Rambus = fuckedcompany?
Probably not, due to the RDRAM + Pentium 4 love-in, but most of their
dinero comes from licensing patents including ones that they claim
apply to SDRAM and DDR SDRAM, so they collect whatever you choose.
But it seems that ten years ago they may have attended JEDEC council
meetings, patented stuff that was under discussion for future
standards, told nobody and then showed up a few years ago demanding
payment.
Rambus was desperate to defend the breadth of its patent claims and to
keep the trials focussed on their patents rather than their past antics.
But the uppance is coming hard and fast.
It seems that SDRAM doesn't actually infringe their patents due to
technical differences and that their antics may catch up with them
after all. Plus a possible FTC investigation.
Register coverage...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/3/17640.html
==============================================================================
Judge allows Rambus racketeering allegations
By: Mike Magee
Posted: 16/03/2001 at 08:25 GMT
There was painful news for Rambus shareholders yesterday after the
judge in the case said Infineon lawyers could introduce allegations of
criminal activity in an up-and-coming jury trial that originally
focused on alleged patent infringements.
Dow Jones [...] said Judge Robert E. Payne had decided allegations of
criminal misconduct could be discussed, despite an attempt by Rambus
to prevent that discussion.
[...]
==============================================================================
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/2/17674.html
==============================================================================
Judge limits Rambus patent claims
By: Thomas C Greene in Washington
Posted: 16/03/2001 at 17:55 GMT
In a memorandum signed Thursday, but embargoed until Friday, Judge
Robert Payne limited the scope of Rambus' patent-infringement claims
against Infineon scheduled to commence in court Tuesday, according to
the Dow Jones wire service.
The memo confirms a report Thursday by Electronic News which predicted
the move and inspired a Rambus stock sell-off which cost the company
$11.26 per share for a loss of thirty-two per cent.
Thursday, Judge Payne ruled that Infineon may bring up racketeering
allegations against Rambus in court. Infineon claims that Rambus
violated America's dreaded, catch-all Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organizations (RICO) laws.
==============================================================================
Here's some older stuff:
http://www.electronicnews.com/enews/news/6333-47NewsDetail.asp
"Documents Reveal Rambus' Secret Scheme; New Evidence
Re-Ignites JEDEC Debate"
There's some background at tomshardware; technical stuff, advocacy etc:
http://www.tomshardware.com/mainboard/01q1/010124/index.html
"DDR for Pentium III"
http://www6.tomshardware.com/blurb/00q2/000525/index.html
"Why we don't trust Rambus [...]"
Be excellent to each other,
Rob.
.-. Robert.Harley@polytechnique.org .-.
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