+DJ European Patent Office Revokes Rambus Chip Patent >RMBS
02/12/2004
Dow Jones News Services
(Copyright © 2004 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)
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02-12-04 1204ET
=DJ Rambus/European Patent -2: Co Has No Comment >RMBS
By Roger Cheng
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Shares of Rambus Inc. (RMBS) were down 12% Thursday after the European Patent Office revoked the patent for one of its semiconductors.
The EPO's Technical Board of Appeal made the decision after two days of public oral proceedings. A written decision is expected shortly.
"The patent is revoked in its entirety," said EPO spokesman Rainer Osterwalder. "The patent is no longer in existence."
The patent was effective in Germany, France, Italy and the U.K.
Rambus spokeswoman Linda Ashmore confirmed the decision and said the chip connection technology company was working with its European lawyers to understand the ruling. The company had no further comment.
Several European semiconductor companies had filed oppositions agains the patent, questioning the ability to patent the invention and whether the invention was sufficiently disclosed by the applicant in the patent application.
A Federal Trade Commission administrative law judge is expected to make a similar decision next Tuesday. The FTC is alleging Rambus violated U.S. antitrust laws in trying to seek patents after attending meetings to set industry standards, according to a research note dated Tuesday from Susquehana analyst Max Breier.
Rambus recently traded at $26.18, down $3.44, on volume of 9.5 million shares. Average daily volume is 2.7 million shares.
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