By Blake Brittain
(Reuters) – Chipmaker Micron Expertise owes computer-memory firm Netlist $445 million in damages for violating Netlist’s patent rights in memory-module expertise for high-performance computing, a U.S. jury stated on Thursday.
Jurors within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Japanese District of Texas agreed with Netlist that Micron’s semiconductor-memory merchandise infringe two Netlist patents associated to expertise for enhancing the capability and efficiency of reminiscence modules.
The jury additionally concluded that Micron infringed the patents willfully, which might result in a decide multiplying the damages by as much as 3 times.
Representatives for Micron didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the decision.
“We’re grateful for the jury’s service, and their recognition of the significance of Netlist’s innovation,” Netlist legal professional Jason Sheasby stated in an announcement.
Netlist gained a $303 million verdict towards Samsung in the identical court docket final 12 months in a associated dispute over high-performance pc reminiscence patents.
Boise, Idaho-based Micron’s inventory value has surged this 12 months based mostly on demand for its chips used to energy artificial-intelligence expertise. Irvine, California-based Netlist sued Micron in 2022, alleging that three of its semiconductor memory-module strains infringed its patents.
Micron denied the allegations and raised a number of defenses, together with arguments that the patents had been invalid.
A U.S. Patent and Trademark Workplace tribunal invalidated one of many patents in April, which might ultimately scale back the dimensions of the decision.
(Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Modifying by David Bario and Lincoln Feast)
