Apple took its patent infringement suit against Samsung to the next level on Friday when it asked the U.S. District Court to issue a preliminary injunction against sales of a Samsung tablet and phones.

The motion, which was filed at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and first reported by FOSS Patents, alleges that the Infuse 4G, Galaxy S 4G, Droid Charge, and Galaxy Tab 10.1 violate three design patents and one utility patent held by Apple.

As AppleInsider points out: if the injunction is granted, it would force Samsung to stop selling the devices in the United States.

According to court documents Apple hopes to "expedite resolution of this motion" by selecting intellectual property rights that it says can easily be decided on without trial.

Apple asserts that the "unique and refined ‘Apple look'" of its iPhone and iPad is globally recognized and "has played a critical role" in the products' success. The company said that the similar look of the four Samsung devices mentioned in the motion is "no accident" and alleges that Samsung "chose to copy Apple, not to innovate."

Apple asserted the following in court documents:

"The message that Samsung conveys to consumers with its imitative smartphone design is simple: ‘It's just like an iPhone.' Samsung's Galaxy Tab10.1 tablet sends a similar message: ‘It's just like an iPad.' With the benefit of those messages, Samsung is seeking to take market share by trading off of the popularity of Apple's products."

Although Apple didn't include the Galaxy S 2 and Galaxy Tab 8.9 in this motion, it reserves the right to go after the unreleased products later.

The copycat debacle first started back in April when Apple filed suit against Samsung for allegedly copying its product designs. Samsung has responded by countersuing Apple and demanding information on Apple's forthcoming products, purportedly to ensure its own future designs do not infringe.

Apple's newest iPhone will feature a new processor, the same powerful chip included in the iPad 2, an updated camera and possibly an all-new look. The iPhone 5 could be curvier and slimmer than its prior versions, according to some reports.

Since the smartphone's debut, Apple has launched a new iPhone every June.

Another popular search on the Internet Thursday includes "Saab" after news that the carmaker is so strapped for cash it can't pay wages to its employees.

Saab said it hasn't obtained necessary short-term funding to pay its workers. In response, two Saab unions have demanded payment by Monday, or they'll take legal action that could result in the company being put into bankruptcy.

Saab's production was halted for most of April, May and June because it could not pay suppliers, and now also needs funds to restart it. The company agreed to a rescue package earlier this month from two Chinese companies, pending approval from the Chinese and Swedish governments, the European Investment Bank and shareholder General Motors. In the deal, Saab would hand over a majority stake in return for a cash injection that could potentially solve longer-term financial problems.