(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Monday that Apple Inc could press its bid for an immediate block on the sale of some tablet computers made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd based on allegations of infringement of one patent.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said the judge in a district court in California had erred in deciding that Apple failed to show that it was likely to succeed on the merits.

The dispute over that one patent is part of a larger legal proceeding in California. In mid-April, Apple and Samsung agreed that their chief executives would participate in settlement talks to try to resolve the dispute, according to a court filing.

Apple sued Samsung in the United States last year, saying the South Korean company's Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablets "slavishly" copies the iPhone and iPad. Samsung then countersued Apple.

The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California is Apple Inc v. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, 11-1846.

The case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is Apple, Inc v. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, 2012-1105