Apple is apparently ready to ask Judge Lucy Koh to require Samsung to pay triple the damages as part of its mobile device patent lawsuit win in the United States. If the Judge awards Apple the higher amount, Samsung will face paying over US$3 billion in damages.
Apple wants Samsung damages tripled
A Federal Court jury ruled in August that Samsung was willfully infringing on several Apple-owned mobile device patents and awarded the iPhone and iPad maker over $1 billion in damges while opening the door for an injunction blocking the sale of several Android-based smartphones from Samsung.
The jury also found that Apple wasn't infringing on Samsung's mobile device patents.
Apple and Samsung have been fighting in courtrooms around the world over mobile device patent infringement complaints for more than a year. Both claim the other company is using patents without proper licensing, and Apple has also accused Samsung of blatantly copying the iPad's look and feel.
The jury's finding that Samsung willfully infringed on Apple's patents was the key to opening the possibility of triple damages.
"By using that condition, Apple has decided to request the judge to order Samsung to pay more than $3 billion in the hearing on the San Jose verdict on September 21 in California," a senior legal executive speaking anonymously with The Korea Times said.
Word of Apple's plans to increase the damages Samsung must pay follows Judge Koh's ruling that a preliminary injunction blocking the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet will stay in place. She chose to leave that ban in effect since the injunction is being reviewed by an appeals court.
Apple and Samsung have not commented on the request for triple damages.