Samsung Electronics Co. and affiliates face a patent infringement lawsuit by U.K.-based nanotechnology developer Nanoco over quantum-dot (QD) technology applied to its flagship QLED TVs in the United States.

According to industry sources on Monday, Nanoco on Friday filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The lawsuit claims quantum dot technology used in Samsung QLED TVs infringe on five Nanoco patents for synthesis and film resin use for quantum dots.

Each of the defendants – Samsung Electronics, Samsung Electronics’ video display (VD) division, Samsung Electronics America, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and Samsung Display – has widely violated Nanoco’s patented technologies without licensing or entering an agreement, argues Nanoco.

Samsung and Nanoco in 2010 partnered to develop enhanced quantum dot and other materials technologies for LCD modules. Nanoco under the partnership unveiled its quantum dot technology with some samples, but the Korean tech giant abruptly ended the collaboration and then showcased its quantum dot-applied TV at the CES 2015 and launched the first QLED TV in 2017 without entering into either a licensing or supply agreement with Nanoco, claimed Christopher Richards, Nanoco chairman, in a Reuters’ report.

In response to the lawsuit, Samsung Electronics said it will review the related patents and actively respond to the claims, said a company official.

Samsung Electronics in 2016 acquired U.S-based quantum dot technology company QD Vision in a preemptive move to better respond to a possible patent litigation. Among the global leading names in nanotechnology, California-based Nanosis also did engage with Samsung for development of quantum dot materials in the past.

By Pulse

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