National Semiconductor filed suit over a name.

The billion-dollar electronics giant went to court to force National Microelectronics Corp., a small firm that also sells semiconductors, to toss the National out of its name. In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in San Hose, National Semiconductor alleged trademark infringement by National Microelectronics of Santa Clara, Calif. The suit says National Semiconductor of Santa Clara fears that customers will confuse the two companies and accused, Microelectronics of using the National in its name to capitalize on that. An official of the smaller firm denied the allegation.