Tyler research firm awarded $278 million in damages

MARSHALL – An Eastern District of Texas federal jury has awarded $278.8 million in damages to a Tyler research firm suing tech-giant Samsung for patent infringement.

Headwater Research LLC, a Tyler-based research firm lead by inventor Dr. Greg Raleigh, filed a lawsuit against Samsung on March 10, 2023 which alleged that Samsung phones and tablets had infringed against two wireless communication technology patents.

U.S. patents 8,406,733 and 9,198,117 are technologies that are used to improve Wi-Fi speeds, reliability and the battery life of devices, according to a press release.

On April 25, after a week long jury trial before U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap in Marshall, Headwater was awarded $278,791,460 by a jury which ruled that Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Samsung Electronics America Inc. had violated the two patents.

“We are proud to have been part of the team that protected Headwater’s important innovations,” said local consul for Headwater and Miller Fair Henry law firm partner Andrea Fair. “The jury’s unanimous verdict reinforces the strength of Headwater’s technology and the importance of enforcing intellectual property rights.”

According to a press release put out by Miller Fair Henry, Samsung denied the allegations that they had infringed on the patents. The jury ruled that Samsung didn’t clearly and convincingly prove claims that the two patents were invalid.

The over two-year long case included more than 440 docket entries, hundreds of pages of exhibits, a technical advisor, a Korean interpreter for witnesses, 21 legal representatives for Headwater, and 35 legal representatives for Samsung.

Our news partner, KETK has reached out to Samsung’s legal representatives for comment on this verdict.