Certain Mobile Electronic Devices and Components Thereof; Institution of Investigation

Issuing agencies

Abstract

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on September 3, 2026, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of trinamiX Sensing LLC of Austin, Texas and trinamiX GmbH of Germany. A supplement to the complaint was filed on September 17, 2026. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile electronic devices and components thereof by reason of the infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 12,530,925 ("the '925 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 12,288,421 ("the '421 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 12,456,334 ("the '334 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 12,361,760 ("the '760 patent"); U.S. Patent No. 12,298,394 ("the '394 patent"); and U.S. Patent No. 12,332,352 ("the '352 patent"). The complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists and/or is in the process of being established as required by the applicable Federal Statute. The complainants request that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders.

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 194 (Thursday, October 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64398-64399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20672]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 337-TA-1525]


Certain Mobile Electronic Devices and Components Thereof; 
Institution of Investigation

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the 
U.S. International Trade Commission on September 3, 2026, under section 
337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of trinamiX 
Sensing LLC of Austin, Texas and trinamiX GmbH of Germany. A supplement 
to the complaint was filed on September 17, 2026. The complaint, as 
supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 based upon the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain mobile 
electronic devices and components thereof by reason of the infringement 
of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 12,530,925 (``the '925 patent''); 
U.S. Patent No. 12,288,421 (``the '421 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 
12,456,334 (``the '334 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 12,361,760 (``the 
'760 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 12,298,394 (``the '394 patent''); and 
U.S. Patent No. 12,332,352 (``the '352 patent''). The complaint further 
alleges that an industry in the United States exists and/or is in the 
process of being established as required by the applicable Federal 
Statute.
    The complainants request that the Commission institute an 
investigation and, after the investigation, issue a limited exclusion 
order and cease and desist orders.

ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for any confidential information 
contained therein, may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at <a href="https://edis.usitc.gov">https://edis.usitc.gov</a>. For help accessing EDIS, please email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0247464b51314a676e724277716b76612c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4500010c16760d2029350530362c31266b222a33">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Hearing impaired individuals are advised that 
information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the 
Commission's TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. Persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at (202) 205-
2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be 
obtained by accessing its internet server at <a href="https://www.usitc.gov">https://www.usitc.gov</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Office of the Secretary, Docket 
Services Division, U.S. International Trade Commission, telephone (202) 
205-1802.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is 
contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 
U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2025).
    Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission, on October 5, 2026, ordered that--
    (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether 
there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain products 
identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement of one or more of 
claims 1, 5-8, 17, and 21-24 of the '925 patent; claims 1, 5-9, 11, 17, 
20, 21, 23, and 24 of the '421 patent; claims 1, 7, 11, 13, and 15 of 
the '334 patent; claims 1, 4-6, 8-10, 13, and 15 of the '760 patent; 
claims 1, 5, 6, 15, 18, and 19 of the '394 patent; and claims 1, 2, 9, 
14, 16, 23, and 28 of the '352 patent, and whether an industry in the 
United States exists and/or is in the process of being established as 
required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337;
    (2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language 
description of the accused products or category of accused products, 
which defines the scope of the investigation, is ``iPhones and iPads 
and components thereof, such as its

[[Page 64399]]

processor and TrueDepth camera with a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting 
Laser (`VCSEL'), a flood illumination VCSEL, and a near-infrared camera 
module, incorporating face authentication, 3D-sensing, and/or material 
detection capabilities''; \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Commissioner Pappas would have delegated public interest so 
as to build a robust record as to whether or not there would be an 
impact to United States consumers in light of the role that the 
patented technology plays in terms of privacy, safety, and security.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the 
following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of 
investigation shall be served:
    (a) The complainants are:

trinamiX Sensing LLC, 7800 Shoal Creek Boulevard, Suite 200N, Austin, 
TX 78757, USA
trinamiX GmbH, Industriestra[szlig]e 35, 67063 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, 
Germany

    (b) The respondent is the following entity alleged to be in 
violation of section 337, and is the party upon which the complaint is 
to be served:

Apple Inc., One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA 95014

    (4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the 
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
    The Office of Unfair Import Investigations will not participate as 
a party in this investigation.
    The Commission is interested in the development of a thorough 
record on domestic industry in this investigation to facilitate a 
holistic review of all relevant considerations. Accordingly, the 
presiding administrative law judge may wish to consider what 
information will be necessary to make a determination with respect to 
complainant's domestic industry allegations under subparagraphs (A), 
(B), and (C) of section 337(a)(3) based on an industry that exists and/
or is in the process of being established; including the extent to 
which these allegations rely on expenditures made by third parties; and 
the extent to which expenditures are made outside the United States 
related to the domestic industry article(s) by any entity.
    Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be 
submitted by the named respondent in accordance with section 210.13 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. 
Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), such responses will be 
considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days after 
the date of service by the Commission of the complaint and the notice 
of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting responses to the 
complaint and the notice of investigation will not be granted unless 
good cause therefor is shown.
    Failure of the respondent to file a timely response to each 
allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to 
constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations 
of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative 
law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, 
to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and 
to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing 
such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or 
a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: October 6, 2026.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2026-20672 Filed 10-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>