In a major courtroom blow, a Texas federal jury on Monday ruled that Samsung Electronics Co. must pay $191.4 million to Pictiva Displays for willfully infringing two patents covering organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology — a key innovation powering modern smartphones, TVs, and laptops.
The verdict marks another chapter in the escalating patent wars within the global electronics industry, where billions ride on microscopic details of screen design and illumination technology.
Pictiva Triumphs in Patent Fight
The jury concluded that Samsung infringed U.S. Patent Nos. 8,314,547 and 11,828,425, both owned by Pictiva. For the ‘547 patent, Samsung was ordered to pay $98.8 million, while the ‘425 patent infringement carried $92.6 million in damages — both awarded as lump sums.
The panel also determined that Samsung’s infringement was willful, potentially paving the way for enhanced damages.
However, jurors cleared the tech titan on three other patents included in the same case, softening the blow but still affirming that Pictiva’s technology had been unlawfully used in some of Samsung’s most popular products.
“We are extremely pleased with the jury’s verdict, which validates the strength of Pictiva’s intellectual property,” said Angela Quinlan, Pictiva’s Managing Director. “This outcome reinforces our mission to ensure innovators receive the recognition and compensation they deserve.”
Counsel for Samsung declined to comment following the ruling.
