I guessing Hynix will settle and if they do, why not a payment plan? The doubling of RAM cost after the earthquate was due to capacity. That is the supply side of the equation? IFX has already settled with Rambus. Did anybody notice a price increase?
As follows is a little slice from an order from Judge Whyte today:
"the cases involving the various parties cry out for a business resolution and the sooner matters which have been heard are decided the sooner the parties will be informed where they stand so hopefully they can intelligently evaluate their respective positions and resolve their disputes before further evidentiary proceedings occur"
Rambus defeated Hynix's big defense (here is a link to Judge Whyte's Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law http://investor.rambus.com/downloads/Uncleanhandsp df.pdf) and Rambus already has several summary judgments of infringment against Hynix. The next phase is to determine if Hynix infringed further and then the damages for the infringment.
Judge Whyte is telling the infringers to get out their check books and cut a deal with Rambus because you won't like the deal I will give you.
If the bad actors don't settle and the price of RAM climbs because they end up having to pay treble damages, anger should be directed at the bad actors - thieves, not Rambus.
I agree that a price increase is possible, what a great excuse to slip in more profit! But not 300%. I believe that is totally improbable. Where has that ever happened? If a settlement is reached, it seems likely payment could be made over years - witness the settlement Rambus made with IFX. If Rambus does not settle and the damages are determined in court, the sky is the limit. What is a reasonable royalty rate? 3.5%? 5.0% 1% per patent? In the FTC matter, Judge McGuire opined that if 3.5% was reasonable pre-litigation, that a higher royalty rate would be appropriate after litigation. Regarding back royalties, a willful infringer is exposed to the possibility of treble damages. Still, all this doesn't justify anywhere near 300%.
I respectfuly disagree. AMD licensed Rambus controller IP, not DDR et al. memory IP. From the press release "The license includes Rambus patents used in the design of DDR2, DDR3, FB-DIMM, PCI Express* and XDR(TM) controllers as well as other current and future high-speed memory and logic controller interfaces." DDR will NOT triple! How do you make that calculation? Do you know what the royalty rate was that Rambus asked for before all the litigation commenced? 5%. That is a far cry from 300%.
***
Why do you write that Rambus's memory is insanely expensive? What memory would that be? Do you realize that Rambus memory includes SDRAM & DDRI and DDR2? Yes, is does. Rambus has summary judgments against Hynix for infringing on its IP found in those "Rambus" memory types.
Do you mean RDRAM? Are you aware that Memory manufacturers have pled guilty to price fixing memory, including RDRAM?
Rambus litigation is complex and like WWII is being fought on several fronts simultaneously.
I respectfully suggest you withhold judgment and fear until the litigation is completed.
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I guessing Hynix will settle and if they do, why not a payment plan? The doubling of RAM cost after the earthquate was due to capacity. That is the supply side of the equation? IFX has already settled with Rambus. Did anybody notice a price increase? As follows is a little slice from an order from Judge Whyte today: "the cases involving the various parties cry out for a business resolution and the sooner matters which have been heard are decided the sooner the parties will be informed where they stand so hopefully they can intelligently evaluate their respective positions and resolve their disputes before further evidentiary proceedings occur" Rambus defeated Hynix's big defense (here is a link to Judge Whyte's Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law http://investor.rambus.com/downloads/Uncleanhandsp df.pdf) and Rambus already has several summary judgments of infringment against Hynix. The next phase is to determine if Hynix infringed further and then the damages for the infringment.
Judge Whyte is telling the infringers to get out their check books and cut a deal with Rambus because you won't like the deal I will give you.
If the bad actors don't settle and the price of RAM climbs because they end up having to pay treble damages, anger should be directed at the bad actors - thieves, not Rambus.
I agree that a price increase is possible, what a great excuse to slip in more profit! But not 300%. I believe that is totally improbable. Where has that ever happened? If a settlement is reached, it seems likely payment could be made over years - witness the settlement Rambus made with IFX. If Rambus does not settle and the damages are determined in court, the sky is the limit. What is a reasonable royalty rate? 3.5%? 5.0% 1% per patent? In the FTC matter, Judge McGuire opined that if 3.5% was reasonable pre-litigation, that a higher royalty rate would be appropriate after litigation. Regarding back royalties, a willful infringer is exposed to the possibility of treble damages. Still, all this doesn't justify anywhere near 300%.
I respectfuly disagree. AMD licensed Rambus controller IP, not DDR et al. memory IP. From the press release "The license includes Rambus patents used in the design of DDR2, DDR3, FB-DIMM, PCI Express* and XDR(TM) controllers as well as other current and future high-speed memory and logic controller interfaces." DDR will NOT triple! How do you make that calculation? Do you know what the royalty rate was that Rambus asked for before all the litigation commenced? 5%. That is a far cry from 300%.
*** Why do you write that Rambus's memory is insanely expensive? What memory would that be? Do you realize that Rambus memory includes SDRAM & DDRI and DDR2? Yes, is does. Rambus has summary judgments against Hynix for infringing on its IP found in those "Rambus" memory types. Do you mean RDRAM? Are you aware that Memory manufacturers have pled guilty to price fixing memory, including RDRAM? Rambus litigation is complex and like WWII is being fought on several fronts simultaneously. I respectfully suggest you withhold judgment and fear until the litigation is completed.