Apple has filed a petition asking the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which hears all appeals of U.S. patent infringement cases, for an "initial hearing en banc" on a judge's recent denial of a permanent injunction against Samsung, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/ayvjf7x).

The petition also suggests that such a full-bench hearing could address this case as well as the Galaxy Nexus preliminary injunction case, in which the court appears to be contemplating a full-bench rehearing, the article adds.

Last month Judge Lucy Koh, the federal judge presiding over the never-ending Apple/Samsung legal battle entered two crucial post-trial orders. She denied Apple a permanent injunction against Samsung despite a multiplicity of infringement findings by a federal jury in August and then denied Samsung a new trial on the grounds of alleged jury misconduct

This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.