National Semiconductor, Broadcom End Disputes

Broadcom Corp., the biggest maker of cable modem chips, said it settled all patent disputes with National Semiconductor Corp. Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

The companies said they agreed to a comprehensive cross license of some of their patents, ending suits each filed against the other in federal court in Sacramento. The settlement includes a cross license of some patents that have yet to be issued, Broadcom said.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based National Semiconductor, which makes chips for cell phones and personal computers, had claimed that Broadcom made chips that infringed its patents for modems, servers and other networking equipment.

Irvine-based Broadcom countered that National Semiconductor infringed patents related to products that connect computers on networks at a rate faster than previous generations of network products.

National Semiconductor spokeswoman LuAnn Jenkins and Broadcom spokesman Bill Blanning said the settlement would have no significant effect on their companies’ respective earnings.

National Semiconductor closed off 32 cents at $19.72 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Broadcom rose 46 cents to $24.91 on Nasdaq.