Apple and Samsung, the two leaders in mobile devices now suing each other in nine countries over Android, have agreed to sit down and try to settle a couple of US patent suits ahead of a trial due to start in late July.

It's not their idea. It's the idea of federal court judge Lucy Koh, who drew the two Apple v Samsung patent infringement lawsuits, according to the FOSS Patents blog, which has been diligently following all the litigation.

To at least look cooperative, the companies agreed to send their respective CEOs Tim Cook and Gee-Sung Choi along with their chief counsels to the San Francisco courthouse sometime in the next 90 days for settlement talks mediated by Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero.

FOSS Patents makes the observation that Oracle and Google obliged the court twice with such sit-downs but they're now trying to prove their points to a jury.

Judge Koh may not be factoring in the specter of the blood oath Steve Jobs made on his deathbed to destroy the copycat Android even if Android devices are being peddled by Apple's largest supplier. Apple has charged Samsung with "slavishly" copying its iPhone and iPad. Samsung has lodged counterclaims on patents essentials to wireless standards, which has set off an investigation by the European Commission for abuse of FRAND commitments.