research and development. Samsung remains locked in disputes with Apple, as they fight it out in the battle to win consumers for their mobile gadgets.