Samsung has filed a new lawsuit in a Texas federal court accusing Chinese smartphone maker TCL and its affiliates of infringing three patents related to OLED display technology. The case also names two US-based companies, Ultimate Eshop LLC and eTech Parts Plus LLC, which Samsung says sell or import replacement OLED displays covered by the disputed patents.
According to the complaint, Samsung alleges that TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co. and Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co. (a subsidiary of TCL CSOT) are producing OLED screens that violate patents covering OLED pixel circuits and driving methods. The company cites U.S. Patent No. 9,330,593, No. 7,414,599, and No. 11,594,578 in the lawsuit.
Samsung states that it informed TCL in July 2022 about the alleged patent violations but claims the infringement has continued. The lawsuit targets OLED displays used in several TCL smartphones sold in the U.S., including the TCL 10 Pro, TCL 20 Pro 5G, TCL 30, TCL 30 5G, and TCL 30+ models.
The legal action builds on a previous case at the U.S. International Trade Commission. In that case, the ITC ruled that Samsung’s patents were valid and found that certain respondents, including eTech Parts Plus, infringed them. TCL had attempted to intervene in the ITC case after some replacement OLED displays it manufactured appeared in the U.S. market.
Samsung also points to challenges TCL filed with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board last year. The PTAB upheld the validity of two of the patents, further strengthening Samsung’s position.
This case comes amid a broader legal push by Samsung to defend its OLED technology. Earlier this year, Samsung Display filed a trade secret lawsuit against China’s BOE and seven affiliates in the same Texas court, accusing BOE of using its technical drawings to build an OLED plant in Chengdu. Samsung is seeking damages and punitive compensation, partly due to BOE’s reported role as an OLED panel supplier for Apple’s iPhone 16e.
In response, BOE filed a separate patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Display, claiming that OLED panels with under-display cameras used in Galaxy Z Fold devices infringe four of its patents. Industry sources see BOE’s suit as a countermeasure to Samsung’s earlier action and an effort to highlight its OLED advancements. The legal process is expected to take years, with no immediate impact on Galaxy Z Fold production.
Samsung declined to comment on the TCL lawsuit. TCL and the U.S.-based companies named in the case have not responded to requests for comment.
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(Source, Via: TCLCentral)
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