Hynix Semiconductor and Toshiba to end their legal hassles to collaborate

Hynix Semiconductor and Toshiba to end their legal hassles to collaborate

Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Toshiba Corp. have announced that they are now ending their legal hassles and would now collaborate by sharing semiconductor patents and products.

The two companies have been involved in legal arguments related to NAND flash memory chips. Toshiba started the fight by suing Hynix in the US and Japan claiming that they are infringing on their copyright.

Toshiba had claimed in the lawsuit that they were negotiating an extension of a licensing agreement ahead of its expiration in December 2002, but failed to agree on a fee.

Hynix countersued claiming that Toshiba was wrongfully asserting the patent and causing Hynix irreparable harm.

Hynix released a statement on behalf of both the companies: “The agreements settle all pending patent-related litigation between the companies in the U.S. and Japan, including that before the U.S. International Trade Commission.”