Agere, Broadcom Trade Patent Suits

Agere Systems Inc. and rival communications chip maker Broadcom Corp. traded patent-infringement lawsuits accusing each other of stealing technology without paying for it.

Agere says Broadcom is impermissibly using its inventions related to modems, circuitry and wireless local area networks. Broadcom claims Agere is the one that’s using technology for semiconductors without permission. Irvine-based Broadcom says Allentown, Pa.-based Agere sued to retaliate for its lawsuit, filed May 9 in federal court in San Francisco.