Apple was dealt a setback today in its efforts to prevent Kodak from selling up to $2.6 billion worth of digital imaging patents, with U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper ruling that it would be an "inappropriate way forward" to allow Apple to pursue patent litigation against the bankrupt company. For its part, Apple had argued that one of those patents -- concerning the ability to preview digital photos on an LCD screen -- was "misappropriated" from its own technology, and that Kodak therefore shouldn't be allowed to sell it off as part of the planned sale (something Kodak obviously disputes). On that point, the judge did agree that the matter should be resolved soon, just not in the manner in which Apple had been proceeding, further adding that he "would request that the parties report to me on their efforts to come up with a procedure that truly works."