Korea-based plaintiff International Semiconductor Group Co., Ltd. (ISG) has filed a complaint before the International Trade Commission (ITC), naming as proposed respondents members Dell, HP, HP Enterprise (HPE), and Lenovo (337-TA-3785). The plaintiff targets with four wireless communications patents the provision of a wide array of wireless communication devices and components (e.g., computers, laptops, tablets, and wireless chipsets). It pleads that the domestic industry requirement is satisfied by the US activities of its licensee, Samsung.
In the new complaint, ISG pleads that it was formed in Korea in 2017, describing itself as "engaged in the development and licensing of technology that incorporate wireless capability, including semiconductor chips, mobile devices, and personal computers". It touts holding "patents related to certain wireless protocols, including the Wi-Fi family of protocols and versions of the IEEE 802.11 standard". On the plaintiff's public website, ISG describes itself as an "intellectual property management company" that focuses on "IP development", "IP monetization", and "IP transactions".
On that website, Jay Shim is identified as ISB's "Founder and Principal Partner" since 2017 and described as having "been with Samsung Electronics Company since 1997 as the head of IP at their semiconductor division, and a corporate Senior VP and the head of IP Licensing and Analysis between 2010 to 2017". USPTO assignment records indicate that in February-March 2022, Samsung divested ten US patent assets to ISG.
Hiroshi Miyauchi is identified as ISG's "Principal Partner and the President of of [sic] ISG Japan" and described as having "over 30 years of experience in patent licensing at Toshiba Corporation as the Head of IP at the Semiconductor Business between 2002 to 2007, the Head of Corporate IP between 2007 to 2013, and a senior advisor thereafter until 2023". USPTO assignment records indicate that in October-November 2022, ISG picked up roughly 85 US patent assets from a Toshiba entity, augmenting that portfolio pickup with four more patents assigned in early September 2024.
The patents asserted before the ITC (9,271,308; 10,111,227; 10,575,262; 10,616,919) stem from the Toshiba batch of patents now held by ISG. Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. filed the complaint for ISG. 11/18, ITC.
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