Shares of Irvine-based computer memory products maker Netlist Inc. jumped Tuesday on word the company was granted a patent.
Netlist closed up 14% to a market value of nearly $85 million.
Specifics on Netlist’s patent aren’t entirely clear—it covers electronic circuitry and memory modules for computers.
The patent is part of a larger strategy by Netlist to move beyond memory modules, which help computers run faster but are a dime a dozen.
Netlist now is focusing on memory boards with specialized controller chips that help manage other memory within servers.
The company’s controller chips help boost performance, cut down on power and save on costs for running data storage centers, according to Netlist.
Netlist is coming off a rough couple of years since its initial public offering in late 2006, when it raised roughly $35 million.
A massive memory chip slump in 2007 and another in 2008 all but steamrolled Netlist as falling prices of memory chips slashed the value of its stockpiles and squeezed profits.
The company’s stock collapsed in early 2009, before rebounding later that year with Netlist’s new direction.
