The highly popular Google Nexus smartphone – which is sold in Australia by Samsung – has been banned by a US Judge because of patent infringements.Judge Lucy Koh, who appears to have taken a dislike to Samsung after initially banning the Korean Company’s 10.1″ Galaxy Tablet, has said the Galaxy Nexus, the first phone to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, most likely infringes on all four Apple patents.

The hearing in the home State of Apple is set to escalate the battle between Apple and Samsung.

Observers claim that Apple only passed the test on one patent for unified search, also known as the “Siri patent.”

Patent blogger Florian Mueller claimed in his latest blog “With respect to the other three patents at issue in this context – slide-to-unlock, data tapping and autocorrect – Judge Koh was not convinced that those features drive consumer demand and that Samsung’s likely infringement causes irreparable harm”.

Apple has been told that they have to post a $96 million bond if they want the Google Nexus pulled from shelves in the USA.

The bond is being demanded because there is every possibility that the ruling could be reversed by an appeal Court.

This would result in 100% of the bond along with costs going to Samsung for the losses it suffered while the Galaxy Nexus was unavailable.

Mueller said there’s “no question” Samsung will appeal and push to stay the injunction.