By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Electronics spent 1.38 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in patent fees in the nine months to September, the most in four years, the company said.
The previous record was 1.82 trillion won in 2010.
Samsung spent 754 billion won in the first quarter, 620 billion won in the second quarter and 10 billion won in the third quarter.
It increased spending on patent fees in the first half as it signed several deals with foreign partners.
In January, Samsung agreed with U.S.-based chip designer Rambus to extend cross-licensing on patents for another decade. It also struck licensing deals with Google and Ericsson of Sweden.
In February, it signed a 10-year cross-licensing pact with U.S. company Cisco Systems.
Samsung paid 1.29 trillion won in patent fees in 2003 and 1.4 trillion won in 2004.