US ITC ban on Nvidia patent infringement products

[mhouck]

http://www.tcmagazine.com/tcm/news/...rt-ban-nvidia-based-products-rambus-overjoyed

"The US ITC (International Trade Commission) has reached a conclusion regarding the patent infringement complaint filed by Rambus against Nvidia, the determination basically confirming that multiple Nvidia products do indeed violate Rambus patents.

As a result of this ruling, the ITC will be issuing a Limited Exclusion Order barring the importation of infringing products into the United States, as well as Cease and Desist Orders to prevent the sale of any infringing products that were previously imported into the United States. Pending a 60-day Presidential review, the sale and importation of infringing products can continue. ...

The products covered by the import and sales bans include graphics processors, application processors, media and communications processors, and chipsets, so it's very likely Nvidia will be looking to settle with Rambus and sign a licensing deal in the next couple of months."

 

[mhouck]

So nothing has happened yet but it's good for Rambus...

 

[Creig]

Whoa... Halting the sales of all Nvidia products that contain a graphics processor? That's Nvidia's bread and butter. It looks like Rambus will have a few aces in the hole when Jen-Hsun sits down at the negotiating table with them. I imagine those licenses won't come cheap.

 

[WelshBloke]

Whoa... Halting the sales of all Nvidia products that contain a graphics processor? That's Nvidia's bread and butter. It looks like Rambus will have a few aces in the hole when Jen-Hsun sits down at the negotiating table with them. I imagine those licenses won't come cheap.

I think they have to set a 'reasonable' price, one in line with what they charge others.

 

[MrK6]

Ouch. The market just opened; it will be interesting to see where their stock goes today.

 

[Genx87]

Which products are they barring? I thought around 01-03 everybody was making plans to move away or around these patents?

 

[WelshBloke]

Which products are they barring? I thought around 01-03 everybody was making plans to move away or around these patents?

That will just be the ultimate sanction if nVidia refuse to licence the IP I guess. I'm pretty positive this wont effect availability of any nVidia products.

It may cost a fair bit though as it covers mostly everything nV has except Ion.

 

[ViRGE]

Which products are they barring? I thought around 01-03 everybody was making plans to move away or around these patents?

Probably everything with a memory controller. RAMBUS holds patents that are fundamental to DDR technology.

 

[Creig]

I think they have to set a 'reasonable' price, one in line with what they charge others.

Plus charges for every item sold in the past that would have fallen under the same license. It could all add up to a very substantial sum.

 

[WelshBloke]

Plus charges for every item sold in the past that would have fallen under the same license. It could all add up to a very substantial sum.

I've no doubt it will be a sizable sum I just meant they cant charge nVidea whatever they want, they will have to be reasonable about it.

Weird, I just referred to Rambus and reasonable in the same sentence :\

I really dislike Rambus

 

[Anarchist420]

Awww, poor little Rambus needs welfare from the state to remain in business.

 

[Homerboy]

Awww, poor little Rambus needs welfare from the state to remain in business.

This is all Rambus pretty much does now. Is sue on patent infringements.

 

[WelshBloke]

Lol

Rambus, a patent squatting company, was incorporated in California in 1990 and re-incorporated in Delaware in 1997. The company was listed on NASDAQ in 1997 under the code RMBS. As of February 2006, Rambus derived the majority of its annual revenue by licensing patents for chip interfaces to its customers.

Rambus is one of the world's premier technology licensing companies. Founded in 1990, the Company specializes in the invention and design of architectures focused on enhancing the end-user experience of electronic systems. Rambus' patented innovations and breakthrough technologies help industry-leading companies bring superior products to market.

How to say the same thing in different ways

 

[Genx87]

You'd think the industry would band together and buy them out and open the patents up. Might be cheaper than being nickle and dimed to death.

 

[Skurge]

Ok, this is ridiculous. Surely the industry must see that there's something wrong with a company that lives on licensing patents. Good on nV for standing up to this nonsense. I hope the ruling is over turned and other companies follows suit.

 

[faxon]

rambus is about as pathetic of a company as it gets in this industry now lol. their headquarters is a small office building in front of a Marriott residence inn that cant have more than a hundred offices lol. the only reason they still exists at all is due to royalties they receive from the patents they filed. do they even still have any products for sale anymore besides patents for license?

 

[WelshBloke]

Ok, this is ridiculous. Surely the industry must see that there's something wrong with a company that lives on licensing patents. Good on nV for standing up to this nonsense. I hope the ruling is over turned and other companies follows suit.

'The industry' is not going to complain too hard as they all do it as well.

 

[OCGuy]

Maybe nV will just tell Intel to pay RAMBUS

 

[Skurge]

'The industry' is not going to complain too hard as they all do it as well.

At least they produce products with those licenses.

 

[Wreckage]

http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4204934/ITC-ruling-could-bar-Nvidia-chips

"There will be no impact on our customers or our business as a result of this ruling," the spokesperson said. "We intend to take advantage of the mandatory European Commission License that is available. This will allow us and our partners to continue our business under the terms of that license and prevent the enforcement of any exclusion order. In the meantime, we intend to appeal the case to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals and continue to press our arguments on these patents before the USPTO."

Sounds like no big deal.....yet.

How Rambus started all this... they were part of a committee to set open standards for memory (JDEC?). Instead they secretly patented these "standards" screwing everyone.

 

[Stoneburner]

Kurt Rambis should sue Rambus for trademark infringement.

 

[faxon]

Kurt Rambis should sue Rambus for trademark infringement.

that would go over really well with rambus' lawyers im sure

 

[railven]

http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4204934/ITC-ruling-could-bar-Nvidia-chips



Sounds like no big deal.....yet.

How Rambus started all this... they were part of a committee to set open standards for memory (JDEC?). Instead they secretly patented these "standards" screwing everyone.

Not sure if the Wiki is anything to go on, but from what I read there it seemed they were invited to join the JEDEC. When they saw how the JEDEC handled patents and distributions of royalties, they backed out. That was probably the best move for them since it was their patents that the JEDEC wanted to distribute freely among its members. By backing out they kept the patents and thus any royalties for themselves.

Also, I didn't know it was the ongoing investigations to fraud and junk against RAMBUS that led to the discovery of the price fixing by the memory vendors. Haha. They sued Rambus, Rambus gave out the info and thus got the other guys fined haha. Irony at its best.

 

[Genx87]

http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4204934/ITC-ruling-could-bar-Nvidia-chips



Sounds like no big deal.....yet.

How Rambus started all this... they were part of a committee to set open standards for memory (JDEC?). Instead they secretly patented these "standards" screwing everyone.

Worse they planted people to push the standards in a certain direction. Back in 98-00 when Intel was pushing Rambus memory and Rambus started suing everybody this was a huge story.

 

[ZimZum]

This is all Rambus pretty much does now. Is sue on patent infringements.

Yup, all of their revenue comes from licensing and lawsuits.