Judge rejects latest Apple injunction plea against Samsung

US District Judge Lucy Koh says patent disputes have not harmed Apple's reputation or sales

Apple's latest attempt to force Samsung products off the shelves in the US has been dismissed by a US judge.

It's the latest development in the seemingly never-ending court battle between the world's two biggest smartphone producers.

The ongoing case is based on patent disputes, with Apple claiming that devices produced by its South Korean rival infringe on its own intellectual property. Apple claims that Samsung has copied key ideas, such as the "slide to unlock" feature introduced with the iPhone.

Earlier this year, Apple won $120m in damages in a jury verdict against Samsung. It has since requested that Samsung be prevented from selling smartphones deemed to have infringed patents. It's a request which, if adhered to, would see popular devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5 banned from sale in the US.

However, California-based US District Judge Lucy Koh has rejected the call for an injunction on Samsung products. "Apple has not demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm to its reputation or goodwill as an innovator without an injunction," she wrote in a statement.

Koh added that despite patent infringement by Samsung, Apple's reputation as an innovator still proves to be "extremely robust" and that there's therefore no need for any sort of injuction against Samung.

"We remain committed to providing American consumers with a wide choice of innovative products," Samsung said in a statement in response to the decision.

Apple has declined to comment on the matter.