SAN FRANCISCO — A messy Northern District patent case that involved some awkward revelations for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius has settled—but not in the way plaintiff FlatWorld Interactives Inc. had hoped.

FlatWorld and its counsel at Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro notified Judge William Orrick III in April that the company had resolved its claims with Apple Inc. over a patent for touch-screen technology. The settlement followed a detailed claim construction order from Orrick in January that was largely favorable to Apple.