Rambus (Los Altos, Calif.) said Thursday (Jan. 20) it has won seven summary judgement rulings against Hynix in its patent infringement dispute. The U.S. District Court for Northern California ruled that Hynix infringed parts of 29 Rambus patents. The court also upheld 50 Rambus patent claims that were challenged by Hynix.

The rulings clear the way for a trial, the first phase of which is scheduled to begin on March 21.

John Danforth, general counsel at Rambus, called the rulings "a major step" toward settling the patent dispute.

Rambus said the court denied its motion for summary judgment on 11 patent claims, meaning those infringement claims will go to trial.

The first phase of the trial will focus on remaining patent infringement issues and the validity of remaining patent claims, Rambus said. It will also address a claim by Hynix that it has been materially harmed by Rambus' patent infringement litigation.

A second phase scheduled to open in June will focus on Hynix's counterclaims.

The legal dispute with Hynix and other memory rivals focuses on Rambus' patented RDRAM technology. The company has separately countersued its DRAM rivals last May seeking $1 billion in damages. Rambus alleges they have attempted to "sabotage" its memory technology since the mid-1990s.

The Federal Trade Commission is still reviewing a decision last year dismissing an antitrust case against Rambus.

By: Docmemory
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