Rambus (RMBS)

[Nicdagreek]

Hey Cal!

I'm not following you. Are you saying Hynix believes DLL wasn't added to the patent claims until the 'DDR patents' were generated?

That's not true. The EPO patent from 10-31-91 (which is supposed to be an exact copy of the original patent), claim 5 states:

The semiconductor memory device of claims 3 or 4, wherein the clock generator circuitry includes a delay locked loop circuit coupled to the clock receiver circuitry to generate the internal clock signal.

You are reading from the later EPO filing which includes amended claims added later. The DLL claims do not appear in the original, I will send you the document if I can find it on one of my computers...

And here's the '916 patent (which is in this case)

Right, the '916 was filed in 1999, with claims written by Steinberg without consulting either inventor.

So the point stands that the whole DLL thing looks like Steinberg's creation, rather than something that the inventors claimed as theirs. In any event, the fact that he did not bother to ever consult with them about it seems incredibly... irresponsible. I daresay you won't find another patent attorney to back up his comment that one does not consult with the inventors when filing continuation applications LOL

In any event, as I said the key thing is that Steinberg came across as credible; it probably does not matter that the jury does not understand the finer implications of what he said. I'm just not sure I would have said it the way he did.

Da Greek