Apple and Samsung have both filed motions offering to cut the number of asserted patent claims in half. The purpose of cutting the claims was to keep a proposed July 30 trial date for the companies' first US lawsuit over their mobile device patent disputes. Apple continues to contend that Samsung is a "copycat," while Samsung claims Apple is merely trying to "compete through litigation."

Judge Lucy Koh told both companies during a recent case management meeting that the number of asserted claims was far too large, suggesting that forcing a jury to wade through them all would be akin to cruel and unusual punishment. Koh said the number of claims would have to be reduced significantly in order to proceed with a proposed July 30 start date for the trial.

While Apple and Samsung filed a joint motion to reduce claims last Tuesday, neither party seemed willing to budge very much. However, the separate motions filed this week cut the number of asserted patents and other rights nearly in half. Apple cut out four of eight asserted patents against Samsung, three of seven asserted design patents, and four of nine trade dress claims. It also dropped all of its asserted trademark claims.

Samsung has cut its asserted patents from 12 to 7, though many of the remaining patents are deemed "essential" to wireless 3G standards. Continued assertion of those patents against Apple could constitute abuse of its agreement to license such patents on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. The company is under a formal investigation by the European Commission for such alleged abuse.

It originally appeared that Apple may have been more interested in a broad and decisive win against Samsung rather than a quick resolution of the case. However, its proposal filed on Monday suggested that Samsung's continued infringement is costing Apple billions in sales while Samsung continues to gain marketshare lead over Apple.

The two companies are preparing for a court-recommended mediation later this month. While Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed an interest in settling the dispute out of court, he said that he didn't want Apple to become "the developer to the world."

"I've always hated litigation and I continue to hate it," Cook said during Apple's most recent financial results announcement, but "we just want people to invent their own stuff."