Did Apple's iPhone Cause a "Crisis in Design" for Samsung?

In the ongoing patent battle between Apple

and Samsung, Apple's legal team claims that the iPhone created a "crisis in design" at Samsung after the product was released.

According to the

, Samsung strategy chief Justin Denison responded by saying that Apple's claims are nothing more than hyperbole. Apple, however, revealed internal documents from Samsung that compared the appearance of their rival gadgets to "Heaven and Earth." It is not yet clear how much of a negative impact these documents could have on Samsung's case. Last week the South Korean tech giant was dealt an informal blow after it was denied the right to reveal some of

. Samsung had wanted to discuss a series of documents -- including those with iPhone, iPad and iPod sales data -- during its cross examination of Philip Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh all but shut down this effort, preventing the sensitive materials from becoming public. In England, a high court judge recently ruled against Apple's claim that Samsung had copied its designs, noting that the Galaxy Tab

to be mistaken for an iPad. Worldwide, the patent and design disputes are expected to continue for some time. Here in the United States, the outcome could have lifelong ramifications that greatly change the way tech companies do business. If the jury agrees with Apple's claims, Samsung could be forced to pay billions of dollars in damages, pull its tablets and other devices from store shelves, and implement massive redesigns before any future products can be released. However, if the jury sides with Samsung, it could influence future patent disputes and diminish Apple's claims against other corporations. In defending the iPhone and iPad, Apple CEO Tim Cook has referred to his company as the

, a title the company does not want to have. "We can't take all of our energy and all of our care and finish the painting, then have someone else put their name on it," said Cook.