Thursday, August 28, 2008

Broadcom: Qualcomm in Contempt

Irvine-based semiconductor firm Broadcom Corporation said Thursday afternoon that a federal judge has found Qualcomm in contempt of an injunction ordered against the firm last December. According to Broadcom, U.S. District Judge James V. Selna found that Qualcomm violated an injunction which ordered Qualcomm to cease use and support of WCDMA chips that infringed on Broadcom patents. The ruling found that Qualcomm was violating a ban against the use of technology covered by Broadcom patents for 3G wireless. Broadcom also said that the court ruled that Qualcomm must pay the gross profits it has earned on its infringing "QChat" products to Broadcom, along with attorney's fees. The development is the latest in an ongoing, multi-front patent and legal battle between the two companies over patent rights and technology.

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