Two Rambus Patents Invalidated By USPTO

First time accepted submitter rnswebx writes "Two patents that chip designer Rambus used to win patent lawsuits against Nvidia, HP, and others have been declared invalid by the USPTO." The Inquirer has a similar story up, with appropriately snarky sub-head.

Re:Patent question

[AikonMGB]

Inquiring minds want to know. If the use of said patents was the sole factor in the suit, then I would say, the company is entitled to reimbursement. If there was anything else going on at the time, or if for example it involved two patents and only one patent was invalidated, then I think the case would have to be revisited. IANAPL, this is just wild speculation.

What I want to know, however, is how those patents made it through said suits intact, only to be declared invalid by the USPTO at a later date -- wouldn't, in the course of the suits, the patents get thoroughly vetted by the USPTO, under scrutiny of the court? Or am I applying too much logic and common sense to the patent system?

Aikon-

Re:USPTO

[medv4380]

No that would slow down their patent review even more. If we just invalidated all software and method patents their work load would be reduced and would be able to do a better job reviewing and hearing challenges to existing patents in a more timely manner.