Proview Electronics took its suit against Apple over the iPad trademark to the US courts back in February, but it hasn't been to much avail — Reuters reports that Judge Mark Pierce in California has thrown out the case. Apple previously argued that the two companies had agreed to settle their differences in a Hong Kong court, and it was unclear on what grounds Proview ever brought the case to the US in the first place, so the move doesn't come as a big surprise.
Proview alleges that it was misled by Apple's use of a subsidiary to buy the rights to the iPad name for just £35,000 ($56,574) back in 2009, and is also suing Apple in China over rights to the iPad name. Apple maintains its position that Proview is reneging on a legitimate deal, but the Chinese company will now likely continue the trademark case in its homeland.