In a stunning courtroom blow, a Texas federal jury has ordered Samsung Electronics Co. to pay $445.5 million to Collision Communications, finding that the South Korean tech titan willfully infringed four patents tied to improving wireless network efficiency.
The verdict, handed down Friday morning, concluded that Samsung failed to invalidate any of the asserted patent claims and that the company’s infringement was deliberate—an accusation that often triggers heightened damages and legal scrutiny.
The jury awarded Collision Communications exactly $445,494,160 in damages as a running royalty, marking one of the largest patent verdicts against the electronics giant in recent years.
From Military Research to Modern Wi-Fi Devices
The dispute began in December 2023, when Collision Communications accused Samsung of hijacking technology originally developed from military communication research. These patents were designed to combat “noise” — disruptive signals that interfere with wireless communication and reduce network quality.
Collision argued that Samsung had previously engaged in talks about a potential partnership, giving it access to the patented innovations before allegedly deploying the same technology across its product line without consent.
The company’s lawsuit targeted an array of Samsung devices, including Galaxy smartphones, Wi-Fi-enabled appliances, and even home electronics such as refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers equipped with wireless connectivity.
