I'm not recalling the TPL statement you are referring to, but I do know there are liabilities for encouraging infringement (knowingly or not).

IMO, ARM and Matsushita are actual infringers; ARM in the chip designs they sold/licensed, and Matsushita in the products they sell (using ARM designed chips, chips from others, and/or chips of their own making).

I can't speak to the ASICS vs. RISC thing. We do know that some of ARM's chip developments were post MMP patent grants, as they (ARM) listed multiple (not just '548) MMPs in their patent applications as being part of the basis for their patents (which is quite telling).

Hope this helps, and remember that I KNOW nuttin'!

SGE