Rambus takes aim at NVIDIA over alleged patent infringement, again

While there still doesn't seem to have been any developments in the lawsuit Rambus filed against NVIDIA earlier this year, that doesn't seem to be stopping the company from opening up another front against its would-be arch rival, and it's now taken its case to the International Trade Commission. As before, Rambus is alleging that NVIDIA and its partner companies are infringing on a whole slew of its memory-related patents, and it's asking for a ban on all imports and sales of NVIDIA products that include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, LPDDR, GDDR, GDDR2, and GDDR3 memory controllers -- or anything with an NVIDIA logo on it, basically. For its part, NVIDIA doesn't seem to be commenting on the matter just yet, but Rambus said in a statement that it believes the action was "necessary given NVIDIA's continued willful infringement of our patents." Look for the ITC to make a decision on whether to start an investigation into the matter or not within the next 30 days, and you can keep tabs on any future Rambus litigation on the Litigation Update section of its website which, yes, actually exists.

Read - Rambus Press Release, "Rambus Files Complaint Against International Trade Commission"
Read - Rambus Litigation Update

[Via The Inquirer]

[avester @ Nov 7th 2008 4:27PM]

The new bond movie : Rambus, license to sue.

[Magallanes @ Nov 7th 2008 4:28PM]

or
John Rambus

[nerdtalker @ Nov 7th 2008 6:20PM]

Nvidia's response to Rambus: "Fuck you, your memory sucks."

[paul-engadget @ Nov 7th 2008 4:27PM]

I don't understand, nvidia don't make dram chips, dimms or other modules. Or are rambus complaining that nvidia are infringing some sort of interface design?

[Pete @ Nov 7th 2008 4:34PM]

Or, as some seem to think, is Rambus the SCO of the hardware world?

Rambus has been accused of some pretty shady patent dealings in the past.

[Le Big Mac @ Nov 7th 2008 4:34PM]

don't nvida chips contain some amount of memory on them?

[MarbleMind @ Nov 7th 2008 5:07PM]

Rambus claims that they're basically the godfather of SDRAM and DDR RAM (it alledgedly contains some technology they invented). I assume they got pissed that nobody wanted their overcomplicated, latency-laden, overheating and overexpensive RDRAM, so in 2000, they moved on to suing the living heck out of anybody using "their" RAM technology. And that's basically what they've done ever since, apart from some sporadic licensing.

[inteller @ Nov 7th 2008 4:38PM]

this company is still around? couldn't sell your expensive memory, so now you will sue your way to a profit? losers.

[matt merritt @ Nov 7th 2008 4:39PM]

It's easy to claim that your patents have been infringed when all you do is produce patents for things that everyone will eventually have to use.

Therefore, I'm going to patent Enriched Uranium.

[Sam Zebian @ Nov 7th 2008 4:44PM]

Then I'm going to have to patent a simple flying car. That way all of the car manufacturers will have to pay me to license a flying car design. I'll be stinking rich! (now to go design that flying car, I have to get a working product to make a patent... this could take a while...)

[kal326 @ Nov 7th 2008 5:27PM]

I'm gonna patent fake orgasms, I'll make millions of the porn industry alone. Since I'm sure there are a whole lot more porn flicks around then WMD.

[Luke D @ Nov 8th 2008 9:41PM]

kal326, please let me know if my girlfriend applies for a license... please...

[Sam Zebian @ Nov 7th 2008 4:42PM]

If they're suing because they're using some sort of RAM design they invented, then this lawsuit makes sense. If it's because they're using different forms of DDR, then this lawsuit is dumb. I think it's the latter though.

[Sharone @ Nov 7th 2008 4:45PM]

Why are these rambus people still alive? Idiots should have been shot dead after their last attempt at blackmailing the entire industry.

[Rollins @ Nov 7th 2008 5:50PM]

I concur. Rambus has been nothing but a blight upon the computer industry.

[rock99rock @ Nov 7th 2008 4:53PM]

What i wouldn't do with a bus of ram.

[michas_pi @ Nov 7th 2008 5:12PM]

Doesn't ATI/AMD also use a lot of DDR memory in their products?

Y thro h8 @ NVIDIA? :(

[wuzy @ Nov 7th 2008 5:57PM]

They have been known to sue the whole industry. Don't be surprised if Intel/AMD gets chewed in as well.
Fucking RAMBUS losers

[Wes @ Nov 7th 2008 6:28PM]

The reason ATI/AMD might not be effected and only nVidia is because of the content of the article Michas_pi. They specifically say 'memory controller' not 'memory'. Meaning, the chip used to access the memory contained on the Nvidia card. They are not claiming writes to ddr, ddr2, ddr3 etc. They are claiming righst to some of the technology used to access the data contained on the memory. Aka the memory controller.

Memory controllers often have very different designs such as intel's memory controller designed to access a few different levels of cache at different distance from the processor at different speeds according to which thread as highest priority, etc compared to say the memory controller for accessing the hard drive in an ipod classic versus an ipod nano that uses flash memory.

This company claims the memory controller design is based of their patents but not the ddr/gddr etc.

[tkmckay @ Nov 7th 2008 8:35PM]

AMD and with it ATI are off the hook for what Nvidia is being sued for as they have a licencing agreement with Rambus which was signed a couple years ago: http://www.rambus.com/us/news/press_releases/2006/060103.html

[SonicEarth @ Nov 7th 2008 5:41PM]

Good luck with that.

[Johan S @ Nov 7th 2008 6:03PM]

Rambus is an annoying person who always loses and then blames everyone else except himself.

I've had it with "technology" companies that have more lawyers than engineers/scientists.

[JeffM @ Nov 8th 2008 4:10AM]

Or customers!

[phanbouy @ Nov 7th 2008 6:05PM]

Cougars on the loose!!

[Valicore @ Nov 7th 2008 10:09PM]

Christ I'm glad it isn't just me. That is the weirdest shit ever. I also just got an ad for the BlackJack II "Your new BFF - BlackJack II: Cute, fun, and loaded with features"

WTF is going on Engadget? Spill the beans!

[bartoron @ Nov 7th 2008 7:05PM]

To be honest, Rambus can suck it.

[bill can't fart @ Nov 7th 2008 8:26PM]

That's what she said?

[skulldriveshaft @ Nov 7th 2008 7:41PM]

Can they be sued for false marketing?

Since they don't license anything fast at all, and they don't give you any licenses to get out of jail free because you have been arrested for speeding.

[Rambusince99 @ Nov 7th 2008 8:47PM]

Before making uninformed comments, consider that Rambus is a company that actually spends a lot of money each year to employ engineers who come up with solutions to problems that might exist several years from now. They do so at great risk, never being certain that the technology they develop will both work and meet a future market need. Certainly such a company is entitled to fair compensation if its IP ends up being used.

Also consider that memory manufacturer Samsung has already plead guilty to the DOJ for price fixing with respect to RDRAM as well as other memory flavors. Hynix has already lost to Rambus in a San Jose court wherein a jury listened to weeks of testimony and ruled unanimously that Hynix had infringed Rambus' patents. Micron got a squeal deal from the DOJ after pleading guilty to criminal collusion, turning on their fellow cartel members Hynix, Samsung, and Infineon (now Qimonda).

So before judging Rambus as a litigation company, consider 1,) Most of the lawsuits were actually originated by Micron, Hynix and Samsung, and 2.) A company that creates useful IP that is incorporated into another company's product(s) is entitled to fair compensation under the laws of the USPTO, and 3.) If those companies choose to use Rambus' IP and not take a license, Rambus has no choice but to seek fair compensation in the courts, with the ITC, etc. If Rambus' technology is no good and nobody uses it, no problem. If the technology is good and is effectively stolen by cartel members, then we have a case of willful patent infringement.

It has take Rambus 9 years to get to today as the cartel tried to sue Rambus into oblivion. Hynix has already lost. Samsung has already plead guilty to the DOJ. Micron will be part of the AT trial as well, which starts in March 2009.

So before you make up your mind that Rambus is the black hat in this whole sordid affair, do some homework first. Try www.rambus.org for research as to the Rambus side, then formulate a fair, balanced and informed opinion.

[Zane @ Nov 8th 2008 12:29AM]

Fail! No wait...


FAIL!!!!

[phanbouy @ Nov 8th 2008 12:45AM]

rambus can suck my chololate salty balls

[Picviewer @ Nov 8th 2008 4:30AM]

Or they could just sit in on the if memory recalls JDEC conferences about memory design and take from there everything developed and agreed upon and try to patent it for themselves. Why develop something themselves when they get the whole memory making sector to do all the engineering work and claim it as their own? Then get their lawsuits into the usually non-tech savy legal system to agree with them that they alone claim the patents as their own? But yeah I suppose I should go read their PR site with their spin on it since they are the Hasselbeck of the industry and everybody picks on them. sniff sniff

[Jeff Stoelker @ Nov 7th 2008 10:14PM]

RIMM, RAMBUS, RAMBO RAM fail

[loocas @ Nov 8th 2008 8:19AM]

This is one big bag of hurt...

[murat @ Nov 10th 2008 7:09PM]

very god jop www.savasoyunu.net

[murat @ Nov 10th 2008 7:11PM]

www.savasoyunu.net