Creative opens new front in iPod patent war

The legal sparring between Apple and Creative has become even more heated, as the Zen maker announced it has lodged a complaint about the iPod-maker with the US International Trade Commission (ITC).

Creative is accusing Apple of infringing on its 'Zen patent' and is seeking a cease-and-desist order against the company, banning it from importing and selling the iPod and iPod Nano.

The Zen patent was awarded to Creative last year and pertains to the user interface for MP3 players, which, according to the company, Apple is using on its iPods, iPod Minis and Nanos.

Creative also announced it has filed a suit against Apple in the US District Court for the Northern District of California alleging infringement of its patent and asking for the an injunction against the company in addition to damages.

The pair have been indulging in some legal to-ing and fro-ing of late. Creative slapped a patent infringement suit on Apple last month. Jobs and co responded with a suit of its own against Creative days later, which alleged Creative had infringed four of Apple's patents.

Apple had not responded to requests for comment at the time of going to press.

The litigious ping-pong echoes that currently going on between Nokia and Qualcomm. The chipmaker has alleged patent infringement against the Finnish phone company and made a formal complaint to the ITC earlier this week.