US regulator may probe Sun and Rambus

US regulators are reportedly investigating Sun Microsystems and Rambus over whether they illegally kept patents secret while helping to define industry standards.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is looking at whether the firms kept quiet on their patents knowing that companies would later have to pay them royalties, according to USA Today.

The paper said that Sun was being probed to see whether it held back information on its patents when helping set computer memory model standards, before later seeking royalties. Rambus is accused of pushing the industry to adopt a chip standard while it tried to patent it.

However, the FTC is yet to confirm the newspaper's report that it has begun an investigation into either company.

Both Sun and Rambus have filed patent infringement lawsuits against firms to recoup royalties they say were owed them, but those firms counter-sued, bringing the matter to the attention of the FTC. Indeed, a jury found Rambus guilty of fraud in May.