Intel, AMD, bunch of others sued over PCI Express patent

A FIRM FILED a legal case against a swath of hi-tech companies alleging that they appropriated a patent connected to the PCI Express standard.

Microlinc LLC took action on Wednesday last week against Intel, Acer, AMD, Apple, Dell, HP, Gateway, Lenovo, Nvidia, Sony, and Toshiba over US patent 6,009,488.

This patent was filed on November 7th 1997, and issued two years later to Microlinc, which claims that the packet based data channel was the subject of great interest from Intel.

The suit alleges that Gautam Kavipurapu was approached by reps from Intel who wanted to acquire this patent.

"At the time of these discussions, Intel knew that its PCI Express technology infringed valid claims of the '488 patent," the suit said. "At the time of these discussions, Intel knew that its PCI Express technology infringed valid claims of the '488 patent. As the parties could not come to agreement, all communications between Intel and Kavipurapu... ceased in or aound July 2004."

The allegation is that despite this Intel started marketing PCI Express architecture in the summer of 2004 without licensing the patent. µ