Rambus today ceded on four of nine claims leveled against NVIDIA in an ongoing patent dispute being overseen by the International Trade Commission.

Memory IP firm Rambus  (Nasdaq: RMBS) began proceedings with a November 2008 ITC filing alleging NVIDIA products containing GDDR-GDDR3 memory, controller and interface technologies infringed on nine patents held by the company.

In addition to NVIDIA (Nasdaq: NVDA), the list of proposed respondents listed in the claim also included OEMs contracted to build or sell GPUs for the firm: Asustek Computer Inc. and Asus Computer International, BFG Technologies, Biostar Microtech and Biostar Microtech International Corp., Diablotek Inc., EVGA Corp., G.B.T. Inc. and Giga-Byte Technology Co., Hewlett-Packard, MSI Computer Corp. and Micro-Star International Co., Palit Multimedia Inc. and Palit Microsystems Ltd., Pine Technology Holdings, and Sparkle Computer Co.

Rambus’ request to fully terminate four disputes and several points in a fifth is seen as an erosion of the company’s long term chances in collecting on the damages outlined in their ITC filing. The move has also prompted a statement from Executive VP and General Counsel David Shannon.

“We are pleased Rambus has recognized the weakness of these patents and claims,” he said. “These withdrawals represent essentially half of the patents and one third of the claims asserted against us, and we look forward to addressing the remainder of the case.”

Rambus’ concessions also come just days after analogous proceedings conducted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office cleared NVIDIA on 41 points contained in seven of the nine patents being reviewed in both cases.

The remaining points contained in the five outstanding claims continue to undergo investigation by the ITC.