TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan's Via Technologies Inc. here today announced that it has filed a counter suit against Intel Corp. in the United States and Taiwan, claiming that Intel's Pentium 4 microprocessors and 845 chip set lines infringe upon Via's patents.
Via has also initiated litigation against Intel for violations of fair trade laws in Taiwan and the willful destruction of its property by Intel representatives during the Computex trade show in Taipei last June. At that time, Intel representatives were alleged to have destroyed balloons and other materials with Via's logo at the event.
"Intel processors and the Intel Pentium 4 processor compatible 845 chip set infringe Via's patents," declared Richard Brown, director of marketing at Via. Brown was referring to Intel's recently introduced 845 chip set, which supports SDRAM for the Pentium 4 processor.
"Intel has not obtained a license from Via for the Pentium 4 microprocessor or the 845 chipset," he said. "The lawsuits will be aimed at stopping the infringement of Via's patents by these products," he added. Via is seeking damages for losses incurred and for injunctive relief.
The moves were in response to Intel's actions last week. On Friday, Intel filed its long-awaited suit against Via, claiming that Via infringed upon Intel's Pentium 4-based chip set patents.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Delaware, claims that Via and its S3 Graphics Inc. subsidiary infringed upon five of Intel's patents in its recently introduced Pentium 4-complaint chip set line, dubbed the P4X266 and P4M266. The P4X266 is a chip set designed for desktop PCs based on the Pentium 4 processor, while the P4M266 is used for mobile applications (see Sept. 7 story ).
Intel claims that Via does not have a license, nor the rights, to sell those chip sets. Via has not obtained a license from Intel concerning its Pentium 4-complaint chip set lines.
Via has argued that it does not require a license, because its S3 subsidiary already obtained a license from Intel before Via acquired that company.
Last week, Via did not respond to press calls about the suit. But today, the company denied those allegations and struck back at Intel in the process.
Today, Via said it will file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Intel and its Pentium 4 microprocessor.
Via has also filed a complaint to the Taiwan Fair Trade
Commission against the illegal anti-competitive behavior employed by Intel in attempting to prevent the smooth introduction of Via's Intel Pentium 4 processor compatible chipsets into the market.
In addition, Via is filing criminal suits over the willful destruction of Via property by Intel representatives and employees at the Computex 2001 tradeshow held in Taipei in June.
"Starting today, VIA will begin filing a series of patent
infringement lawsuits and civil actions in the Taiwan and U.S. courts seeking damages and injunctive relief," Via's Brown said.
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