The US International Trade Commission has begun a patent infringement investigation into certain “Nikon digital cameras, software and components,” according to reports in the business press.
The investigation stems from a countersuit filed by Carl Zeiss and ASML, which the pair filed earlier this year in response to a lawsuit filed against them by Nikon.
The Japanese publication Sankeibiz reports the ITC’s survey is based on “a suspicion of patent infringement on Nikon digital cameras, software and parts imported to the United States.”
Its report adds: “if patent infringement is certified, there is a possibility that it cannot be sold in the United States.”
The specific cameras and software being investigated aren’t named, however reports suggest the study may be centred around the camera’s image sensor and image processing software.