A couple of weeks ago we reported that the Korean government will attempt to resolve Samsung's and LG OLED technology dispute, and today there are reports that the two companies have agreed to work out their issues. A "peace summit" was held at a Seoul hotel, and Samsung's Kim Ki-nam said that LG and Samsung will resolve the issues one by one. Hopefully we can get this patent fight behind us, hopefully this will accelerate OLED adoption by the two Korean giants.
In November 2012 Samsung filed a patent invalidation suit against seven of LGD's OLED patents. Two months earlier, LG Display filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics over OLED technology, saying that Samsung infringed upon seven of its OLED patents which relate to the design of the OLED panel, the driver circuitry and device design. LG seeks damages - and also a permanent injunction against the sale of Samsung's Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Tab 7.7 in South Korea.
Earlier in September Samsung Display filed a lawsuit against LG over OLED technology tech leak. Samsung claims that LG Display stole 18 confidential technologies relating to OLED displays, and also gave some of the information to a third party. Samsung also reported that two of its OLED TVs were 'lost' during the shipment to the IFA exhibition, and this may be another case of industry espionage. In July 2012 we reported that 11 former and current Samsung employees were charged of giving LG Display confidential OLED technology.
The Koreans are not the only ones fighting about OLED IP. Taiwan's AU Optronics filed a suit against two of its former executives, charging them with an illegal transfer of OLED technology to TCL's subsidiary China Star Optoelectronics Technology. Back in May 2012 the Korean police started to investigate another case of OLED technology leakage - this time by Israeli company Orbotech's local Korean branch. Orbotech employees were suspected of leaking AMOLED technology from both LG Display and Samsung to several Chinese and Taiwanese companies.
