Samsung Ordered to Pay $445.5M in Patent Infringement Case

A federal jury has ruled that Samsung must pay $445.5 million to Collision Communications for infringing on four patents related to wireless technology. The verdict, delivered after a four-and-a-half-day trial in the Eastern District of Texas, found that Samsung's Galaxy phones, laptops, and other devices used Collision's proprietary network technology without authorization.

Internal documents and emails revealed Samsung was aware of the patents as early as 2011, with discussions about potential licensing deals occurring between 2011 and 2014. Witness testimony confirmed Samsung engineers recognized the technology's value in reducing interference and boosting data speeds—features that could have enhanced the competitiveness of Samsung products. Despite this, no agreement was reached.

Collision argued that Samsung's unauthorized use of the technology contributed to its market dominance while stifling Collision's own efforts to commercialize the innovation. The case underscores the high stakes of patent battles in the tech industry, particularly in jurisdictions like the Eastern District of Texas, known for its handling of major intellectual property disputes.