A model poses for photographs with Samsung's new smartphone Galaxy S7 during its launching ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, March 10, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] |
Chinese electronic giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has collected substantial evidence to prove Samsung Electronics Co has infringed its patents, according to an industry media report on Wednesday.
As c114.net reports, through the purchase of the South Korean tech company's latest flagship handsets, a total of 16 products were alleged by Huawei to infringe its patent rights.
The company is demanding 80 million yuan ($12 million) in compensation against three subsidiaries of Samsung, including the Beijing-based Samsung (China) Investment Co, Samsung Electronics Huizhou Co and Tianjin Samsung Telecom Technology Co.
The Shenzhen-based company confirmed to China Daily that it had filed patent infringement lawsuits against Samsung in two courts in China.
"Huawei is looking for legal protection for its property rights and for a "reasonable" compensation," the company said in a statement.
According to media reports, under the supervision of notaries, Huawei on April 5 bought a Galaxy S7 (SM-G9300 model) handset and a Galaxy S7 edge (SM-G9350 model) handset, both manufactured by Samsung Electronics Huizhou Co, at an electric appliance store in Quanzhou, Fujian province.
The company also bought a Galaxy J5 (SM-J5008 model) handset, manufactured by Tianjin Samsung Telecom Technology Co, at a local telecom operator, according to the report.
Huawei said that after analysis, it found the Samsung mobile phones had all the technical features of an invention allegedly patented by Huawei and originally granted by China's State Intellectual Property Office on June 5, 2011.
The Quanzhou intermediate people's court had reportedly accepted Huawei's case recently. The company said the second case was filed with the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court, but declined to provide details.
In late May this year, Huawei took rival Samsung to court in China and the United States over alleged patent infringements.
Huawei said the dispute involved the fourth-generation wireless standard in the US, while in China it related to 4G standards as well as other smartphone functions.
Huawei is also suing T-Mobile for 4G patent infringements.
According to Reuters, a Samsung spokeswoman said the South Korean company would "thoroughly review the complaint" and take appropriate action to defend its interests.
Huawei has 80,000 workers in research and development and invests $9.2 billion in R&D annually, about 15 per cent of its global sales.
By the end of last year, the company had 50,377 authorized patents and had applied for 52,550 in China and 30,613 abroad, according to the company's annual report.
Ma Si contributed to this story.