Judge wants ban on devices with SiRF GPS chips

According to Broadcom, U.S. administrative law judge Carl Charneski has recommended the International Trade Commission bar the import of devices equipped with GPS chips made by SiRF Technology because they infringe on six-GPS related patents held by Broadcom. 

If the ban is enforced, it could affect a number of consumer electronics makers hoping to drive sales with GPS-enabled devices. SiRF supplies GPS technology to Garmin, which plans to release its Nuvifone handset in North America in the first half of 2009.

SiRF, which develops GPS chipsets, originally filed four patent infringement claims against Global Locate, which was acquired by Broadcom last summer, but the ITC dropped two of the claims before the trial.

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