Transmeta Sues Intel Over PC Patents

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, alleges that Intel infringed upon ten of Transmeta's patents. The patents cover computer architecture and power efficiency technologies, according to Transmeta (Santa Clara, Calif.).

The complaint charges that Intel has infringed and is infringing Transmeta's patents by making and selling a variety of microprocessor products, including at least Intel's Pentium III, Pentium 4, Pentium M, Core and Core 2 product lines.

The complaint requests an injunction against Intel's continuing sales of infringing products as well as monetary damages, including reasonable royalties on infringing products, treble damages and attorneys' fees.

"Transmeta has developed a strong portfolio of intellectual property rights to capture and protect our proud legacy of developing advanced computing and microprocessor technologies,'' said John O'Hara Horsley, executive vice president and general counsel at Transmeta, in a statement.

"Intel has acknowledged that Transmeta has been an innovative spur to some of Intel's own development efforts, roadmap decisions and new product successes,'' he said. ''At the same time, Intel has practiced multiple Transmeta inventions in its major microprocessor product lines. After endeavoring to negotiate with Intel for fair compensation for the continued use of our intellectual property, we have concluded that we must turn to the judicial system to be fairly compensated for our inventions."

Last year, Transmeta laid off 67 employees in a restructuring plan aimed to focus more heavily on IP and the phase out its less profitable processors.