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

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 pa