Spansion filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against Samsung for infringing on four patents. The company is seeking a block on the importation to the U.S. of devices such as MP3s, smartphones and tablets that use Samsung's allegedly infringing flash memory.

A Spansion spokesman declined to comment on which products those may be. However, Apple's iPad and .

Spansion also filed other complaints in the U.S. District Courts in the Eastern District of Virginia and the Northern District of California. In the court cases, Spansion is seeking damages to the extent of profits made by Samsung from the allegedly infringing products.

The patents mainly revolve around the manufacturing and operation of flash memory, said Mark Franken, a Spansion spokesman.

"It's important to protect our intellectual property and get rewarded for it," Franken said.