Broadcom: Commission Backs Patent Claims Against SiRf
16 January 2009 - 9:42AM
Dow Jones News
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Semiconductor maker Broadcom Corp. (BRCM) said the U.S.
International Law Commission backed a judge's determination that
rival SiRF Technology Holdings Inc. (SIRF) infringed on three
additional global positioning system-related patents, bringing the
total number of patent infringements by SiRF to six.
The commission issued an order against SiRF's GPS chips and
products containing these chips, and ordered a cease and desist
against SiRF and some of its customers.
In August, a judge found that SiRF infringed on all six patents
held by Global Locate Inc., a subsidiary of Broadcom. The
commission at first upheld the judge's finding on three of the
patents, but held off final determination of the other three
pending further review.
In June, a different judge rejected SiRF's claims that two of
its GPS patents were infringed by Global Locate, which Broadcom
acquired in July.
"We are pleased that the Commission affirmed the judge's
findings that SiRF infringed all six patents asserted by Global
Locate," said David Rosmann, Broadcom's vice president,
intellectual property litigation.
The six patents were related to calculating time in GPS
receivers, enhancing sensitivity in assisted GPS systems and other
functions.
In addition to the action by the commission, Broadcom claims
SiRF's multimedia processors and GPS receivers infringe four
Broadcom patents. A trial is set to begin on these claims in
November 2010.
SiRF specializes in making chips for location-aware gadgets made
by companies such as Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) and Hewlett-Packard Co.
(HPQ) for devices used by drivers, hikers or boaters.
Representatives from SiRF were unavailable for comment.
Shares of Broadcom were up 0.5% to $16.80 in after-hours
trading, while SiRF's shares were unchanged at $1.19.
-By John Kell, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5285;
john.kell@dowjones.com
Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front
page of today's most important business and market news, analysis
and commentary. You can use this link on the day this article is
published and the following day.