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Rambus Under Fire in Patent Battle With Nvidia

By - Source: Reuters | B 33 comments

Rambus has been questioned over documents that it destroyed in an "ordinary business practice".

Rambus and Nvidia have been arguing over five Rambus patents that, according to the the U.S. International Trade Commission, Nvidia infringed on. Nvidia escaped an injunction by paying Rambus royalties, but it was later found that Nvidia only infringed on three patents, not five. Both companies filed appeals and are now back in court.

In a recent hearing, Rambus conceded that it destroyed documents relating to the patent case, but the process was simply business as usual. The court had a tough time believing the Rambus claim, however. Reuters quoted judge Kathleen O'Malley saying "You admit you have no idea what was destroyed! You have no record of what was destroyed!" In a following statement, O'Malley added: "Remember, you saved the ones that helped you and destroyed the ones that hurt you."

Nvidia is currently paying royalty rates of between 1 and 2 percent to Rambus, depending on the chip. At least for now, there seems to be a good chance that these rates will be lowered significantly. Rambus' credibility seems to be question already and there might be a chance for Nvidia to get back to Rambus by asking for damages.

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Top Comments
  • 31 Hide
    drwho1 , October 8, 2011 1:23 AM
    Rambus is the Apple of memory chips.
    I remember over decade ago nobody cared about them (or there overpriced memory) so they started suing everyone.

    Apparently that's all they still do.
  • 24 Hide
    AbdullahG , October 8, 2011 12:58 AM
    Patent Wars 3: Revenge of the Patent Trolls
  • 22 Hide
    randomizer , October 8, 2011 4:00 AM
    Article"Rambus' credibility seems to be question already...


    I didn't know Rambus had any credibility to question.
Other Comments
    Display all 33 comments.
  • 24 Hide
    AbdullahG , October 8, 2011 12:58 AM
    Patent Wars 3: Revenge of the Patent Trolls
  • -5 Hide
    ta152h , October 8, 2011 1:13 AM
    This is like putting a goldfish in with a piranha. NVIDIA might win against lightweights like Intel, but whatever momentary successes they might have, they're going up against the God of Litigation.

    "Getting thrown under the Rambus" will no doubt become the new catch phrase for a company getting sued for something they thought was an open standard, with little chance of avoiding a miserable defeat.
  • 31 Hide
    drwho1 , October 8, 2011 1:23 AM
    Rambus is the Apple of memory chips.
    I remember over decade ago nobody cared about them (or there overpriced memory) so they started suing everyone.

    Apparently that's all they still do.
  • 15 Hide
    dsolom3 , October 8, 2011 1:24 AM
    Oh lordy, will someone, PLEASE, make Rambus pull an SCO this year?
  • 16 Hide
    CPU666d1 , October 8, 2011 1:30 AM
    Well it looks like nvidea has Judge O'Malley on their side as far as the missing documents are concerned & now rambus is getting scared obviously, because it will cost them more money if they should appeal and if they lose that appeal it will cost them even more.
  • 16 Hide
    JohnnyLucky , October 8, 2011 2:09 AM
    Reminds of the Nixon White House tapes that were mysteriously erased!!! LOL
  • 20 Hide
    vittau , October 8, 2011 2:12 AM
    Someone PLEASE find a way to get rid of Rambus!
  • 20 Hide
    CKKwan , October 8, 2011 2:18 AM
    Whenever I see Rambus, I knew something bad is coming... OMG
  • 8 Hide
    CyberAngel , October 8, 2011 2:44 AM
    How about if we start all praying that Rambus will disappear as a company?
  • 18 Hide
    Cazalan , October 8, 2011 3:18 AM
    I like how on the Rambus Wiki page it has a "See Also: PATENT TROLL". :) 
  • 14 Hide
    valu3hunt3r , October 8, 2011 3:41 AM
    CazalanI like how on the Rambus Wiki page it has a "See Also: PATENT TROLL".


    The de facto two word summary of RAMBUS.
  • 11 Hide
    Anonymous , October 8, 2011 3:44 AM
    nvidia has plenty of experience with fire, Rambus is in trouble.
  • 11 Hide
    dark_knight33 , October 8, 2011 3:53 AM
    stingstang1-2% or lord, no!

    That 1 or 2% adds up fast when it gets marked up by every middle man between Nvidia and you, and believe me, Nvidia isnt the one footing the bill.
  • 0 Hide
    megamanx00 , October 8, 2011 3:56 AM
    Doh
  • 22 Hide
    randomizer , October 8, 2011 4:00 AM
    Article"Rambus' credibility seems to be question already...


    I didn't know Rambus had any credibility to question.
  • 4 Hide
    climber , October 8, 2011 4:23 AM
    TA152HThis is like putting a goldfish in with a piranha. NVIDIA might win against lightweights like Intel, but whatever momentary successes they might have, they're going up against the God of Litigation. "Getting thrown under the Rambus" will no doubt become the new catch phrase for a company getting sued for something they thought was an open standard, with little chance of avoiding a miserable defeat.

    "Getting thrown under the RAMBUS"
    Best comment eva!!
  • 13 Hide
    eddieroolz , October 8, 2011 4:38 AM
    The credibility of Rambus should have been shattered to pieces during the early 2000's. They've repeatedly proven themselves to be nothing but trolls. I'm simply surprised Rambus isn't ordered to pay NVidia instead.
  • 5 Hide
    amk-aka-Phantom , October 8, 2011 4:49 AM
    TA152HThis is like putting a goldfish in with a piranha. NVIDIA might win against lightweights like Intel, but whatever momentary successes they might have, they're going up against the God of Litigation. "Getting thrown under the Rambus" will no doubt become the new catch phrase for a company getting sued for something they thought was an open standard, with little chance of avoiding a miserable defeat.



    LOLWUT? Intel is lightweight?

    That said, I'm off to Wikipedia - I have no idea what Rambus is :lol: 
  • 1 Hide
    cwolf78 , October 8, 2011 4:51 AM
    otacon72Rambus is simply patent troll company now they don't even put out a product.


    Not defending Rambus here in any way (I still remember the early P4 days vividly - and not in a good way), but just want to point out that the PS3 contains Rambus XDR RAM and the top tier models of the new Radeon HD 7000 series will be using Rambus XDR2.
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