It did go to court...not clear from that partial article but better explained here. Power in those patents...

3Com (COMS) Awarded $70 Million from Realtek Group Disput

July 14, 2008 8:40 AM EDT

3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) announced that on July 11, 2008 3Com and Realtek Group reached an agreement with respect to certain networking technologies of 3Com that will resolve the long-standing patent dispute between the companies. Under the terms of the agreement, Realtek will pay 3Com $70 million, within the next 45 days.

On April 9, 2008, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California awarded 3Com $45.3 million for past patent infringement by Realtek Semiconductor Corporation (TSE: 2379). The jury found that all six asserted claims of four 3Com patents for network interface technology were valid and had been infringed by Realtek. 3Com filed post-trial motions seeking, among other things, enhanced damages and a permanent injunction. Upon satisfaction of Realtek’s obligations under the agreement, the patent case will be dismissed.[SM]