The proceedings and the patents
The proceedings are Samsung Display Co., Ltd. v. Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd., IPR2026-00485 (U.S. Patent 11,257,891), IPR2026-00486 (U.S. Patent 11,957,031), and IPR2026-00487 (U.S. Patent 12,133,429). The '891 patent, titled Display Panel, issued February 22, 2022. The '031 patent, titled Display Device, issued April 9, 2024. The '429 patent, titled Display Panel and Display Device, issued October 29, 2024.
Each petition names Samsung Display as the only real party in interest and, out of an abundance of caution, identifies its corporate parent. In mandatory notices filed October 8, 2026 in each proceeding, China Star certifies that it is the real party in interest as the owner of the challenged patent.
What the claims cover
Claim 1 of the '891 patent covers a display panel with an active region and a surrounding non-display region that extends to form a bending region, a fanout routing region, and a component disposing region with component connecting pads. A first power trace runs around the active region and connects through the component disposing region to the pads, and a second power trace runs between the active region and the bending region and connects to its own section in the component disposing region through two sets of connecting sub-traces that pass through two sections of the bending region.
Claim 1 of the '031 patent covers a display device with a flexible screen body having a planar area and a connected bending area, a color filter covering at least the planar area, a protective layer covering at least part of the bending area, and a coverplate over the color filter, where, in the area where the protective layer and the coverplate overlap, the distance between them is at least a default value greater than zero.
Claim 1 of the '429 patent covers a display panel with a display region and a non-display region on at least one side of it, a substrate, a shielding layer of shielding blocks with a converging wire connected to them, a pixel driving circuit layer whose pixel driving circuits each at least partially overlap a shielding block, and power supply lines connected to the converging wire through through holes, where the converging wire between two adjacent through holes follows the shortest distance between them.
The grounds
IPR2026-00485 challenges claims 1 to 18 of the '891 patent on three obviousness grounds: claims 1, 7, and 10 over Kwon (U.S. Patent 9,780,157); claims 3, 11, and 16 over Kwon and Kang (U.S. Patent 10,651,261); and claims 2, 4 to 6, 8, 9, 12 to 15, 17, and 18 over Kwon, Kang, and Ka (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0287937).
IPR2026-00486 challenges claims 1 to 19 of the '031 patent on eight obviousness grounds built on Shin (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0061168), alone or with Luo (International Patent Publication WO 2022/051943). It asserts Shin alone against claims 1 to 3, 5, 7, 9 to 15, and 17 to 19, and Shin with Luo against claims 1 to 3, 5, 7 to 15, and 17 to 19. It then combines Shin, or Shin with Luo, with Lee (U.S. Patent 12,507,538) against claim 3, with a second Lee reference (Korean Patent Publication 2019/0005703) against claims 4 to 6, and with Park (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0096975) against claim 16.
IPR2026-00487 challenges claims 1 to 20 of the '429 patent on four obviousness grounds built on Yi (U.S. Patent 11,963,404): claims 1 to 5, 9, and 11 to 15 over Yi; claims 7, 8, 17, and 18 over Yi with a second Yi reference (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0199741); claims 6 and 16 over Yi with Zhang (U.S. Patent 9,658,523); and claims 10 and 20 over Yi, the second Yi reference, and Park (U.S. Patent 7,335,912). Samsung Display supports each petition with a technical expert's declaration.
The district court case
China Star sued Samsung Display Co., Ltd., Walmart Inc., and Best Buy Co., Inc. on March 19, 2026, in Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd. v. Samsung Display Co., Ltd., No. 2:26-cv-228 (E.D. Tex.), asserting the '429 patent in Count I, the '031 patent in Count II, and the '891 patent in Count III. The complaint alleges that China Star owns all substantial right, title, and interest in each patent. It accuses Samsung Display OLED display panels, identifies end products that incorporate them, including Google Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and Pixel 10 series phones, and alleges willful infringement since at least the filing date of the complaint. China Star later filed an amended complaint, which is not available. Judge Rodney Gilstrap's first amended docket control order, signed July 13, 2026 and entered July 14, 2026, sets jury selection for May 8, 2028. In its July 23, 2026 first amended answer, Samsung Display counterclaims that China Star and related companies infringe five Samsung Display patents, U.S. Patents 8,810,745, 9,311,842, 9,310,657, 9,606,406, and 9,087,490.
Each petition identifies the Eastern District of Texas case as the related matter. China Star's mandatory notices list that case and Samsung Display's suit against China Star and others, Samsung Display Co., Ltd. v. Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd., No. 3:25-cv-01430 (N.D. Tex.).
What to watch next
Under the Board's September 22, 2026 notices, China Star may file a brief requesting discretionary denial within two months of the notice in each proceeding under the USPTO's interim Director discretionary process, Samsung Display may file a brief opposing that request within three months of the notice, and China Star may file a preliminary response no later than three months from the notice, the period 37 CFR 42.107(b) sets. Watch for those filings and the institution decisions across the three proceedings.