BOE Files Patent Lawsuit Against Samsung, Escalating Ongoing Legal Battle

BOE has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung in the US, marking the latest chapter in an escalating legal standoff between two of the world’s major display manufacturers. The Chinese company accuses Samsung of infringing patents related to under-display camera (UDC) technology used in the Galaxy Z Fold series. The lawsuit is widely seen as a strategic counteraction to multiple patent and trade secret lawsuits Samsung Display has filed against BOE in recent months.

BOE files a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung

BOE submitted the lawsuit to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on Tuesday, May 27. The Chinese display maker claims that Samsung infringed on four of its patents related to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology used in the UDC systems found in the Galaxy Z Fold series. The four US patents cited in BOE’s lawsuit are:

• US11,037,994 – Display panel and manufacturing method
• US12,266,309 – Display substrate and method of driving, and display device
• US12,307,976 – Display substrate and method of driving, and display device
• US11,695,017 – Array board, display panel, and display device

The UDC technology allows the front-facing camera to be hidden beneath the display when not in use, enabling a more immersive screen experience. This requires a specialized OLED structure with reduced pixel density in the camera area, where light passes through the non-pixel portions of the screen. BOE claims that Samsung stole its UDC technologies and applied them to the Fold series foldables.

This lawsuit escalates the legal battle between two display giants

Industry insiders see BOE’s lawsuit as a strategic retaliation against Samsung’s ongoing legal actions. In April, the Korean firm filed four civil lawsuits — three for patent infringement and one for trade secret theft — against its Chinese rival in the same Texas court. These followed a 2023 lawsuit in which Samsung accused BOE of infringing several OLED patents. The two firms have also had a legal standoff over royalty payments in the past.

Meanwhile, Samsung recently won one of its ongoing legal battles against BOE. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) found BOE guilty of infringing three Samsung patents. The Korean behemoth has so far asserted 17 patents across its four lawsuits. Of the five key patents challenged by BOE at the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) in 2023, four have been upheld, further strengthening Samsung’s position. The ITC rejected Samsung’s request for an import ban on BOE products, though.

A preliminary ruling in Samsung’s trade secret lawsuit against BOE — also filed with the ITC — is expected on May 30. Depending on the outcome, the legal tensions between the two companies could escalate even further. Both sides appear determined to defend their IP portfolios and market positions, so this dispute may be far from over.