Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-01268/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-01268-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 35:271 Patent Infringement

---

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNIRAM TECHNOLOGY, INC.,

Plaintiff(s),

 vs.

MONOLITHIC SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY,

INC, et al.,

Defendant(s). /

No. C 04-1268 VRW (MEJ)

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

RE: APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL

MASTER

ORDER FOR PARTIES TO MEET

AND CONFER RE: SPECIAL

MASTER

The Court is in receipt of the parties' joint meet and confer letter, filed June 1, 2006,

regarding plaintiff UniRAM Technology, Inc.'s ("UniRAM") request to compel defendant Taiwan

Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. ("TSMC") to produce tapeout files in response to its

discovery requests. Both parties agree that the tapeout files are relevant, at least to some extent, but

TSMC argues that the files contain proprietary information of its customers; therefore, it cannot

disclose them without permission under the terms of non-disclosure agreements with its customers. 

Upon review of the parties' letter, the Court finds that disclosure is appropriate, but special

considerations must be made to protect TSMC's customers. Given the number of parties involved in

this disclosure and the amount of supervision necessary to protect the customers' interests, the

undersigned hereby RECOMMENDS that Chief Judge Walker, presiding judge in this matter, grant

the undersigned authority to appoint a special master for purposes of supervising discovery related

to TSMC's customers' tapeout files, with any expenses borne by the parties and TSMC's customers. 

To facilitate this, the Court hereby ORDERS the parties to meet and confer within one week

Case 3:04-cv-01268-VRW Document 187 Filed 06/16/06 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 2

from the date of this Order for purposes of jointly recommending a special master. If the parties

agree on a special master, they shall so inform the Court. If the parties are unable to agree, they

shall each provide a list of three potential special masters and each party shall specify its objections

to the other party's choices. If Judge Walker grants authority to appoint a special master, the

undersigned shall then appoint the parties agreed-upon master or appoint one master from the party's

lists. At that time, the Court shall also specify the procedures for disclosure of the tapeout files.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 16, 2006 

MARIA-ELENA JAMES

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:04-cv-01268-VRW Document 187 Filed 06/16/06 Page 2 of 2