By Noel Randewich
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept 22 (Reuters) - ARM Holdings Chief Executive Officer Simon Segars on Monday defended theBritish chip designer's smartphone graphics technology connectedto a patent suit by Nvidia Corp against SamsungElectronics and Qualcomm.
This month, Nvidia said it was suing rival Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics, accusing both companies ofinfringing its property patents on graphics chip technology.
Nvidia said Samsung devices made with graphics technologyfrom ARM, Qualcomm and Imagination Technologies illegally use its intellectual property, or IP.
"We stand behind our IP. To the extent that we need to, weabsolutely work with our partners when something like thishappens," Segars told Reuters in an interview on Monday.
Nvidia has not said it is suing ARM or Imagination but itdid say it would ask the U.S. International Trade Commission toprevent shipments of Samsung devices containing ARM's Mali orImagination's PowerVR graphics architectures, as well asQualcomm's graphics technology.
Cambridge-based ARM does not manufacture its own chips.Instead, it licenses the rights to use its various processordesigns and architecture to chipmakers across the mobileindustry.
Nvidia depends on ARM's technology to make its Tegra chipsfor tablets and cars, but that ARM technology is not part ofNvidia's allegations against Samsung.
"It does create a bit of a curious situation. But we do alot of business with a lot of people," Segars said of ARM'songoing licensing relationship with Nvidia. (Reporting by Noel Randewich; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
