Intel, AMD, Nvidia, ATI, Sony, Dell &c. all get sued

The case, filed earlier this month, alleges that the above firms have breached its patent 6,009,488, which is for an invention called a "Computer having a packet based Interconnect Channel".

Microlinc claims that this patent pioneers technology in high performance packet based interconnects between CPUs and peripheral devices including mass storage devices, IO devies and devices using RAM (random access memory).

For example, Microlinc claims that Intel infringes its patents in a number of chipsets and promulgates that by promoting PCI Express - which encourages the creation of systems that breach its patent.

This is a diagram from Microlinc's patent.

Another example is ATI, which Microlinc claims sells chips and chipsets which include packet based data channels whether Hypertransport or PCI Express.

And the rest of them infringe its patents in various ways, claims the firm in its court filing.

Microlinc wants a jury trial and damages from the whole shooting match, it transpires. µ