Intel Corp. has asked the U.S. Customs...

Intel Corp. has asked the U.S. Customs Service to step into its legal wrangle with NEC Corp. of Japan by preventing some NEC computer chips from entering the country. The ban would apply to any imported product using NEC microprocessors, including circuit boards and desktop computers. Customs officials did not say whether they would grant the unusual request, which Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel made after having been stymied by court delays in its lawsuit against NEC. The company has accused its Japanese competitor of violating the copyright for its 8088 microprocessor.