In the ongoing patent lawsuit battles between Apple and Samsung Electionics, a U.S. judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), James Gildea, has said that Apple did not violate Samsung's patent rights.

The statement is a preliminary ruling and the commission is expected to give a final ruling in January.

In June last year, Samsung filed complaints with the Washington-based ITC, arguing that Apple infringed on various patents, like one related to data conversion. Samsung requested an import ban on Apple's mobile electronic devices.

Apple sued Samsung a month later with the ITC, saying the Korean rival violated its patents. The ruling on this case is also expected to come out soon.