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Apple asked the court for "a permanent exclusion order" that would bar from entry "all mobile communications devices and components" made by HTC that carry the offending technologies, according to court documents.

Apple on Tuesday sued HTC for alleged, multiple patent violations, claiming the Taiwan-based manufacturer's products infringe on its iPhone technology. Apple filed the actions with the ITC and the U.S. District Court for Delaware.

In the ITC filing, Apple says 11 HTC phones violate its patents, including the Nexus One, Touch Pro, Touch Diamond, Pure, Imagio, and myTouch 3G. Apple claims HTC infringed on a total of 20 patents governing a range of technologies.

Apple wants the ITC to block HTC and its partners from "importing, marketing, advertising, demonstrating, warehousing inventory for distribution, distributing, offering for sale" any of the listed phones.

Apple is also seeking unspecified monetary damages in the Delaware court.

"We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We've decided to do something about it," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, in a statement. "We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own technology, not steal ours," said Jobs.

Patent suits are not uncommon in the ultra-competitive tech industry, but vendors generally take a low-key approach and let court documents speak for themselves. That Apple issued a press release featuring its high-profile CEO indicates the company views HTC's alleged infringements as a serious competitive threat.

"Apple has been and continues to be damaged by defendants' infringement," Apple said in its filing with the Delaware court. HTC has yet to file a formal response to the allegations.

InformationWeek has published an in-depth report on a data-centric approach to

* Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) says TomTom to make payments

* Financial details of settlement not disclosed

(Adds background on dispute, share prices)

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp and Dutch navigation device maker TomTom NV said Monday they had reached a settlement after more than a year of squabbling over software patents.

In the last few weeks, both companies had sued the other, claiming patent infringement.

Under the terms of a five-year agreement, Microsoft said TomTom will pay Microsoft for use of the eight car navigation and file management system patents in the case Microsoft brought against TomTom, while Microsoft will be able to use the four patents included in the TomTom countersuit without any payment to TomTom.

TomTom confirmed there was a settlement but declined further comment.

Specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The world's largest software company in February sued in federal court in its home state of Washington and petitioned the U.S. International Trade Commission claiming TomTom -- which makes portable navigation devices for cars and mapping software for handheld computers -- breached eight of its patents.

Microsoft said the patents involved in the case related to innovations in car navigation technology and other computing functionality that Microsoft has licensed to other companies, such as TomTom's rival Garmin Ltd. (nasdaq: GRMN - news - people )

TomTom countersued in the U.S. District Court for the eastern district of Virginia, earlier this month, claiming Microsoft violated a number of its patents.

Microsoft shares slightly pared losses after the announcement, down 3.9 percent at $17.43 in a broad market decline. Ahead of the settlement announcement, TomTom shares closed at 3.413 euros in Amsterdam, down 7.2 percent. (Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Copyright 2009 Reuters, Click for Restriction

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