U.S. Ends Samsung Patent Investigation After Samsung and Netlist Reach Settlement

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has ended its patent-infringement investigation involving Samsung Electronics and several major U.S. technology companies after Samsung and Netlist reached a settlement. According to Sina Finance, an ITC notice published in the Federal Register said the investigation covered certain dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) devices, products containing them and related components. Netlist filed the complaint that led to the investigation, which began in July and alleged that certain storage products infringed its patents; other respondents included Google, Nvidia, Broadcom and Super Micro Computer. The notice said Netlist, Samsung and two of Samsung’s U.S. subsidiaries jointly requested termination on August 18 under their settlement agreement. In August, Samsung and Netlist signed a five-year agreement allowing Samsung to use Netlist’s patent portfolio, which covers server dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) technologies for artificial intelligence servers and high-performance computing systems. Netlist develops memory and storage technologies, including server memory and HBM solutions for AI computing. In 2021, Netlist sued Samsung, alleging that storage products used in cloud-computing servers and other data technologies infringed its patents. Samsung argued that Netlist’s patents were invalid and that its own technology worked differently from the technologies covered by those patents.