An International Trade Commission (ITC) staffer has recommended to the judge that he rule that Nokia did not infringe on any Apple patents. However, the case is not over.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The ITC recommended that some of Apple’s patents were invalid and Nokia didn’t infringe on the others. Apple is asking the court to ban imports of Nokia phones.

The judge in the case doesn’t have to accept the ITC ruling. In fact, if the judge does find that Nokia violated any of Apple’s patents, the ITC said some Nokia phones should be banned from the U.S.

The trial will start on November 29. The judges ruling is expected in February.

This isn’t Apple’s only legal battle in the smartphone industry. Apple is also suing Motorola and HTC in separate cases.

Update: Clarified that the ITC made a recommendation to the judge and did not make a ruling.