Rambus plans to integrate these assets into its product lines. As part of this agreement, Rambus also acquires Velio's patent portfolio, licensing business, and has extended offers of employment to a number of Velio personnel..

The purchase price will not exceed $13 million, with the actual amount subject to certain closing conditions. It will be paid in cash and the transaction is expected to close before the end of this year.

Velio will discontinue the licensing of these technologies and will become a customer of Rambus. Additional financial and business details will be provided during Rambus's regularly scheduled earnings conference call in January.

"By adding Velio's high-speed signaling technologies to our serial interface offerings, Rambus is accelerating its ability to deliver advanced chip-to-chip interface solutions to our customers," said Kevin Donnelly, vice president of the Logic Interface Division at Rambus of Los Altos, in a statement.