Memory technology firm Netlist, Inc. (NLST.US) announced on Wednesday that it has initiated new patent infringement lawsuits against Samsung Electronics (SSNLF.US) at both the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
The lawsuits concern two of Netlist's U.S. patents, numbers 12,646,537 and 12,650,937, which correspond to Samsung's High Bandwidth Memory products and its DDR5 RDIMM and MRDIMM memory modules, respectively.
Expanded Scope of Litigation
Notably, in its ITC complaint, Netlist has also named Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL.US), Super Micro Computer, Inc. (SMCI.US), NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA.US), and Broadcom Inc. (AVGO.US) as additional respondents. This expansion signifies that the patent dispute has escalated beyond a direct conflict between Netlist and Samsung, now implicating a broader segment of the AI hardware supply chain.
Dual Legal Avenues
Netlist is pursuing a dual-track legal strategy by filing complaints with both the ITC and the federal court. At the ITC, the company is seeking exclusion and cease-and-desist orders to block the importation of the allegedly infringing products into the United States. The ITC's investigative process is known for its rapid pace, often advancing to trial within approximately one year. The parallel lawsuit in Texas may seek monetary damages.
This is not Netlist's first action at the ITC. The company previously filed a Section 337 investigation request on September 30, 2025, alleging infringement of six of its patents by Samsung and others. The ITC voted on December 30, 2025, to initiate an investigation into Samsung and its customers, including Google and Super Micro Computer.
Netlist's CEO, C.K. Hong, stated in a release, "Netlist continues to drive breakthrough innovation in AI memory. This enforcement action is intended to further strengthen the protection of our next-generation server DIMM and HBM technologies against unauthorized use."
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Netlist is an innovator in advanced memory and storage solutions. According to data from the third-party patent platform GreyB, the company held approximately 210 granted patents and pending applications as of mid-2025. Its patented technologies are considered a critical component of AI computing infrastructure.
History of Legal Success
The patent conflict between Netlist and Samsung has a long history, dating back to late 2021. Netlist has achieved significant victories in prior litigation. In April 2023, a jury found Samsung had willfully infringed Netlist patents and awarded $303 million in damages. In November 2024, another jury again ruled in favor of Netlist, awarding $118 million. Combined, these verdicts total over $421 million in jury-awarded damages from Samsung.
Additionally, in May 2024, Netlist won a patent case against Micron Technology, Inc. (MU.US), securing a $445 million award.
Potential Market Impact
The potential impact of the new lawsuits is extensive. HBM is a critical companion memory for AI training chips, such as NVIDIA GPUs, while DDR5 is the standard for next-generation server memory. Should the ITC ultimately issue an exclusion order, Samsung's HBM and DDR5 products could be barred from the U.S. market, directly affecting downstream manufacturers that incorporate these components.
Netlist is represented in this matter by the law firms Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox and Irell & Manella. Irell & Manella previously represented Netlist in its successful patent litigation against both Samsung and Micron.
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