Samsung has officially put an end to a lengthy US patent battle centered on the Wireless PowerShare feature found in its Galaxy smartphones. The Korean tech giant, along with wireless charging chip provider Renesas Electronics America and patent holder WiPQTUS, has filed a joint agreement to drop all claims, bringing the case to a close through an out-of-court settlement.
For those unfamiliar, Wireless PowerShare is Samsung's reverse wireless charging technology, which allows users to power up Galaxy Watches, Galaxy Buds, other Galaxy handsets, and any Qi-certified accessories simply by resting them against the back of their phone. The capability made its debut with the Galaxy S10 lineup in 2019. Devices cited in the complaint spanned multiple generations, including the Galaxy S20, S21, and S22 families, the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 20, as well as the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold foldable ranges.
The legal action was initiated by WiPQTUS in February 2023 at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The company claimed that Wireless PowerShare violated its 2018 patent known as "Dual Mode Wireless Power Receiver" (US patent 10,038,339). Notably, WiPQTUS operates as a non-practicing entity — in other words, it holds patents without manufacturing or selling any products itself. Renesas, the supplier behind the wireless charging chips used in the affected devices, became involved in the proceedings as well, launching a countersuit that maintained its components did not violate the patent in question.
According to the terms of the agreement, none of the parties involved will pursue further litigation over this particular matter. It's worth noting that the court never delivered a verdict on whether infringement actually occurred. The finer details of the settlement remain confidential, so it's unclear whether a licensing arrangement is part of the deal. The presiding judge is anticipated to formally dismiss the case within the coming days.
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