Technology
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December 1, 2004
Synopsys Acquires Nassda For $192M In Deal Driven By Patent, Trade-Secret Litigation
Chip software maker Synopsys Inc. has agreed to buy rival Nassda Corp. for about $192 million in a deal driven by the acrimonious patent and trade-secrets litigation between the two companies.
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November 30, 2004
Analog Devices Settles Patent Lawsuits Brought By Motorola, Inventor Of Modem Technology
Chip maker Analog Devices has settled two separate patent lawsuits brought against the company by telecom equipment maker Motorola and the inventor of a standard for dial-up modem technology.
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November 29, 2004
Sony To Pay Ampex $40M To Settle Patent Dispute
Japanese electronics maker Sony Corp. has agreed to pay at least $40 million to Ampex Corp. to settle a lawsuit over patents related to digital cameras.
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November 29, 2004
South Korea Bans Panasonic Plasma Displays In Escalating Patent War
The patent war between South Korea’s LG Electronics and Japan’s Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. shows no sign of abating, with LG securing a ban Monday on Korean imports of the Japanese rival’s plasma panel displays.
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November 26, 2004
PCTEL, 3Com Settle Modem Patent Dispute
High-tech rivals PCTEL and 3COM, which have been trading complaints in federal court in Northern California in a dispute over patented modem technology, have settled their lawsuits with a cross-licensing agreement, the two companies said.
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November 26, 2004
U.S. Bill Would Protect Research Collaborations From Patent Challenges
The U.S. Congress has passed a bill designed to shield private companies that collaborate with universities from legal challenges to their patents, a move that is likely to bolster biotech companies in particular.
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November 26, 2004
E.U. Delays Vote On Software Patents Again
European Union governments have once again delayed voting on a proposal for a controversial law that opponents say would allow the patenting of software in Europe.
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November 29, 2004
WIPO Snubs U.S. Bid To Extend Broadcasting Treaty To Webcasts
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has rejected a proposal by the U.S. to extend copyright protection for television and radio productions to cover webcasting on the internet in a revised broadcast treaty.
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November 19, 2004
VC Firm Targets Patents, Raises $350M: Report
A venture capital firm headed by former Microsoft executives is buying patents that could pose legal threats to its powerful high-tech investors, according to a published report.
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November 18, 2004
ITC Clears Carsem In Chip Packaging Dispute With Amkor
In a preliminary decision, the U.S. International Trade Commission has cleared semiconductor packaging company Carsem of infringing patents held by rival Amkor Technology, Inc.
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November 17, 2004
Poland Withdraws Support For Software Patents, Threatening Controversial Proposal
In a move that could threaten plans to allow software patents in the European Union, Poland has withdrawn its support for the controversial measure.
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November 16, 2004
Film Studios File First Wave Of Lawsuits Against Alleged Online Pirates
Taking a leaf from the music industry’s book, film studios have filed what they call “the initial wave of lawsuits” targeting online traders of illegally copied films in courts throughout the U.S., the Motion Picture Association of America said.
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November 16, 2004
Microsoft Destroyed Evidence In Patent Suit, Software Vendor Alleges
Microsoft Corp. routinely destroyed internal e-mails that could be used as evidence in a patent-infringement and antitrust lawsuit against the software giant, a small Silicon Valley vendor has charged in pretrial proceedings.
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November 16, 2004
Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over "Wireless Eyewear"
A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit accusing a California product design firm of misappropriating trade secrets related to a eyewear with Bluetooth wireless technology.
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November 15, 2004
Texas Company Infringed Fax-To-E-Mail Patent, Jury Finds
A Texas company infringed Brooktrout, Inc.’s patent for a technology that allows corporations to route faxes directly to e-mail based on an ordinary telephone number, a federal jury has ruled.
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November 15, 2004
Wolfson Infringed Cirrus Patent On Audio Chips, ITC Rules
The U.S. International Trade Commission has found that Scottish chip maker Wolfson Microelectrics PLC infringed a patent held by U.S. rival Cirrus Logic Inc., but found another Cirrus patent unenforceable, the company said.
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November 12, 2004
Omnibus Intellectual Property Bill Raises Concerns
A coalition of consumer activists and high-tech companies has launched a campaign to prevent the U.S. Senate from passing a sweeping intellectual property bill during Congress' post-election “lame-duck” session in the coming week.
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November 12, 2004
Judge Clears Patent Suit Vs. Microsoft, HP Over Smart-Card Technology
A U.S. federal court has cleared the way for a patent lawsuit against Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard over smart-card technology, after ruling that the patent at the center of the complaint is valid.
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November 11, 2004
LG To Ask Japan To Revoke Matsushita's Plasma Display Patents
South Korean electronics maker LG Electronics Inc. will file an application with the Japanese government's patent agency by the end of the month, seeking to invalidate two patents on display panel technology held by rival Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., the company said Thursday.
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November 10, 2004
Japan Bars LG Plasma Displays In Patent Dispute
In a step that could have far-flung political implications, Tokyo customs officials have agreed to demands by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. to suspend imports of plasma display panels by South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc. while allegations of patent infringement are being investigated.