Does Seagate Own SSD-Related Patents?

The big SSD-related news of late comes courtesy of Seagate, the world’s largest hard-drive manufacturer, but it’s not all good. We would hope that as the world’s largest drive maker, then they themselves would be announcing their own SSD, but no. Apparently, all current SSD manufacturers are infringing on four Seagate-owned patents related to the technology.

News.com asks the question of whether or not Seagate actually owns the patents to what we know as an SSD, but at this point, it’s difficult to know for sure since a single patent could have such a wide scope, and this is one product-type that would be difficult to sum up. With their recent lawsuit towards STEC, the answer might soon be seen.

Being a long-time fan of Seagate, I am hoping that they actually have a reason to sue. Even still, I find is strange that they seem to have no intention of releasing such drives themselves. Even if the CEO finds no use with them, where there is demand, sales will be seen. It’s been well documented that while not perfect, SSDs do indeed have some incredible benefits.

So if the patent is so good why would Seagate go after STEC? To set an example. In the tech world, companies typically don’t like to sign license and royalty agreements. Potential licensees often make the patent holder sue one or more companies first. If the potential licensees prevail, the conflict can fade away.

Source: C|Net News.com