Key facts
- The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has initiated a probe into Samsung Electronics.
- The investigation concerns alleged infringement of Netlist's memory-chip patents.
- Products from Google, Nvidia, Broadcom, and Super Micro Computer that use Samsung's chips are included in the probe.
- Netlist claims Samsung infringed its patents related to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technology.
- This probe follows previous legal actions where Netlist was awarded over $420 million from Samsung in jury verdicts.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into Samsung Electronics and its memory chips, as well as products from Google, Nvidia, Broadcom, and Super Micro Computer that utilize these chips. This action stems from a complaint filed by Netlist, a California-based memory technology developer, alleging that Samsung has infringed upon its patents for dynamic random access memory (DRAM). DRAM is a critical component for servers powering artificial intelligence applications.
This ITC probe is the latest development in an ongoing legal campaign by Netlist against Samsung. Netlist previously terminated a joint development and license agreement with Samsung in July 2020, citing Samsung's repeated failure to fulfill orders at competitive prices. This termination was followed by lawsuits in U.S. district courts. In March, a jury found Samsung had materially breached the joint development agreement. Furthermore, two separate patent infringement lawsuits resulted in jury verdicts awarding Netlist over $420 million: $303.15 million in April 2023 for the infringement of five patents, and an additional $118 million in November 2024 for three other infringed patents. Netlist has also filed patent infringement suits against Google, a former customer that began purchasing Samsung modules after previously sourcing customized Netlist module designs.