Asus sued Samsung over alleged violations of wireless patents in its 4G and 5G Galaxy smartphones, as well as the Galaxy Z Flip 5. A year and a half ago, Asus asked Samsung to pay licensing fees for using the patented technology, but the company refused were able to come to an agreement.
Previously, Asus registered the company Asus Technology Licensing and Innovative Sonic Limited, which owns its patents. The companies then appointed Celerity IP LLC as their exclusive licensee, and it was the company that filed suit against Samsung in the Eastern District of Texas over the wireless patent (U.S. Patent No. 10,187,878). It describes “a method and apparatus for improving transmission using a customized resource in a wireless communication system.”
Litigation for standard essential patents typically lasts for years. If the court orders Samsung to pay Asus for its intellectual property, it is unlikely to make the company’s smartphone business profitable. However, companies can still enter into a cross-licensing agreement.
Meanwhile, Chinese companies Huawei and Xiaomi have entered into a global patent cross-licensing agreement. The agreement covers communications technologies, including 5G. The agreement resolved a patent licensing dispute between both firms.
