This week, Intel convinced a Texas jury that Fortress Investment Group controls VLSI technology, a major development that could overturn Intel's over $3 billion in patent infringement payments to VLSI. Intel asserts that since Fortress also controls Finjan, with which Intel has a patent license agreement inked in 2012, this agreement should also extend to VLSI, a company that alleged Intel of patent infringements, reports Bloomberg.
VLSI had earlier filed multiple lawsuits against Intel across various U.S. courts and other jurisdictions, claiming infringement of 19 patents originating from Freescale, SigmaTel, and NXP. In one major case held in Waco, Texas, in 2021, a jury awarded VLSI $2.18 billion, but that verdict was later overturned by an appeals court and sent back for new proceedings. Another jury trial in Austin in 2022 resulted in a $949 million award to VLSI, a decision that Intel has continued to challenge based on the licensing issue.
