Analog Devices denies violating Silicon Labs technology
By Semiconductor Business News
Jan 26, 2000 (4:29 PM)
URL: semibiznews.com
NORWOOD, Mass. -- Analog Devices today denied allegations in a lawsuit filed two weeks ago by Silicon Laboratories Inc., which accused the chip maker and 3Com Corp. of patent infringement and trade secret violations. Silicon Labs, a supplier of mixed-signal ICs based in Austin, Tex., accused the two companies misappropriated technology involved its direct access arrangement (DAA) devices. These devices are used with modems to protect users' systems from lightning strikes and telephone service providers from malfunctioning user modems.
In its response to the patent suit, which includes counterclaimsand a request for a declaratory judgment, Analog Devices stated that it has not committed any of the wrongs alleged in the lawsuit.
In its complaint, Silicon Labs claimed infringement of a U.S. patent (5,870,046), which was assigned to Silicon Labs and named Jeffrey W. Scott as an inventor. Analog Devices said its own patent, awarded more than a year earlier, constitutes prior art, and that Silicon Labs' is unenforceable.
In particular, Analog Devices stated that it believed that both the inventor and management of Silicon Labs knew of the prior patent during the course of the prosecution of their patent, but did not disclose it to the patent office.
Analog Devices also observed that Silicon Labs filed its lawsuit just two days before announcing its initial public offering (IPO), and it said Silicon Labs attempted to keep the lawsuit under seal and secret, thereby preventing Analog Devices from knowing the specific accusations made against it and responding to those accusations.
3Com of San Jose has not publicly responded to the suit. |
