March 25 (Bloomberg) -- LG Electronics Inc.’s request to bar Eastman Kodak Co. from importing digital cameras won a review by U.S. officials.

The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington today said it would investigate the complaint brought Feb. 20 by LG, the world’s third-largest maker of mobile phones. The probe will evaluate whether Kodak EasyShare cameras infringe LG’s patents. Seoul-based LG also filed a civil lawsuit making the same allegations in federal court in San Diego.

“By instituting this investigation, the ITC has not yet made any decision on the merits of the case,” the commission said in a statement today.

Samsung Electronics Co., the second-largest mobile-phone maker, filed a similar complaint against Kodak in February, ratcheting up a legal battle between the companies that began when Kodak filed an ITC case in November seeking to block imports of mobile phones with cameras made by Samsung and LG. Kodak said it acted because the companies failed to reach an agreement during licensing talks, begun in 2004.

“We believe that LG’s latest filing is simply a retaliatory tactic and we intend to vigorously contest their claims,” said Dave Lanzillo, a Kodak spokesman. He said Rochester, New York-based Kodak, the photography company founded in 1880 by camera pioneer George Eastman, invented the digital camera more than 30 years ago and many companies license the technology.

About 15 Months

ITC investigations typically take about 15 months. The agency was established to protect U.S. markets from unfair trade practices, including patent infringement. The civil suit is likely to be put on hold until the ITC completes its probe.

Kodak rose 19 cents to $4.14 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.

The world’s largest maker of mobile phones is Espoo, Finland-based Nokia Oyj.

The case is in the Matter of Certain Electronic Devices Having Image Capture or Display Functionality and Components Thereof, 337-673, U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington).

To contact the reporter on this story: William McQuillen in Washington at bmcquillen@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: March 25, 2009 18:15 EDT