Workstation manufacturer Intergraph says it will appeal yesterday's US district court ruling dismissing its patent-infringement claims against Intel.
"We will immediately begin the appeal process with Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit," Jim Meadlock, Intergraph's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
This week's ruling, which reversed an earlier opinion from US District Court Judge Edwin Nelson, will not affect other claims in Intergraph's 1997 lawsuit against Intel, according to Meadlock.
Besides patent infringement, the lawsuit charged Intel with breaking federal antitrust laws, as well as various tort/contract violations including fraud, breach of contract and intentional interference with business practices. Intel denies the charges.
Intergraph says Intel used patented technology, without a license, to build its Pentium processor. When Intergraph tried to enforce the patents, Intergraph claimed, Intel illegally punished it by cutting off access to information and samples of future Intel products.
A trial is currently scheduled for June 12, 2000. The case is being heard in US. District Court, Northern District of Alabama.
Intergraph has posted background about the case, including links to filings, on its Web site, at http://www.intergraph.com/intel.
Intel, in Santa Clara, California, can be reached at +1-408-987-8080 or at http://www.intel.com. Intergraph, in Huntsville, Alabama, can be reached at +1-256-730-2000 or at http://www.intergraph.com.