Or an import ban by the end of the year - filed a preliminary ruling on patents in 1994 and 1996 could result in per-license fee payment on HTC Phones

Apple has a preliminary ruling from a U.S. trade panel judges that Taiwanese mobile manufacturer HTC Corp. on two of the Californian company 's patent was infringed.

The victory may mean Apple can for other Android phone manufacturers for the licensing fees go to, although the decision must be ratified by a full plate. Apple could also ban imports to the U.S. demand to HTC by the end of the year.

HTC, Google 's Android operating system used for its smartphones, said it would be "energetic fight" to find the violation.

The risk for Android handset makers is that it is very likely that all Android devices infringe the patents, which were filed in 1994 and 1996, says Florian Mueller, an expert on the many patent battles swirling around the smartphone business.

Apple has also filed suits against Samsung and Motorola may be able to attack on the same basis.

The relevant patents cover "System and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data", U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647, filed in 1996 and received in 1999.

In essence, it allows items such as e-mail addresses or telephone numbers so that will be detected when they are activated via a mouse or on a smartphone, with a finger, they activate the appropriate program.

Apple's implementation of this idea as a "Data Detectors", implemented from Apple 's Advanced Technology Group - the Steve Jobs resolved when he resigned as chief executive in 1997.

Apple-pointed to the violation in detail, noting that Android provides a "analyzer server" to "Detecting structures in the data" and other details that are exactly parallel to the outline of his patent.

The second patent, "real-time signal processing for serially transmitted data", U.S. Patent No. 6,343,263.

The patent was applied for in 1994 and will expire in 2019, and Apple provides a detailed breakdown of why it appealed against in court documents with the ITC.

The verdict came from an International Trade Commission judge on Friday, but the full commission must be on 6 December to decide whether upright or reversed.

Although preliminary, the verdict will be dissected precisely because it is one of the first use between Apple and other smartphone manufacturers that Android.

HTC is already assumed that Microsoft pay $ 5 per handset for license rights to the candidate claimed that his handset 'implementation of Android, a number of Microsoft patents violated.

Microsoft has also demanded - and received - payments from at least three other companies building products around Android in the last month.

When asked to comment to Reuters, Apple has a previous statement of jobs that \ reaffirmed in an e-mail statement said HTC lawyerGrace Lei "competitors should create their own original technology, not steal our \.": "Are we confident that we are a strong argument for the ITC complaint process and are ready to defend ourselves with all possible means. "

Smartphone technology has spawned a plethora of patent disputes. Apple also has lawsuits against Samsung Electronics, which used stored the Android software platform. Apple has recently settled a lawsuit against Nokia.

Android-based smartphones, iPhones exceeds the world but Apple is preparing to a new iPhone this year, which is likely to give him a big boost to start.

Apple initially accused of infringing 10 patents HTC, but six were from the case are left for various reasons. The ITC judge ruled that HTC violated two of the remaining four.

The ITC is a popular venue for patent litigation because it is the importation of devices manufactured using the infringing technology bar. Often parallel lawsuits have been filed in district courts to try to recoup any financial losses again.

The case with the International Trade Commission, No. 337-710.