Apple Loses U Of Wisconsin Patent Case: Plaintiff Claims Could Rise To More Than $862 Million If Court Rules 'Willful Infringement'
An Apple patent case involving smartphones ended with the tech-giant on the losing end. University of Wisconsin emerged as a clear winner when a federal jury ruled Apple Inc. infringed on a University of Wisconsin patent while developing processors for its recent iPhones and iPads. This case comes as the latest in a string of disputes over the technology undergirding smartphones, said Digital Trends.
University of Wisconsin held a patent from 1998 for improving efficiency in computer processors. The jury found that the patent was still valid and Apple used the same technology in processors that help power some iPhones and iPads. The patent in question covers a system that improves the chip efficiency found in popular Apple devices. These include the A7, A8 and A8X processors that power the iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 Plus, said HNGN.com.
Although, there is no official ruling on the final damages on the company but the university has sought $862 million, according to the court filing, said Market Watch. US District Judge William Conley scheduled the trial in three phases: liability, damages and willfulness. The court will determine the extent of infringement and if ruling finds that Apple had willfully infringed the patent, damages could increase, NBC News reported.
Apple and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the university's licensing arm and plaintiff in the case, didn't respond to requests for comment. Apple's court filing stated that the said patent was invalid and it did not infringe upon any such thing denying any allegations from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.
Apple has been trumpeting its capability to innovate and had been extremely protective about its technology. In litigation against Samsung, the Cupertino, Cal. firm took the South Korean electronics maker to court over its feature 'Swipe to Unlock' on iOS phones.
WARF has filed another suit against Apple last month for patent infringement hat focuses on the latest A9 and A9X chips found inside the recently released iPhone 6S and 6S Plus devices, as well as the iPad Pro, said Digital Trends.
