The exchange of law suits between Nokia and Apple is now as constant as the lack of any form of resolution between the two parties.

Nokia has announced it's filed a further complaint against Apple with the International Trade Commission (ITC) in the US just days after its last charge was initially dismissed by the body.

Piling up the patents

Nokia's latest complaint claims products in Apple's range of iPhones, iPods, iPads and Macs infringe on seven patents held by the Finnish firm, specifically relating to areas of multi-tasking, data synchronisation, positioning, call quality and the employment of Bluetooth accessories.

"Our latest ITC filing means we now have 46 Nokia patents in suit against Apple, many filed more than 10 years before Apple made its first iPhone," said VP of IP at Nokia Paul Melin.

"Nokia is a leading innovator in technologies needed to build great mobile products and Apple must stop building its products using Nokia's proprietary innovation."

Indeed, Nokia claims to have invested around €43 billion in research and development within the mobile industry in the last two decades – an expense it's hardly surprising the firm would be looking to protect.

Battle royal

As such, as well as complaints lodged with the ITC, Nokia has now also filed cases on both the same patents and others in Delaware and has further cases proceeding in Mannheim, Dusseldorf, the Federal Patent Court in Germany, the UK High Court in London and the District Court of the Hague in the Netherlands - many of which will come to trial in the next few months.

Now strategically aligned with Microsoft – itself not adverse to the odd spat with Apple – it's unlikely Nokia's grievances with its rival will be put to bed any time soon.