Less than a month after Apple filed a lawsuit against phone maker HTC over allegations of patent infringement related to Apple’s iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad devices, the computer company finds itself the target of a similar lawsuit by a a Taiwanese company that claims Apple is using their touch-screen patents without permission.

In their complaint filed with the Internatioanl Trade Commission earlier today, Elan Microelectronics alleges that the touch screens on several Apple products violates an Elan patent covering “touch-sensitive input devices with the ability to detect the simultaneous presence of two or more fingers.”

This essentially takes issue with the technology used in Apple products that allows users to use two fingers for zooming in and out, and navigating the screen. So the lawsuit includes not just the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, but also the MacBook and Magic Mouse.

Elan has asked the commission to prevent the import of all of these items into the U.S.

“We have taken the step of filing the ITC complaint as a continuation of our efforts to enforce our patent rights against Apple’s ongoing infringement. A proceeding in the ITC offers a quick and effective way for Elan to enforce its patent,” reads a statement from Elan regarding the suit.

Even if Elan is successful in banning imports of iPads, that won’t have any effect on the first batch of the tablet-ish thingamabob. Those have long since landed stateside and some have already begun shipping out to those who pre-ordered early.

Apple sued over multitouch patent [cnet]

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