The legal war between American giant tech firm Apple and South Korea's Samsung Electronics reached another level as Samsung filed a patents infringement suit against its competitor and business partner on Thursday.

In a suit lodged before a Delaware federal court, the Korean firm accused Apple of copying many of its technological innovations and applied them on their hit gadget lines iPad and iPhone.

Bloomberg quoted a Samsung legal representative as saying that "Apple has copied many of Samsung's innovations in its Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad products."

Along with the lawsuit, the world's leading flat-screen manufacturer officially requested the Washington-based International Trade Commission on Wednesday to prohibit the import of Apple's iPhone and iPad products, which the company claimed carry the pilfered technology.

Samsung has been a major supplier of the ARM processor that Apple deploys on its bestselling handheld devices and this year alone, Apple Insider has projected that the Cupertino-based company will order processor shipments that could reach a high value of $7.8 billion.

Yet according to the online tech publication, Apple is considering the possibility of sourcing its tech component needs from another provider next year, likely from Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which Apple Insider said will be tapped to produce the giant tech firm's new A6 processor.

Experts are not discounting the possibility that the mounting legal tussles between the two companies were prompted by their souring business relationship, which started when Apple slapped Samsung with a lawsuit on April.

On its complaint before a California court, Apple bitterly criticised the Korean firm for releasing its line of Galaxy smartphones and tablet computers, which it said were practically cloned from its iPhone and iPad.

As of press time, no official words have yet to be issued by both firms, which could face the spectre of waging a long courtroom battle once the ITC moves to probe on the complaint, a review process that experts said could take 18 months to complete.