The top Dutch court has dismissed Apple Inc.’s request to ban sales of tablets made by Samsung Electronics Co., ruling in favor of the South Korean smartphone maker in its legal battle with the iPhone maker.

The Supreme Court of the Netherlands did not agree with the U.S. firm’s accusation that its Korean rival infringed its design patents, the court said on its website on Friday.

The California-based tech giant filed an injunction against Samsung, claiming it had copied Apple’s designs in its Galaxy Tab 10.1. In the ruling, the Dutch court said that it is unlikely that consumers will confuse Apple products with those made by Samsung.

While the court agreed with the validity of Apple’s iPad patents, it mentioned the fact that there were other preceding technologies, according to the website.

The top court’s ruling came as Apple first requested a sales ban in June 2011 and has lodged appeals after the injunctions were dismissed by lower courts.

In October last year, the District Court of the Hague ruled Apple’s patent infringement claim against Samsung over multi-touch utility function invalid. (Yonhap News)