14 DAY TRIAL // It looks like the IT market really can't last a month without yet another lawsuit being started, though the most recent one has more that one target, those being Interphase Corp., Freescale Semiconductor and Nvidia Corp.
The IT market, like all other levels of the industry, is one that doesn't lack its share of legal problems, especially knowing the patent system.
In fact, many lawsuits sprout each year, sometimes often enough and at odd timings, like around the winter holidays, especially during December.
Granted, sometimes there are research milestones that sweeten the overall impression left by the IT segment as a whole, like recently-discovered means to make faster transistors.
Still, lawsuits get attention anyway, especially when they are aimed at NVIDIA, as the one in question.
To be more specific, Mosaid Technologies sued NVIDIA, along with Freescale Semiconductor and Interphase Corp.
What the company claims is that these three infringe patents related to microprocessor architecture and power management techniques.
"Unfortunately, it is increasingly clear that many companies now require litigation in order to seriously consider taking a license in a timely manner, despite our continued desire to resolve patent infringement disputes through licensing discussions. In such circumstances, we are prepared to litigate in order to defend our intellectual property rights," said John Lindgren, chief executive officer of Mosaid.
The accused products are application processors, microcontrollers, system-on-chip devices and, of course, graphics processing units that are employed in communications, consumer, mobile and automotive applications.
The suit was filed on April 07, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division.
What remains is to see whether this action drags on or if it gets settled in a timely fashion with the payment of some royalties. Depending on the disposition of the plaintiff and defendants, the clash may or may not be settled out of court.