In a statement on Monday, Intel said lawyers for the FTC and Intel filed a joint motion to suspend administrative trial proceedings while they consider a potential settlement of the case. The motion allows the FTC and Intel to review and discuss a proposed consent order through July 22.

The terms of the proposed order are confidential, and Intel said in the statement that it would not comment further.

An FTC administrative judge was scheduled to hear the case in September.

The FTC filed its complaints against Intel on Dec. 16, 2009. It charged the chip maker with illegally using its dominant position to stifle competition for decades. The complaint was filed just a month after Intel had settled antitrust and patent disputes with Advanced Micro Devices for US$1.25 billion.