Micron Resists Court Command to Disclose 73 confidential documents to China's restricted YMTC semiconductor manufacturer - Micron endeavors to safeguard intellectual property from Chinese chip manufacturer on authority's prohibited list.

Revised Article:

The game-changer in Micron versus YMTC legal tussle: Micron aims to overrule earlier agreements, highlighting national security issues.

The recent twist in the ongoing battle sees Micron challenging prior settlements and rulings, claiming national security threats. As pointed out by PatentlyO, there could be a valid reason behind Micron's move.

Micron has made a plea to the Supreme Court, asking for a 'writ of mandamus,' aiming to reverse decisions that let YMTC access 73 pages of Micron's top-secret 3D NAND technology documentation in the 2023 lawsuit. YMTC had accused Micron of infringing several patents.

Micron emphasizes that the district court disregarded vital provisions of the protective order, failing to account for national security concerns related to sharing classified semiconductor data with a Chinese state-backed company on the U.S. Department of Commerce's Entity List.

The dispute revolves around the 2023 case where YMTC alleged that Micron's 3D NAND memory products infringed several patents. A jointly agreed protective order limited the exposure of highly sensitive materials to outside counsel and experts, excluding company employees. The order also restricted printed copies to 1,500 pages and no more than 30 consecutive pages.

"YMTC demanded ten times more printed pages of source code for Micron's latest-generation chips than for earlier generations," Micron's statement noted.

Eventually, YMTC requested 73 printed pages from Micron's '150 Series Traveler Presentation,' containing details about Micron's latest and upcoming 3D NAND devices. Although adhering to the protective order's page limit, Micron objected, calling the request excessive, unnecessary, and dangerous due to the nature of the data and YMTC's ties to the Chinese government.

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In essence, hardware copies obtained through a protective court order do not authorize an individual to make copies, legally. These documents are meant for private viewing, and all rules should be followed to prevent any legal trouble.

Under the protective order, only recognized individuals—in this case, YMTC's outside counsel and designated experts—can handle the originals. No duplication of printed copies, scanning, photocopying, or electronic reproduction is allowed; these activities are strictly forbidden.

Furthermore, every page is Bates-numbered for tracking purposes, and any duplication would be a violation of the protective order, subject to court penalties, adverse rulings, or contempt of court. Although there's no evidence that YMTC or its legal team has made unauthorized copies, Micron wants the ruling to be reversed.

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Background:

Micron’s Supreme Court Petition: Micron's petition to the U.S. Supreme Court aims to prevent the sharing of 73 pages of highly confidential technical documents and source code with YMTC, which contain Micron's most advanced 3D NAND semiconductor technology details[1][3][5]. Only a handful of Micron's 50,000+ employees have access to this sensitive data[3][5].
Protective Measures: The court has imposed strict protections: YMTC's outside counsel and designated experts are allowed to view the original, printed copies. No digital or physical duplication, scanning, or photocopying is allowed, and each page is individually numbered to prevent unauthorized distribution[1].
National Security and Competitive Concerns: Micron argues that sharing such sensitive information with YMTC, a company on the U.S. “Entity List” due to its close ties to the Chinese government, raises significant national security and competitiveness concerns[3]. The case is being framed as a battle to protect intellectual property and maintain U.S. technological leadership[3][5].

In essence, Micron is combating the disclosure of its most confidential technology information to YMTC, expressing concern over national security implications and the risk to U.S. technological supremacy. The case is under the scanner for its broader ramifications on intellectual property safeguarding and national security in patent litigation.

In the ongoing legal battle between Micron and YMTC, Micron is using the argument of national security and competition concerns to challenge earlier agreements, highlighting the potential implications for finance, business, technology, politics, and general-news.
A major point of contention in the Micron versus YMTC court case is the protection of highly confidential technical documents and source code, which could have far-reaching effects on intellectual property rights and technological advancements within the global finance, business, technology, and political landscape.

Micron Resists Court Command to Disclose 73 confidential documents to China's restricted YMTC semiconductor manufacturer - Micron endeavors to safeguard intellectual property from Chinese chip manufacturer on authority's prohibited list.