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intel vlsi patents patent trolls cpu

Intel must pay $949 million to patent troll VLSI for an outdated chip patent

What just happened? In its ongoing battle against VLSI, a now-defunct manufacturer of custom integrated circuits (ICs), Intel must pay a hefty fine for infringing a patent granted almost two decades ago. A federal jury in Texas has once again ruled in favor of VLSI, a non-operating company belonging to private equity firm Fortress Investment Group, ordering Intel to pay $949 million. It's a sum the Santa Clara corporation doesn't want to spend for a technology that doesn't even work with their latest computer chips.