May 20--San Jose-based Tessera Technologies said Wednesday that the U.S. International Trade Commission has upheld its claim that several other companies had infringed its patented semiconductor-packaging technology.

Tessera's technology enables chips to be made smaller and run faster by incorporating shorter electrical connections between the chip and the circuit board upon which the chip sits. The companies found to have infringed that technology are Motorola, Qualcomm, Spansion, ATI Technologies (a part of Advanced Micro Devices), Freescale Semiconductor and STMicroelectronics.

In issuing its ruling, the commission overturned a decision in December by one of its judges, who had concluded Tessera's patents had not been violated.

Tessera CEO Henry Nothhaft called the decision a "powerful victory for Tessera" and said it will require the other companies to license Tessera's technology if they intend to use it in the future.

The commission's order is subject to review by President Obama. If he fails to side with the companies found to have infringed Tessera's technology, the firms can take the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.

Tessera's stock price rose $3.19, or more than 19 percent, to $19.80 in after-hours trading Wednesday.

Contact Steve Johnson at sjohnson@mercurynews.com or 408-920-5043.

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