Rambus in Violation of Monopoly Laws

surfingmarmot writes to tell us that in a recent ruling the Federal Trade Commission declared that Rambus had unlawfully monopolized four computer memory technology markets. From the article: "In an opinion by Commissioner Pamela Jones Harbour, the Commission found that, through a course of deceptive conduct, Rambus was able to distort a critical standard-setting process and engage in an anticompetitive 'hold up' of the computer memory industry. The Commission held that Rambus's acts of deception constituted exclusionary conduct under Section 2 of the Sherman Act and contributed significantly to Rambus's acquisition of monopoly power in the four relevant markets. The Commission has ordered additional briefings to determine the appropriate remedy for 'the substantial competitive harm that Rambus's course of deceptive conduct has inflicted.'"

Comments

Re:This, Of Course, Suprises No One

[Michael Woodhams]

It surprised me. I thought the issue was dead, and RAMBUS had succeeded in their dirty tactics.

If I interpret this correctly, their share price is down 25% on the news.

Re:This, Of Course, Suprises No One

[ackthpt]

Whatever, Rambus are idiots. They should have just patented the technology and then sued everyone out of existance. Not proactively suing was their downfall.

Evidently you have missed the recent trend in technology --

• Patent your idea, in the broadest terms possible
• Let someone else develop the same idea, or an idea close enough to yours
• Allow them to deliver product employing these ideas, thus damning them
• Cry foul and sue for huge damages
• Profit!!!

Why risk being an illegal monopoly when the USPTO offers you a perfectly legal way to do so??

They evidently believed the same tactics which led to wide deployment of SDRAM (which was dependent upon some of the technologies covered by patents (and amended patents)) were OK and they could continue to play games like this. Habit forming, I suppose.