Intel partner sues... Intel (and AMD too)

Intel and AMD were this week both accused of patent infringement, joining VIA in the list of chip makers claimed to have used without permission technology owned by Acacia Research.

Intel's role is particularly interesting: it is already being sued by another of Acacia's subsidiaries, and it's also partnering with a third Acacia offshoot on 'lab on a chip' products. The latest case centres on patented cache memory coherence techniques which are owned by the appropriately named Acacia subsidiary, Computer Cache Coherence Corp. Acacia sued VIA in December 2004, filing its complaint with the US District Court of Northern California, and this week added AMD and Intel to the list of defendants. All three companies offer system logic components that incorporate its technology, Acacia claims.