Interesting, funny right after CSCO and LU come to an agreement.
Lucent sues Micron over patents
WILMINGTON, Del, June 28 (Reuters) - Lucent Technologies Inc has sued Micron Technology Inc, alleging that Micron products infringe seven Lucent patents, that Lucent products do not infringe six Micron patents, and that Micron breached a patent license agreement.
In papers filed late Friday in the U.S. District Court in Delaware, Lucent said the dispute stemmed from a 1988 cross- licensing agreement between AT&T and Micron.
Under the agreement, AT&T paid no royalties for its use of the Micron patents, but Micron was required to pay AT&T a royalty for any products covered by the AT&T patents.
When Lucent was spun off from AT&T during the 1996 restructuring, Lucent "inherited" the patent licensing agreement with Micron.
The 13 patents in question, issued from the years 1980 to 1997, include such inventions as cellular mobile communication systems and semiconductor memory devices.
On Friday, Lucent terminated the agreement "due to Micron's failure to remedy its breaches of the PTA (patent licensing agreement)," court papers say.
Lucent alleged that the breach was revealed by an audit which indicated Micron had under-reported royalties. Lucent said Micron owes it a total of $7 million in royalties and late fees.
In the lawsuit, Lucent said Micron has alleged that Lucent products infringe six Micron patents. Lucent has alleged the Micron patents are invalid and has rejected Micron's demand for royalties.
Lucent, of Murray Hill, New Jersey, makes communications systems and software, data networking and business telephone systems, and microelectronic components.
Micron, of Boise, Idaho, makes semiconductor products and personal computer systems containing semiconductor memory products like dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SRAM) products.
Lucent is also seeking an award of unspecified compensatory damages tripled for "wilful" infringement. Lucent has also asked the court for compensatory damages for Micron's alleged breaches of contract, and for late fees of three percent over the prime rate.
No one at Micron's Boise offices could be immediately reached for comment.
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