Samsung Display has won a lawsuit against Chinese display manufacturer BOE for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology patents filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).
This win will strengthen Samsung Display’s position in ongoing legal proceedings. The company has also filed a similar patent infringement suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
According to industry sources on Friday, the ITC ruled on Wednesday in favor of Samsung Display, finding that BOE and U.S. component wholesalers, including Injured Gadgets and Wholesale Gadget Parts, had infringed upon three and four of Samsung Display’s patents, respectively.
However, the ITC determined that there was insufficient evidence to support claims that the patent infringement significantly impacted the U.S. display industry. Consequently, it declined to ban the importation and sale of BOE products in the United States.
The U.S. judiciary’s confirmation of BOE’s patent infringement comes two years and three months after Samsung Display initially filed the lawsuit in December 2022.
With a parallel lawsuit pending in the Eastern District of Texas, this ITC victory will likely bolster Samsung Display’s case in that forum.
In a separate but related matter, the ITC is expected to issue a preliminary decision on a trade secret infringement lawsuit filed by Samsung Display against BOE and its subsidiaries in October 2023 by the end of this month.
BOE stands accused of misappropriating core technologies and trade secrets through current and former employees of TopTec, a Samsung Display partner company.
Samsung Display is optimistic about the ITC’s ruling, given that the South Korean Supreme Court had already confirmed TopTec’s guilt before the ITC filing.
In July 2023, the South Korean Supreme Court upheld convictions against TopTec’s former CEO and employees for leaking to BOE Samsung Display’s curved panel technology.
A Samsung Display spokesperson commented, “While Korea maintains a significant lead in OLED technology, China is rapidly closing the gap through massive investments. Technology theft and patent infringement have become serious concerns.” The representative added, “We anticipate this ITC ruling will serve as a stark warning against unfair competitive practices in the industry.”