May 18, 2012 — InvenSense Inc. (NYSE:INVN) says STMicroelectronics (ST, NYSE:STM) filed a complaint in the Northern District of California, alleging that InvenSense infringes 9 of ST’s patents. InvenSense contests these claims.

Both companies make micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) components. 

In its defense, InvenSense points to its intellectual property (IP) portfolio and says it “respects the intellectual property rights of others.” InvenSense’s own IP portfolio positions it well in its markets and serves as a deterrent to those that may try to copy its technology, InvenSense said in a legal update. InvenSense is a fabless chipmaker with its MEMS devices fabbed at TSMC and GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

InvenSense debuted a 9-axis motion-sensing module comprising a 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer on the same die packaged with a 3-axis compass in 2012.

ST is the #4 MEMS provider globally, according to IHS iSuppli with 651.6 million in 2011 revenue (an 82% jump over 2010). Yole ranked ST as #2 with $900+ million and InvenSense as #18 with $144 million in 2011 MEMS revenues.

In the future, InvenSense Inc., which recently became a public company in an initial public offering (IPO), will comment publicly on litigation matters only on a selective basis, taking into account the adequacy of SEC and NYSE disclosure requirements to serve the needs of its stockholders. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information it publicly provides.

InvenSense Inc. (NYSE: INVN) supplies MotionTracking solutions for consumer electronic devices based on a patented Nasiri-Fabrication platform and patent-pending MotionFusion technology. More information can be found at www.invensense.com.

ST is a global leader in the semiconductor market serving customers across the spectrum of sense and power technologies and multimedia convergence applications. Learn more at www.st.com.

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