Samsung hit with $118 mln damages in patent dispute

A federal jury in Texas, USA, has ordered Samsung Electronics to pay $118 million in damages to semiconductor manufacturing company Netlist. The jury found Samsung guilty of infringing on patents for high-performance memory technology, according to a recent Reuters report.

The decision, announced on Friday, follows a $303 million verdict against Samsung in a related case last year and a $445 million victory for Netlist against US-based computer memory and data producer Micron Technology in May, states the report.

As explained in the report, Netlist accused Samsung of using its patented technology in memory modules designed for cloud computing and data-intensive applications. According to Netlist, these innovations enhance memory efficiency and processing speed. The jury found Samsung's infringement was willful, opening the possibility of tripling the damages.

Samsung disputed the claims, arguing the patents were invalid and asserting that its technology operates differently. The tech giant has also filed a related lawsuit in Delaware, alleging Netlist failed to offer fair licensing terms for technology tied to international standards. 

Neither company has issued a statement regarding the latest verdict, says Reuters.