The complaint dates back to November 2000, and concerns a patent owned by Tulip for a computer with a motherboard design that speeds up communication between a processor and a common type of PC expansion board, that aids cooling within the computer housing and that allows for the case for the computer to be simplified.
Tulip claims that Dell had been using the design in its Optiplex PCs for three years. The infringing sales of the design over that period amount to a value of $17 billion, according to Tulip.
Dell has denied that it has infringed any of Tulip's patent rights.
The original complaint is available at:
www.techlawjournal.com/courts2000/
tulip_dell/20001124com.asp
The text of the patent is here