Updated: September 14, 2012 10:07 AM | By Peter Svensson, The Associated Press, thecanadianpress.com

ITC judge hands Samsung setback against Apple

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A judge with the International Trade Commission has denied Samsung's request for a ban on U.S. imports of the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

FILE-In this Friday, April 22, 2011, file photo, Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S, left, and Apple's iPhone 4 are displayed at the headquarters of South Korean mobile carrier KT in Seoul, South Korea, Friday. In a preliminary move, a federal judge denied Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, Samsung’s request for a ban on imports of the iPhone, iPad and iPod. A judge at the International Trade Commission in Washington ruled Friday that Apple doesn’t violate four Samsung patents. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

NEW YORK, N.Y. - A judge with the International Trade Commission has denied Samsung's request for a ban on U.S. imports of the iPhone, iPad and iPod.

It's another setback for the South Korean company in a globe-spanning legal battle with Apple, where each accuses the other of patent violations.

The judge in Washington ruled Friday that Apple doesn't violate four Samsung patents, saying the patents don't apply to any U.S. industry.

That will make it harder for Samsung to press the case before the full trade commission, says patent litigation expert Florian Mueller.

Three weeks ago, a jury in California ruled that Samsung owes Apple $1.05 billion for violating patents on features of the iPhone and iPad.

Apple started taking orders for its new iPhone on Friday.