8 June 2012

ITC to investigate RFMD, Motorola Mobility and HTC based on Peregrine’s patent infringement complaint

Peregrine Semiconductor Corp of San Diego, CA, USA, a fabless provider of radio-frequency (RF) integrated circuits (ICs) based on silicon-on-sapphire (SOS), says that the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into whether products made by RF Micro Devices Inc (RFMD) of Greensboro, NC, USA infringe its patents relating to RF ICs and switch technology. The action and investigation further include Motorola Mobility Inc of Libertyville, IL as well as HTC America Inc of Bellevue, WA and Taiwan-based HTC Corp, whose products incorporate the alleged infringing RF ICs.

The investigation is based on complaints filed by Peregrine with the ITC on 14 February and 11 May alleging that certain RFMD devices infringe patents related to silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology for RF ICs (hence violating section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930). The investigation involves five Peregrine patents and 38 separate patent claims. Peregrine is seeking, among other remedies, an exclusion order preventing the importation and sale of infringing products in the USA.

The ITC says that, within 45 days after instituting the investigation, it will set a target date for completion. ITC remedial orders in section 337 cases are effective when issued and become final 60 days after issuance (unless disapproved for policy reasons by the US Trade Representative within that 60-day period).

“The employees of Peregrine have spent 20 years of intensive research and development activity to bring our proprietary UltraCMOS process and design innovations to the RF marketplace,” says president & CEO Jim Cable. “We are steadfast in our position to protect that investment on behalf of all the stakeholders of Peregrine,” he adds.

Peregrine says that it has been awarded numerous US and foreign patents based on its work in developing and manufacturing high-performance products for the RF front-end, which can be produced using standard CMOS-based semiconductor manufacturing processes. It adds that the patented innovations allow RF solutions to be produced with a combination of high levels of monolithic integration and performance, small size and low power consumption.

See related items:

RFMD responds to Peregrine’s patent infringement claim

Peregrine files patent infringement complaint and lawsuit against RFMD and Motorola

Tags: Peregrine Semiconductor RFMD Motorola SOI

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