TI Sues Micron, Charges Patent Infringement
Seeking to defend some of its most valuable products, Texas Instruments on Monday filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Micron Technology, its only U.S. competitor in the shortage-plagued computer memory chip market.
The suit--a rare legal battle between two U.S. chip makers--seeks to halt Micron’s production of two types of memory chips: dynamic random access memory chips, the so-called DRAMs that have been in short supply for the past 18 months, and video random access memory chips. The suit seeks unspecified damages for past patent infringements. The two types of chips are among the most common components of electronics products, ranging from personal computers to supermarket cash registers.
Officials from Boise, Ida.-based Micron Technology, which has enjoyed soaring sales this year because of the industrywide DRAM shortage, declined late Monday to comment on the suit until the firm’s lawyers have reviewed it.
Filed Earlier Suits
“TI has taken this action to prevent the unauthorized use of its technology,” Richard J. Agnich, Texas Instrument’s general counsel and senior vice president, said in a prepared statement released at company headquarters in Dallas. “This technology is protected by our patents.”
The suit against Micron is Texas Instruments’ latest effort to protect its semiconductor patents and intellectual property. In 1986, the company filed patent infringement suits against one South Korean and eight Japanese semiconductor manufacturers for producing and selling DRAMs in the United States without licenses.
Texas Instruments reached licensing agreements with the nine companies in 1986 and 1987 and has since reported net royalties of $281 million as a result of the settlements.
Agnich said Texas Instruments had tried to settle the latest dispute through detailed discussions with Micron for more than six months. However, he said Micron had been “unwilling to accept a license under terms which will provide us a fair return on our investment.
