SGI sues ATI

Silicon Graphics has sued ATI Technologies, alleging that the graphics chipmaker has infringed on a computer-graphics patent that ATI's competitors have licensed.

SGI argues that ATI's Radeon graphics chips use technology in patent No. 6,650,327, and seeks unspecified damages. The move comes just days after SGI exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with new financing, a trimmed-down product line, and new executives and board members.

"SGI has licensed this technology to ATI's major competitors and, as I have previously been stating publicly, SGI intends to aggressively protect and enforce its intellectual property," said Dennis McKenna, SGI's CEO since January, in a statement.

SGI filed its complaint Monday in U.S. District Court for the western district of Wisconsin. The complaint requests a trial by jury.

ATI spokesman Chris Evenden said the company is looking into the lawsuit details. "We're not commenting until we've analyzed every aspect of it," he said.