Thursday, February 8th 2024

German Court Prohibits Intel Processor Sales Amid Patent Dispute

According to Financial Times, a regional court in Düsseldorf, Germany, created a significant setback for Intel on Wednesday, issuing an injunction prohibiting sales of some of its processors due to allegations they infringe on a patent held by R2 Semiconductor. R2, a technology firm based in Palo Alto, California, accused Intel of violating its patent related to processor voltage regulation. The ruling applies to Intel's 10th, 11th, and 12th generation Core processors, known as Ice Lake, Tiger Lake, and Alder Lake, as well as its Ice Lake Xeon server SKUs. Newer processors generations (13th, 14th, etc.) don't infringe the patent. Even though Intel noted that it plans to appeal the decision, the ramifications could extend beyond the company itself. Industry experts warn the court order could lead to a sweeping ban on products containing the disputed Intel chips, including laptops and pre-built PCs from major manufacturers like HP and Dell. R2 has waged an ongoing legal fight across multiple jurisdictions to defend its intellectual property.

After initially filing suit against Intel in the United States, R2 shifted its efforts to Germany and other European countries after its patent was invalidated stateside. Intel strongly denied R2's patent infringement claims, alleging the company's entire business model relies on extracting legal settlements through serial litigation. Intel believes the injunction serves only R2's financial interests while harming consumers, businesses, and the economy. The two firms traded barbs in official statements about the case. R2's CEO, David Fisher, rebuffed Intel's characterization of his company, saying it has only targeted Intel for infringement of its clear IP rights. As the war of words continues, the practical impact of the German court's decision remains uncertain, pending Intel's appeal. However, the preliminary injunction demonstrates the massive financial consequences at stake in battles over technological patents.
Source: Financial Times
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20 Comments on German Court Prohibits Intel Processor Sales Amid Patent Dispute

#1
londiste
Can anyone find technical details about the dispute? What patent, what solution. All the news pieces on this seem to be on the company/financial side of things.
Looks like R2 lost the same fight in US courts and now went for it in Germany. While Intel effectively calling them a patent troll is not amusing, this does not seem to bode well for R2.
Posted on Reply
#2
kondamin
londisteCan anyone find technical details about the dispute? What patent, what solution. All the news pieces on this seem to be on the company/financial side of things.
Looks like R2 lost the same fight in US courts and now went for it in Germany. While Intel effectively calling them a patent troll is not amusing, this does not seem to bode well for R2.
www.casemine.com/judgement/uk/64a708fb6657545a79eeedb0

its written in a way that I can’t make up of intel is doing Something wrong without reading it completely
Posted on Reply
#3
gurusmi
londisteCan anyone find technical details about the dispute? What patent, what solution. All the news pieces on this seem to be on the company/financial side of things.
Looks like R2 lost the same fight in US courts and now went for it in Germany. While Intel effectively calling them a patent troll is not amusing, this does not seem to bode well for R2.
www.ft.com/content/981f3b39-30f5-4da2-9819-23bebc1a8846

www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/german-court-issues-injunction-against-sales-of-select-intel-cpus
Posted on Reply
#4
FoulOnWhite
I have had a look at that, and it seems to be something to do with spike protection in FIVR's, but i could be wrong

Does R2 actually produce a product?
Posted on Reply
#5
3valatzy
German Court Prohibits Intel Processor Sales
There is justice, after all. :)

Intel just got what it has done to AMD for decades.
Intel just reaps what they sowed.
The EU found, in part:
  • That Intel paid rebates to manufacturers on the condition that they would buy all (Dell) or nearly all of their CPUs from Intel.
  • That it paid retail stores rebates to only stock x86 parts.
  • That it paid computer manufacturers to halt or delay the launch of AMD hardware, including Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and NEC.
  • That it restricted sales of AMD CPUs based on business segment and market. OEMs were given permission to sell higher percentages of AMD desktop chips, but were required to buy up to 95% of business processors from Intel. At least one manufacturer was forbidden to sell AMD notebook chips at all.
www.extremetech.com/computing/184323-intel-stuck-with-1-45-billion-fine-in-europe-for-unfair-and-damaging-practices-against-amd
Posted on Reply
#6
SOAREVERSOR
FoulOnWhiteI have had a look at that, and it seems to be something to do with spike protection in FIVR's, but i could be wrong

Does R2 actually produce a product?
Did anybody hear about R2 before this?
Posted on Reply
#9
pressing on
londisteCan anyone find technical details about the dispute? What patent, what solution.
The case relates to U.S. Patent No. 8,233,250 titled OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION OF SWITCHING CONVERTER, known as the 250 Patent. R2 first took action against Intel in September 2016 in the U.S.

Images below (source: United States Patent And Trademark Office) from the 250 Patent filed on Dec. 23 2009 and granted on July 31 2012. This is the Patent that seems to have been invalidated by the U.S. courts.



Posted on Reply
#10
Ferrum Master
pressing onThe case relates to U.S. Patent No. 8,233,250 titled OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION OF SWITCHING CONVERTER, known as the 250 Patent. R2 first took action against Intel in September 2016 in the U.S.

Images below (source: United States Patent And Trademark Office) from the 250 Patent filed on Dec. 23 2009 and granted on July 31 2012. This is the Patent that seems to have been invalidated by the U.S. courts.
It should have been invalidated... it is a basic principle. Then an opamp in comparator mode should also be patented.
Posted on Reply
#11
ty_ger
What a generic patent. Did they have to repeat the same information in the patent 3 times just to make it seem more substantive?
Posted on Reply
#12
xorbe
Here we go again trying to patent physics and suing everyone. Guessing R2 Semi has no actual products.
Posted on Reply
#13
unwind-protect
londisteCan anyone find technical details about the dispute? What patent, what solution.
I'm wondering whether the judge could answer that question...
Posted on Reply
#14
Minus Infinity
I have little respect for Intel, but some of these patents are a joke and yet again showing how pathetically broken the US patent system has been for a very long time. Total BS is allowed to be patented it seems knowing full well trolls will weaponise them down the track.
Posted on Reply
#15
tfp
Minus InfinityI have little respect for Intel, but some of these patents are a joke and yet again showing how pathetically broken the US patent system has been for a very long time. Total BS is allowed to be patented it seems knowing full well trolls will weaponise them down the track.
"After initially filing suit against Intel in the United States, R2 shifted its efforts to Germany and other European countries after its patent was invalidated stateside."
Posted on Reply
#16
gurusmi
Minus InfinityI have little respect for Intel, but some of these patents are a joke and yet again showing how pathetically broken the US patent system has been for a very long time. Total BS is allowed to be patented it seems knowing full well trolls will weaponise them down the track.
Didn't you read the articles? The US courts denied to have such a Lawsuit. I't about the lawsuit in Germany.
Posted on Reply
#17
pressing on
R2 Semiconductor also took out a Patent with the European Patent Office : EP3376653 - OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION OF A SWITCHING CONVERTER - and it's exactly the same as what was filed in the U.S. It is the European Patent that the German court action is based on. R2 have also taken the same case against Intel in the UK with the result expected in April.
Posted on Reply
#18
gurusmi
pressing onR2 Semiconductor also took out a Patent with the European Patent Office : EP3376653 - OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION OF A SWITCHING CONVERTER - and it's exactly the same as what was filed in the U.S. It is the European Patent that the German court action is based on. R2 have also taken the same case against Intel in the UK with the result expected in April.
But you realize that @Minus Infinity did talk about a american court decisions? There the trial was denied. It's new to me that germany is a part of the US.
Posted on Reply
#19
remixedcat
3valatzyThere is justice, after all. :)

Intel just got what it has done to AMD for decades.
Intel just reaps what they sowed.


www.extremetech.com/computing/184323-intel-stuck-with-1-45-billion-fine-in-europe-for-unfair-and-damaging-practices-against-amd
yep if you go to lenovo, dell, hp, or any of those there's very little amd cpus.... intel strongarms all of them.... and if they don't then they don't get discounts at all and they are very threatening to any of the oems.
Posted on Reply
#20
3valatzy
unwind-protectI'm wondering whether the judge could answer that question...
Well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that Intel refuses to pay the royalties for someone's else IP, or it refuses to settle outside the court.
Posted on Reply
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