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Micron sets RICO on Rambus

Alleges anti-racketeering law violations, evidence tampering

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

Posted in PC Builder, 22nd February 2006 10:42 GMT

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Memory maker Micron has accused Rambus of foul play after being sued by the memory technology developer last month. In a lawsuit filed with the US District Court of Eastern Virginia, Micron claims Rambus “engaged in a pattern of destruction of evidence, false testimony and other improper activities designed to mislead courts and Micron and to extract unjust patent licensing fees or damages from Micron".

The suit alleges that Rambus violated sections of the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and Virginia conspiracy laws through a "pattern of illegal conduct".

Micron's allegation has been made before, by South Korean memory maker Hynix. Last year, it asked the Eastern Virginia District Court to throw out a patent infringement case brought against it by Rambus. It too alleged Rambus has messed with the evidence - a so-called "unclean hands" case.

However, in a hearing in January this year, US District Court Judge Ronald Whyte ruled that Rambus had not engaged in such an act.

Rambus sued Micron in January, in the US District Court of Northern California. It claims Micron violated its intellectual property by producing DDR 2, GDDR 2, GDDR 3 and other "advanced" memory products that incorporate its technology without permission.

Rambus is already battling Micron in the Delaware District Court, but its January filing opened a new front in the war, this time in the US District of Northern California - Rambus' preferred location for litigation. ®

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