Apple Inc., which lost part of a court fight with Eastman Kodak Co. this month when Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper denied its ownership claim of two digital image patents, was given approval by Judge Gropper to seek an appeal of his decision, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. Bankrupt Kodak sued Apple in June, accusing the iPhone maker of trying to disrupt an auction of more than 1,000 patents that started yesterday. A judge in Manhattan ruled in favor of Kodak on two of 10 patents claimed by Apple, which Kodak plans to sell as part of its restructuring. Judge Gropper told Apple yesterday that it can ask for a review of the ruling before it becomes final, initiating a interlocutory appeal. He declined to authorize an immediate appeal because federal policy was against "piecemeal appeals."
