Thursday, September 5, 2013

Mosaid Patent Dispute against Freescale Semiconductor et al. Ends

Plaintiffs: Mosaid Technologies, LSI, Agere Systems

Defendants: Freescale Semiconductor, NVIDIA, Interphase Corporation, ARM

Case Filed: Apr 07, 2011

Case Closed: Aug 30, 2013

Court: Texas Eastern District Court

Judge: Michael H. Schneider

Case Summary:
Mosaid Technologies sued Freescale Semiconductor, NVIDIA and Interphase Corporation, accusing the rivals of infringing 7 patents related to power management technique and microprocessor architecture. The patents in suit were:

Patent Number/
Current Assignee[i]
Issue Date
Expiration Date[ii]
Title
US5577230
Nov 19, 1996
Aug 10, 2014
Apparatus and method for computer processing using an enhanced Harvard architecture utilizing dual memory buses and the arbitration for data/instruction fetch
US5724505
Mar 03, 1998
May 15, 2016
Apparatus and method for real-time program monitoring via a serial interface
US5958036
Sep 28, 1999
Sep 08, 2017
Circuit for arbitrating interrupts with programmable priority levels
US6141762
Oct 31, 2000
Aug 03, 2018
Power reduction in a multiprocessor digital signal processor based on processor load
US6256725
Jul 03, 2001
Dec 04, 2018
Shared data path processor utilizing stack-based and register-based storage spaces
US7051306
May 23,2006
May 07,2024
Managing power on integrated circuits using power islands
US7415680
Aug 19, 2008
May 07,2024
Power managers for an integrated circuit
Source: MaxVal’s Assignment Database

In its complaint, Mosaid alleged that Freescale, Nvidia, and Interphase have infringed, and continue to infringe certain patents related primarily to power management techniques, and microprocessor architecture. The accused devices include graphics processors, application processors, microcontrollers, and system-on-chip devices. These micro-component products are used in mobile, automotive, consumer and communications applications. Complaint sought judgment of infringement, money damages, attorneys’ fees and other relief, the Court may deem just and proper.

In 2012, Mosaid filed a motion to consolidate cases (Mosaid case and the ARM Case) which was approved by the Court.  On Feb 28, 2013, Freescale and Interphase Corporation were dismissed from the case with prejudice as the parties filed a joint motion.  Later, Court rendered judgment as a result of plaintiffs and defendants filing a joint motion ordering dismissal of NVIDIA and ARM with and without prejudice, respectively.

For more details on the cases, see 6:11-cv-00173. To get alerts on cases filed/closed, subscribe to our Litigation Alerts.

Are you looking for a tool to calculate patent terms? Try Patent Term Estimator, our free tool  or  download our free Android app on Google Play Store. 



[i] MaxVal offers Patent Assignment Alert service where subscribers receive email alerts when assignments relating to target applications, patents or entities of interest are recorded.
[ii] Expected expiration date.  Patent Term Estimator is a free web-based tool that automatically calculates patent terms and expiration dates for U.S. utility patents.

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