Which companies were named in the USITC patent investigation involving Samsung and Netlist?

The respondents included Samsung Electronics and its two U.S. subsidiaries, as well as Google, Nvidia, Broadcom and Super Micro Computer. The investigation concerned certain DRAM devices, products containing them and related components.

Why did the USITC terminate the Samsung-Netlist patent investigation?

Netlist and Samsung, including Samsung’s two U.S. subsidiaries, jointly asked the commission to end the investigation on Aug. 18, citing their settlement agreement. The agreement gave Samsung access to Netlist’s patent portfolio for five years.

US trade commission terminates Samsung chip patent probe following settlement with Netlist

Q: What patents and memory technologies were at the center of the Samsung-Netlist dispute?

Netlist’s complaint alleged that certain memory products infringed its patents. The settlement covered Netlist’s portfolio, including technologies related to server dual in-line memory modules and high-bandwidth memory used in AI servers and high-performance computing systems.

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Summary

The U.S. International Trade Commission terminated its investigation into Samsung Electronics and other companies after Samsung and Netlist settled their patent dispute. The investigation concerned certain DRAM devices, products containing them and related components, following a complaint Netlist filed in July. The companies requested termination on Aug. 18 under their settlement agreement.

Key Facts

Samsung signed a five-year agreement giving it access to Netlist’s patent portfolio, including technologies for server dual in-line memory modules and high-bandwidth memory used in AI servers and high-performance computing systems.
Google, Nvidia, Broadcom and Super Micro Computer were also named as respondents in the investigation.
Netlist sued Samsung in 2021, alleging that Samsung memory products used in cloud computing servers and other data technologies infringed its patents.
Samsung argued that Netlist’s patents were invalid and that its technologies operated differently from those covered by the patents.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 3, 2026 7:28 am KST

The headquarters of Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest maker of computer memory chips and smartphones, in Seoul, Oct. 29 / Yonhap

WASHINGTON — The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has formally terminated a patent infringement investigation involving Samsung Electronics Co. and several major American technology companies following a settlement between the Korean chipmaker and U.S. chip firm Netlist Inc., according to a federal notice published Monday.

The investigation centered on certain dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, products containing them and related components, according to the USITC notice published in the U.S. Federal Register.

The case was launched in July following a complaint from Netlist, which alleged that certain memory products infringed its patents. Other companies named as respondents in the case included Google, Nvidia Corp., Broadcom Inc. and Super Micro Computer Inc.

The notice said Netlist and Samsung, including its two U.S. subsidiaries, jointly requested the termination of the investigation on Aug. 18 based on a settlement agreement between the companies.

In their August settlement, Samsung signed a five-year agreement with Netlist to access the American company's patent portfolio, including technologies related to server dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in artificial intelligence (AI) servers and high-performance computing systems.

Netlist develops advanced memory and storage technologies, including server memory and HBM solutions for AI computing.

In 2021, Netlist sued Samsung, alleging that the Korean tech giant's memory products used in cloud computing servers, along with other data technologies, infringed its patents.

Samsung had argued that Netlist's patents were invalid and that its technologies operated differently from those covered by the patents.

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