The judge presiding over Nvidia's patent case against Samsung and Qualcomm in the U.S. International Trade Commission has returned a pretrial claim construction ruling that favors NVIDIA’s preferred construction on nearly all of the claims that were disputed. This pretrial decision, known as a Markman ruling, is the judge’s determination of the meaning and scope of the patent claims. Markman hearings are used in patent cases to define disputed terms of patents before a case goes to trial. This is an important step in determining whether Samsung and Qualcomm infringe NVIDIA’s asserted patents.

Administrative Law Judge Thomas Pender has now determined what the claim language will mean for the hearing and his ultimate decision on the merits of the case.

"We’re very pleased with the outcome of the ruling, in which claim constructions favorable to NVIDIA will be applied to six out of seven disputed claims when the judge considers the question of Samsung’s and Qualcomm’s infringement. This further strengthens the patents we have asserted, and we look forward to a full hearing in late June," said Nvidia.

September announced a legal action against Samsung and Qualcomm last September. That was the first time in NVIDIA’s 22-year history that the company had initiated a patent suit.

Meanwhile, there has been a small development in a related case, in which Samsung sued Nvidia and one of its customers in Virginia. The judge there has denied Nvidia's request to move the case to California. This has no bearing on the substance of Samsung’s case or Samsung’s asserted patents.

"We continue to believe Samsung’s claims have no merit, and that Samsung’s effort to sue a small company selling NVIDIA-based products in Virginia is entirely unwarranted," Nvidia said.