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Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick

Mon, Jan 12th 2009 1:31am




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Filed Under:
misconduct, patents

Companies:
micron, rambus


Rambus Loses Another Patent Ruling For Misconduct

from the and-so-it-goes dept

Rambus has had a ton of up and downs with its strategy of gathering patents, making sure industry chip standards are built around its patents and then demanding everyone pay up huge fees. There's been a back and forth over the questions concerning its questionable activities, but it had actually won the last few rounds. But, you can't keep reality down too long. Yet another judge has smacked down Rambus calling the company's actions "obstructive at best, misleading at worst," and saying that its patents were unenforceable. Rambus, of course, will appeal, so this is far from over.

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  •  
    identicon
    Blatant Coward, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 3:33am

    Ha Ha.

    Ha Ha!

     

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  •  
    identicon
    Hah, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 4:41am

    Judicially Challenged

    This will be reversed because Rambus actually invented the patents and survived to get its day in court. The judge made up law and ordered a creative and unprecedented 'unenforcability' of patent judgment. Also, Micron has been given federal amnesty in exchange for reporting price fixing conspiracy with 3 other players in the memory industry resulting in 20 execs serving hard time totalling 20 jail years and fines of nearly $1B. You can't tell the crooks without a scorecard and, neither, apparently, can this loopy judge in Delaware.

     

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    •  
      identicon
      DanC, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 5:09am

      Re: Judicially Challenged

      This will be reversed because Rambus actually invented the patents and survived to get its day in court.

      You don't invent patents.

      You can't tell the crooks without a scorecard and, neither, apparently, can this loopy judge in Delaware.

      Huh? Rambus failed to disclose relevant patents pending while a member of the JEDEC, withdrew when it became obvious they would have to disclose their patents, went on a shredding binge after receiving their patents, and decided to go litigating. And the only opinion available that the shredded documents weren't relevant is Rambus's.

      That's too convenient, and hampers the discovery phase for the defendants, which is why the judge ruled against Rambus.

       

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      •  
        identicon
        Lonnie E. Holder, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 5:20am

        Re: Re: Judicially Challenged

        DanC is absolutely correct. Courts have routinely ruled against plaintiffs that have neglected the technicalities in their patents (failure to disclose, incorrect inventorship, etc.). Yes, they may appeal, but if this judge is convinced that there might have been important information in the shredded data and that Rambus appears to have been deceptive, then the appeals court will likely have the same ruling.

        Once again the system works.

         

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        •  
          identicon
          Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 5:32am

          Re: Re: Re: Judicially Challenged

          "Once again the system works."

          Albeit rather slowly, like molasses in Antarctica

           

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    •  
      identicon
      Monarch, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 5:35am

      Re: Judicially Challenged

      I was wondering how long it would take for the Rambus Shill-boys to comment. They were out in force early today!
      Why can't Rambus just shrivel and die? I mean with all the lay offs and companies folding up now days, why can't the giant sliver in the side called Rambus just close shop. The world would be better off without them.

       

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 5:38am

    "This will be reversed because Rambus actually invented the patents and survived to get its day in court.

    You don't invent patents."

    To the original author we will give you credit in stating that fact correctly in that the patents may be invented.

    Sorry to the respondent but patents can be invented and created out of nothing by lawyers filling patents based on nothing except their ability to be creative with legal word smithing with little regard to physical reality. By this same process one can buy a deed to moon acreage, participate in Nigerian 411 inheritance opportunities, or invest with Bernard Madoff.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 6:41am

    Anything bad that happens for Rambus I'm all for. I was a sucker and bought a Dell about 5 years ago with 1066 Rdram in it. It still costs $150 for 512 megs of that memory. Ridiculous.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 7:05am

    Lesson

    This should be a lesson to all Patent Trolls. Always file in the Eastern District of Texas.

     

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  •  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 12th, 2009 @ 8:04am

    Rambus is still around? God, after that round of horrible memory that was slow as molasses and more expensive than a NY Governor hooker, I can't believe they weren't forced out of business.

     

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