San Jose, Calif. - Networking equipment maker Cisco Systems has agreed to give Apple more time to respond to a lawsuit it filed last month, after Apple announced its iPhone product that bears a name for which Cisco owns the trademark.

"Cisco has agreed to give Apple an extension until Wednesday, February 21," the company said in a statement. "Cisco is fully committed to using the extra time to reach a mutually beneficial resolution."

Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris confirmed the extension to Reuters, adding that the talks centered on settling trademark rights and interoperability.

San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco gained ownership of the "iPhone" trademark through its 2000 acquisition of Infogear, and has been selling wireless products with the iPhone name since December 2006.

Related Links:

http://tinyurl.com/38xga3 (Reuters)

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070215/cisco_apple.html?.v=2 (AP)