Samsung and LG have been locked in a legal blitzkrieg for 18-months now over sensitive information being allegedly leaked to LG by 11 researchers affiliated with the Samsung camp. The individuals were indicted and in September, Samsung filed for an injunction that would ban LG from using 18 confidential technologies for OLED (organic light emitting diode) displays and 21 other relevant details behind the display systems in smartphones, tablets, televisions, and other devices. The two were still at it in December when the lawsuit was expanded to include liquid-crystal display technologies.
In an apparent attempt to reconcile differences between the two, Samsung has filed paperwork to the Seoul District Court that will cancel the injunction against LG. Samsung has yet to make a statement on the issue, but this most recent development comes after a meeting between the chief executives from the two companies brought on by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. After that meeting Samsung Display chief Kim Ki-nam and LG Display chief Hang Sang-beom made an agreement that they would work-out their patent dispute through dialogue.
Samsung had been seeking 1 billion won (about US$920,000) compensation for each of the confidential technologies divulged to LG Display. LG has aggressively denied any wrong-doing and had even threatened to sue Samsung for defamation, as Samsung was insisting that LG apologize for the breach.
LG also has filed patent suits against Samsung in the mobile space which sought injunctions on some very popular Samsung devices including the Galaxy SIII, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and the Galaxy Note. Later the Galaxy Note 10.1 was added to the suit. Samsung could also be looking to get out of as many legal controversies as possible following the Apple v. Samsung ruling that will have Samsung paying its rival in the mobile space over $1billion for patent infringement.
Samsung Display and LG Display control, between the two, nearly half of the display market globally and have been competing over the latest technologies, including those related to OLED, for years. The two companies are still engaged in no less than three litigations over display technology patents. Samsung’s move to invalidate the OLED technology injunction is thought to be a step toward resolving their differences and a move for a more peaceful display technology space.