On December 20, 2024, U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Administrative Law Judge Cameron Elliot issued a final initial determination (but it is not really a final initial determination, as further explained below) in Investigation No. 337-TA-1380, which involves certain video-enabled electronic devices, including computers, streaming media devices, televisions, and components and modules thereof. The Judge found that Amazon infringed four of the five SEPs asserted by Nokia and, regardless of whether Amazon made a FRAND argument, recommended that the importation of Amazon streaming devices be prohibited in the United States.

On October 31, 2023, Nokia issued a press release stating that it had initiated standard essential patent litigation against Amazon in the United States, Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and the UPC regarding video codecs, asserting that the manner in which Amazon's streaming devices (e.g., the Fire TV Stick) decode video data infringes its patents.

On September 19, 2024, Nokia won a German SEP injunction against certain of Amazon's streaming devices in the First District Court of Munich and began enforcing the injunction at the first opportunity. [RELATED: Injunction Issued! Munich Court Finds Amazon Infringed Nokia's Video Streaming SEP]

The products accused in this ITC investigation reportedly include a number of products, including Amazon Blink, Amazon Echo, Amazon Fir, Amazon Kindle and Amazon Ring (doorbell, camera, etc.).

Administrative Law Judge Cameron Elliot, in an initial ruling issued on Friday, found that there was a violation of the Tariff Act of 1930 (the “Tariff Act”) in importing into the United States, selling for importation, or selling within the United States after importation, certain integrated circuits, components thereof, and products incorporating such components, related to the claims of U.S. Patents 7724818, 8050321, 10536714, and 11805267, and in selling them within the United States. Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended. There is no infringement related to U.S. Patent 8077991.

The Administrative Law Judge's recommended decision is directly cognizable or reviewable (and may be modified after review) by the Commission, which has quasi-judicial authority.