US-China Semiconductor Patent War: YMTC Sues Micron Over 27 Patents in the US
Chinese memory chipmaker YMTC has launched a series of patent infringement lawsuits against Micron in the US, targeting its core 3D NAND and DRAM technologies. Micron's attempts to invalidate the patents at the PTAB have met with mixed results, signaling a prolonged legal battle.
WISECODE Take
YMTC has filed three patent lawsuits against Micron in the US since 2023, proving that patents possess legal power transcending geopolitical boundaries. As of September 2, 2026, while Micron successfully invalidated 7 of YMTC's patents (including the '838 patent), 12 patents remain valid, leaving Micron in a tough battle over core 3D NAND technologies. This case primarily impacts semiconductor giants at the center of geopolitical conflicts; Taiwanese SMEs outside sensitive US-China supply chains remain unaffected. If you plan to export key components, Zhidian's "Patent Portfolio Health Check" can help clarify potential patent risks. Companies can take two actions: first, consider Ex Parte Reexamination (EPR) as a defense tool given the USPTO's expanded PTAB discretionary denial powers since 2025; second, verify if products contain the disputed chips and request patent indemnification from suppliers. The key to litigation success lies not in corporate nationality, but in patent stability and defensive flexibility.
Original sources
Compiled automatically by WISECODE IP Radar. Summaries are short source excerpts; commentary is AI-generated. See the source links for full text.
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