Naast Samsung heeft ook Elpida vandaag een licentie-overeenkomst getekend met Rambus zo bericht Electic Tech. Zoals bekend bezit (al dan niet rechtmatig) Rambus enkele patenten betrekkinghebbend op SDRAM technologie en nu gaat Elpida daar royalties voor betalen. Als een echte overwinning voor Rambus heeft dit echter niet gezien te worden, Elpida is namelijk een joint venture tussen NEC en Hitachi en deze bedrijven hadden al toegegeven aan Rambus:
Elpida Memory, Inc. is the name of the new joint DRAM memory venture formally announced by NEC and Hitachi on September 28th 2000. NEC and Hitachi established this joint venture company in December 1999 with the intention to bring their DRAM products together under a single brand and also to cooperate on the development and design of future DRAM products. According to IDC, Elpida will enter the DRAM market in January 2001 with 11.5% market share, and to grow to more than 20% market share by 2003.
Under the agreement Elpida can sell SDRAM and DDR SDRAM directly to their systems customers and ensure a seamless transition of DRAM sales from the NEC and Hitachi brands over to the Elpida brand. NEC and Hitachi, the parent companies, both retain their previously announced licenses with Rambus for both SDRAM and DDR SDRAM memory and Controllers that directly connect to them.
Under the licensing agreement, the royalty rates for DDR SDRAM are greater than the RDRAM compatible rates. The agreement also includes royalties for SDRAM as well as a license fee for the entire agreement.