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Chip fire doused, for now |
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Friday, 14 September 2007 |
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The legal profession’s orgy over chipmaking IPR and the US market produces another mini-climax (or should that be 'anti-climax'?).
A federal court in the US has reversed a decision by the International Trade Commission (ITC), a body that is about as ‘international’ as mom and apple pie, restricting the import of mobile handsets incorporating controversial Qualcomm chips into the American market.
The ban was imposed back in June (click here) as part of an endless dispute between Qualcomm and Broadcom over 3G wireless semiconductor patents and IPR. Samsung and Motorola were hardest hit by the ITC’s move, which thus worked primarily in favour of Qualcomm’s bitterest rival, Nokia.
The latest decision falls short of allowing Qualcomm itself to import its own chips for use in its own handsets. There’s logic in there, somewhere. I suppose. Lawyers for Broadcom will as we speak be plotting to reverse the decision; those on the Qualcomm side will be looking to extend it to their own activities.
Jim Chalmers
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