Local analog chip designer Richtek Technology Corp (立錡) yesterday said three companies that allegedly infringed its patents have reached settlements with the US trade watchdog the International Trade Commission (ITC).
The settlements came about six months after Richtek filed complaints with a district court in northern California and ITC on Dec. 30, alleging that five companies — Advanced Micro Devices Inc, Diamond Multimedia Inc, XFX Technology Inc, Sapphire Technology Limited of Hong Kong and uPI Semiconductor Corp (力智電子) of Taiwan — had illegally used three of its patents involving power management.
At the same time, Hsinchu-based Richtek requested that the court bar the import of any end products containing the suspect uPI chips. The complainants also asserted misappropriation of trade secrets.
UPI Semiconductor, a chip subsidiary of the nation’s No. 2 PC memory chipmaker, Powerchip Semiconductor Corp (力晶半導體), and Sapphire Technology have not reached a settlement with ITC and were still under investigation, Richtek said in a statement filed with the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.
The impact of the patent disputes on business would depend on the ITC probes and decisions, Richtek said in the statement.
Shares of Richtek jumped 1.02 percent to end at NT$296, beating the benchmark TAIEX, which inched up 0.72 percent yesterday.
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