Samsung finds itself embroiled in an OLED patent infringement lawsuit

A couple of Samsung Group subsidiaries including Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display found themselves embroiled in a new patent infringement lawsuit. The complaint was filed by Japanese OLED display maker JOLED at the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. JOLED seeks remedies including damages and an accounting from Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, and Samsung Electronics America for patent infringement.

Furthermore, JOLED also filed a complaint in Germany in the District Court of Mannheim, seeking an injunction for patent infringement against Samsung Electronics and its local subsidiaries. JOLED claims that Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display have infringed on its OLED patents by using, selling, and/or offering to sell Galaxy branded phones within the United States, and/or importing Samsung Galaxy branded smartphones into the United States without taking a license.

JOLED holds roughly 4,000 registered and pending OLED patents. The company was formed in 2015 following an alliance between the display divisions of Sony and Panasonic. The company began shipping its first product, a 21.6-inch 4K OLED display, in 2017. JOLED also claims to have started establishing the world's first mass production line for printed OLED and intends to push the display technology to mass production by the end of 2020.

Given JOLED's large screen portfolio, the patent infringement lawsuit may or may not be connected with Samsung's smartphone division but rather its PC monitor and/or perhaps its tablet/laptop product ranges. Meanwhile, Samsung Display is facing competition from China's Everdisplay Optronics who is now supplying large OLED panels to BBK Electronics and Huawei.

Mihai Matei - Senior Editor

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First Samsung device: SGH-A800

Mihai is a blogger and column writer at SamMobile. His first Samsung phone was an A800 which took a lot of beating, and a part of him still misses the novelty of the clamshell design. In his free time, he enjoys watching shows, documentaries, and stand-up comedy; listening to music, taking walks, and occasionally playing old(er) video games.

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