Story perspectives

Appeals Court Revives VLSI Patent Case Against Intel

4/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

A U.S. appeals court reopened VLSI Technology, LLC's patent lawsuit against Intel Corporation, reversing a ruling that found no infringement.
The case dates to 2017 and will return to a jury.
The court upheld the exclusion of VLSI Technology's damages expert but allowed damages through another expert.
Separately, a federal judge dismissed a Trump administration suit to block Hawaii's climate-change suit against fossil fuel companies for lack of standing.

History

Historical Context

The 2017 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods reshaped patent litigation by enforcing stricter venue restrictions, empowering companies like VLSI Technology, founded in 1979, to challenge larger firms such as Intel. This decision intensified ongoing tensions in the tech industry over intellectual property rights, highlighting the critical balance between innovation and corporate accountability in an increasingly competitive landscape.

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Story summary

A U.S. appeals court reopened VLSI Technology, LLC's patent lawsuit against Intel Corporation, reversing a ruling that found no infringement.
The case dates to 2017 and will return to a jury.
The court upheld the exclusion of VLSI Technology's damages expert but allowed damages through another expert.
Separately, a federal judge dismissed a Trump administration suit to block Hawaii's climate-change suit against fossil fuel companies for lack of standing.

1 / 2