The ferment regarding Apple Inc. came to mind this afternoon as Blawgletter sampled the appellate opiniosphere.  One decision stood out because its name recalls another kind of apple, the Fuji.  The case — Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, Nos. 04-1618 & 05-1274 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 11, 2007) — upheld findings that a disposable camera importer violated a U.S. International Trade Commission "cease and desist" order.  See the opinion here.

The Fuji case involves the arcane but important realm of ITC exclusion orders, which bar importation of goods that infringe U.S. patents. 

Fun fact:  Texas Instruments pioneered the strategic use of exclusion orders two decades ago when it successfully petitioned the ITC to enforce TI patents covering chip (specifically DRAM) technology.  See the 1987 exclusion order here.

Another fun fact:  TI got out of the DRAM business before DRAM manufacturers started fixing prices.