Netlist seeks US import ban on Micron chips used in Google, Nvidia and Broadcom AI computing

Netlist said on Tuesday it has filed a new complaint at the US International Trade Commission seeking to block imports of Micron memory chips used in Google, Nvidia and Broadcom products for AI computing. Reuters

The computer-memory company said the complaint, first filed under seal at the trade tribunal on Friday, alleges that Micron’s chips and the tech giants’ products infringe two of its patents covering “high bandwidth memory” technology. It asked the tribunal to bar imports of Micron dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices and Google, Nvidia and Broadcom graphics processing units, servers and other products incorporating Micron’s infringing technology.

Netlist’s own announcement of the action names the same respondents — Micron and downstream customers Nvidia, Broadcom and Google — and says the complaint targets infringement of US Patent Nos. 12,308,087 and 12,646,537, which it alleges cover at least Micron’s HBM3E, HBM4 and HBM4E products. PR Newswire (Netlist)

“Netlist has spent decades developing advanced memory technologies now used in rapidly expanding AI infrastructure,” chief executive C.K. Hong said in a statement. “This action reflects our continued commitment to protecting our foundational technologies from unauthorized use.”

Spokespeople for Micron, Google, Nvidia and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

The move escalates Netlist’s long-running campaign against Micron: it won a $445 million patent infringement verdict against the chipmaker in federal court in Marshall, Texas, in 2024, and filed another ITC complaint in August over memory chips used in Super Micro Computer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo products — a case the commission instituted as Investigation 337-TA-1523 on 23 September.