Samsung has been banned from selling certain Galaxy smartphone models in a number of European countries, including Ireland.
A court in the Netherlands today issued the company with a preliminary injunction following a patent infringement claim by rivals Apple.
The ruling covers the Galaxy S, Galaxy S II and Galaxy Ace models and will come into effect on October 13th.
As of that date, Samsung will no longer be allowed to import these models to countries in which one particular European software patent (EP 2059868) is valid.
A spokesman for Samsung Electronics Ireland said sales in Ireland will not be affected in any way.
Given the seven-week wait until the injunction comes into force, Samsung may have time to either challenge the ruling successfully, adapt its technology to avoid any patent infringement or provide sufficient stocks to cope with sales demands.
The injunction does not prohibit sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, which had been mentioned in the original lawsuit.
At the centre of the case is the claim that Samsung has copied Apple’s system of displaying pictures in a photo gallery, particularly the way its devices allow users to flick through photographs.
Samsung welcomed the court’s ruling, referring to the fact that only a single infringement was cited in the decision.
“Today’s ruling is an affirmation that the Galaxy range of products is innovative and distinctive” a statement said.
“With regard to the single infringement cited in the ruling, we will take all possible measures including legal action to ensure that there is no disruption in the availability of our Galaxy smartphones to Dutch consumers.”
The statement went on to say that the company did not expect sales in other European markets to be affected.