Kodak Loses Trade Ruling in Patent Case Against RIM, Apple

Eastman Kodak Co. lost a ruling in a two-year legal fight against Apple Inc. and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) over a patent for digital image-preview technology, a decision that may hurt the value of assets Kodak is selling. RIM and Apple didn’t violate Kodak’s rights because the patent is invalid, U.S. International Trade Commission Judge Thomas Pender said in a notice posted on the agency’s website.

The company’s two digital patent portfolios may be its most valuable assets. Together, the technology is valued at $2.21 billion to $2.57 billion, based on an estimate by 284 Partners LLC