[News] Memory Patent War Escalates: Kioxia Hit With $229M Viasat Verdict; Samsung Faces Netlist ITC Probe

The memory boom is fueling not only demand for chips but also a wave of patent disputes among industry players. Reuters reports that a Texas federal jury ordered Kioxia, Japan’s NAND flash leader, to pay $229 million to Viasat after ruling that the company infringed a patent related to memory technology.

The ruling, issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, centered on Viasat’s U.S. Patent No. 8,615,700, which covers technology aimed at reducing power consumption while enhancing flash memory reliability and lifespan, according to Bloomberg and Reuters. Bloomberg suggests that the awarded damages of $229.025 million were calculated as a “running royalty” covering compensation for past infringement through March 30, 2026.

California-based Viasat, per the Reuters report, alleged that Kioxia’s flash memory products incorporate error-correction technology that operates in a manner similar to its patented invention. Kioxia denied the claims, arguing that the patent itself was invalid, the report adds.

Viasat has also filed a similar patent lawsuit against data-storage company Western Digital, with the case still ongoing, according to Reuters. The California-based company is a global provider of communications technologies and services, focusing on secure connectivity solutions across broadband and satellite communications markets, Guru Focus reports.

Samsung Faces New DRAM Patent Battle

On the other hand, Samsung is facing another patent challenge over memory technology as well. According to Reuters, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into Samsung’s memory chips and related products from Google, NVIDIA, Broadcom and Super Micro Computer following a complaint filed by Netlist.

Netlist alleges that Samsung and its U.S. affiliates infringed patents covering DRAM technology, Reuters adds. The company, per the report, has asked the ITC to block imports of the disputed chips and prevent the involved companies from selling the products in the U.S. market.

The probe marks the latest escalation in a years-long patent dispute between Netlist and Samsung over advanced memory technologies. As noted by Reuters, in 2024, a Texas jury ordered Samsung to pay Netlist $118 million over memory data-processing technology, following a separate $303 million verdict in 2023.

Read more

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(Photo credit: Kioxia)