7/18/00 - Rambus Pact Sets Limit On DDR Chip Sets
Intel is essentially barred from introducing its own double data rate (DDR) chip set for microprocessors in PCs before 2003, under terms of its 1997 licensing agreement with Rambus.
Industry sources said the virtually unknown restriction explains why Intel recently licensed patents for chip set support of DDR memories to Via Technologies, Acer Laboratories, and Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) in Taiwan. The pacts allow the three companies to offer DDR chip sets for Intel's Pentium III and Celeron processors.
A spokesman for Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., denied the company's DDR chip set deals had any connection with Intel's ownRambus licensing agreement. He agreed, however, that independent chip set suppliers could fill a void for DDR support in PCs with Pentium III and Celeron processors, since Intel has no DDR products.
DDR chip sets are becoming a paramount concern for Intel, since later this year Athlon processors from archrival Advanced Micro Devices will be supported by a bevy of new DDR chips. Unable to sell any of its own DDR chip sets for PCs, Intel has been forced to rely on other suppliers to provide logic/memory controllers to compete against AMD's high-end central processor.
Two obscure clauses in Intel's 1997 licensing pact with Rambus let the Mountain View, Calif., memory design company terminate its agreement with Intel if it introduces chip sets with DDR capabilities supporting memories other than the Direct Rambus DRAM from 2000 to 2002.
Intel is essentially barred from introducing its own double data rate (DDR) chip set for microprocessors in PCs before 2003, under terms of its 1997 licensing agreement with Rambus.
Industry sources said the virtually unknown restriction explains why Intel recently licensed patents for chip set support of DDR memories to Via Technologies, Acer Laboratories, and Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) in Taiwan. The pacts allow the three companies to offer DDR chip sets for Intel's Pentium III and Celeron processors.
A spokesman for Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., denied the company's DDR chip set deals had any connection with Intel's ownRambus licensing agreement. He agreed, however, that independent chip set suppliers could fill a void for DDR support in PCs with Pentium III and Celeron processors, since Intel has no DDR products.
DDR chip sets are becoming a paramount concern for Intel, since later this year Athlon processors from archrival Advanced Micro Devices will be supported by a bevy of new DDR chips. Unable to sell any of its own DDR chip sets for PCs, Intel has been forced to rely on other suppliers to provide logic/memory controllers to compete against AMD's high-end central processor.
Two obscure clauses in Intel's 1997 licensing pact with Rambus let the Mountain View, Calif., memory design company terminate its agreement with Intel if it introduces chip sets with DDR capabilities supporting memories other than the Direct Rambus DRAM from 2000 to 2002.
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