A court in China has begun mediation in the ongoing dispute between Apple and Chinese firm, Proview International Holdings over the ownership of the iPad trademark.

The legal representative of Proview Technology Shenzhen, Xie Xianghui has said that a court in the southern province of Guangdong started mediating in the dispute. He did not announce more details and said that is now aware about how long the mediating will go on for.

Mr. Xianghui's comments come as a first confirmation of the reports that the two companies are discussing the matter, even though it is being mediated by a court of law. Proview is fighting a legal battle against Apple for allegedly unlawfully using "iPad" trademark in Chinese market.

A unit of Proview International Holdings has already field multiple suits against Apple in China as well as in the United States. The Asian firm has now taken the legal battle back to Apple's home market, the US.

Proview Electronics Co Ltd and Proview Technology Co had filed a lawsuit against Apple in Santa Clara County in California for allegedly deceiving the company at the time of purchase of the "iPad" trademark. Proview says that Apple created a "special purpose" entity called the IP Application Development Ltd, or IPAD in order to acquire the trademark to hide Apple's role behind the purchase.

Proview said in its complaint that representatives of IPAD confirmed that they would not compete with the Chinese firm and did not disclose why they needed the trademark. Proview has expressed a desire to negotiate with Apple but has not announced the amount it would seek from the company as compensation.