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

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