Samsung asks U.S. panel to ban Kodak camera imports

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean electronic giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Wednesday it had asked a U.S. trade panel to block imports of Eastman Kodak Co's digital cameras in an ongoing patent row.

Kodak in November filed a complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), alleging mobile phones and other wireless devices by Samsung and home rival LG Electronics Inc infringed on patented Kodak technology.

ITC voted in December to investigate the case.

Samsung this week filed its own complaint with the ITC, saying some Kodak cameras infringed on Samsung technology.

"Samsung Electronics plans to respond actively to this litigation (by Kodak)," said Lee Eun-hee, a company spokeswoman.

Details on the Samsung patents or Kodak products mentioned in the complaint were not available.

The ITC is a popular venue for patent infringement cases since it can stop imports of items made with infringing technology.

(Reporting by Rhee So-eui; edited by Marie-France Han and Jacqueline Wong)