In addition to the current 7 MMP patents, expiring 2009 through 2015, there are 7 additional applications. Five deal with stack architecture and 2 deal with memory controller. Assuming the applications mature into patents, they only give the MMP expiration an additional year to 2016.

The question is this. Henneman is expending a good deal of time and effort on those applications. What is the benefit? We license the MMP portfolio that includes all the patents and the applications. I doubt any past license has placed any value on those applications, and we haven't accused anyone (probably because we can't) of infringing on any of these applications. And if we get patents, infringement will not include any past use, and I kind of doubt they will impact much on license fees going forward as we get closer to MMP expiration. So, at least on the surface, I don't see where there is all that much to be gained by pursuing any of those applications.

I suspect there must be some strategy that makes the effort on those applications worthwhile. Does anyone have any thoughts on why we are pursuing those applications?

Opty