Opti to sue AMD, Broadcom and Via

Patent spat could end up before a jury.

Chip manufacturer Opti Technologies is suing AMD, Broadcom, Via Technologies and five other companies claiming that they have breached two of its patents.

The action concerns US patent 5,944,807 dated 31 August 1999, and US patent 6,098,141 dated 1 August 2000.

The '807' and the '141' patents, as Opti refers to them, both concern a compact ISA-bus interface.

Opti has demanded a jury trial and is asking for costs and damages from the civil court.

The filing also names Amtel, Renesas, Silicon Storage, Standard Microsystems and STMicroelectronics.

"Each defendant has actual notice of the 807 Patent and of the 141 Patent, and is continuing its infringing activities," Opti claimed in the official court filing document.

"Each defendant's infringement of the 807 Patent and of the 141 Patent is with knowledge, wilful and deliberate, and without a reasonable basis for believing that its conduct is, or was, lawful."

Opti claims that each company has produced infringing technologies that have been integrated into other end-user products.

"Opti has suffered, is suffering, and will continue to suffer, injury and damages for which Opti is entitled to relief under 35 USC 284 in an amount to be determined at trial," the filing claimed.