Apple vs. Samsung Patent Infringement Trial: HTC Settlement to be Disclosed to the Public; Court Order Document Included

Details of Apple's agreement with HTC will be disclosed to the public.

Previously, Apple and HTC formed a patent license agreement in November but as the Apple and Samsung patent infringement trial rages on, US District Court Judge Lucy H. Koh of the Northern District of California ordered the agreements to be open.

Originally, as Latinos Post reported, US Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal ordered on Nov. 21 that the financial licensing agreements for third parties in the patent infringement case are to be disclosed, forcing Apple to produce a copy of the agreement made with HTC.

According to Grewal, "HTC is not entitled to special treatment, especially when it has recognized the general sufficiency of the protective order and the integrity of Samsung's outside counsel."

The order came with the agreement that the Apple and HTC deal will be "attorneys-eyes-only," but Judge Koh ordered it will be available to the public.

"There are compelling reasons to seal pricing and royalty terms, as they may place the parties to the agreement at a disadvantage in future negotiations, but there is nothing in the remainder of the agreement that presents a sufficient risk of competitive harm to justify keeping it from the public," stated Kohn in her order.

Judge Koh did echo the sentiments made by Judge Grewal, stating the Apple and HTC agreement could be relevant to the Samsung case and in future patent infringement cases.

The order also comes as Apple and Samsung filed documents to add devices accusing of infringing their respective patent.

On the same day as Judge Grewal's ruling, Samsung filed to add the iPad Mini, iPad 4, and the iPod Touch 5G to the case.

"The iPod Touch 5, iPad 4, and iPad Mini have the same accused functionality as the versions of the iPod Touch and iPad that are already part of this case," stated Samsung in the Wednesday court filing. "As such, the proof of infringement of the patents-in-suit by the iPod Touch 5, iPad 4, and iPad Mini will be substantially the same as for other Apple devices already accused of infringement in this litigation, and there will be no impact on the parties' ongoing claim construction efforts."

In return, Apple filed to add Samsung's Galaxy S3, Galaxy S3 Mini, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wi-Fi to the case.

Apple's court filing stated, "In short, Apple has acted quickly and diligently to determine that these newly-released products do infringe many of the same claims already asserted by Apple and in the same way that the already accused devices infringe."

Apple is going far to note that they will order a new lawsuit if these before mentioned Samsung products are not entered to the trial since the products involve "exactly the same patents, patent claims, and legal theories."

Apple and Samsung are both expected to return to the courtroom on Thursday where the verdict to give Apple over $1 billion could be thrown out.

To view Judge Koh's latest court order, click here.