US judge rejects Samsung's request to lift Galaxy Tab ban

A U.S. judge has denied Samung's request to remove an injunction banning sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets in the country. 

District court judge Lucy Koh, presiding over the case between Samsung and Apple, called off a hearing requested by Samsung scheduled for Sep. 20, The Korea Times reported.

Koh said the Aug. 24 jury verdict, which Samsung had cited, was not "final" for appeal purposes and the jurisdiction of the case had been deprived due to Samsung's appeal to the Federal Circuit, according to court documents.

Following preliminary sales ban on the device in June, Samsung had requested the U.S. court to reverse the move after a U.S. federal jury verdict cleared the Galaxy Tab 10.1 of infringing Apple's design patents. 

The Korean electronics giant voiced disappointment over the latest decision and reiterated its stance to continue its drive for innovation. "We are disappointed by the court's decision. We will continue to take all appropriate measures to ensure consumer access to our innovative products," the company said in an e-mail statement to the daily news site.

Samsung in August was ordered by a U.S. jury to pay US$1.05 billion for violating Apple's design patents. Cupertino later followed up with a court request to ban sales of eight of Samsung's smartphones in the U.S., in addition to the existing ban on the Galaxy 10.1 tablet.

Both Samsung and Apple currently await a Dec. 6 hearing on Apple's request for a permanent ban on sales of eight Samsung devices in the United States.