A federal agency that oversees trade disputes says it will investigate Eastman Kodak's patent-infringement complaint over technology used in iPhones and BlackBerries.

The U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington said Wednesday that it will examine the complaint filed in January by the photography company against Apple and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion.

Kodak maintains that Apple's iPhone and some BlackBerry models infringe on a 2001 patent covering technology for previewing photos. It wants the agency to block U.S. imports of the smart phones.

Kodak also has filed a separate lawsuit against Apple in federal court in Rochester that seeks unspecified damages.