TOKYO -- The U.S. International Trade Commission will investigate a complaint by a Taiwanese chipmaker that flash memory products made by Toshiba infringe on its patents, the agency said Thursday.
The independent quasi-judicial agency handles claims of intellectual property rights violations related to American imports. The commission can halt the import or sale of products if it finds that infringement has occurred. The agency entered the spotlight a few years ago when Samsung Electronics sought such a ban on some Apple smartphones amid a dispute over patents.
