Apple loses processor patent suit against University of Wisconsin

MANILA, Philippines – A jury from Wisconsin, USA concluded Tuesday, October 13, that Apple used a 1998 patent by the University of Wisconsin without permission and implemented it in its A7, A8 and A8X processors found in the iPhone 5s, 6, 6 Plus and a number of iPad models.

A Reuters report said that Apple could face up to $862 million in fines or more if proven that it had willfully infringed on the patent.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the body that oversees patents and licenses developed at the University of Wisconsin, sued Apple in early 2014 for the 1998 patent no. 5,781,752.

According to documents obtained by Apple Insider, improving power efficiency and overall performance in modern computer processor designs by utilizing “data speculation” circuit, also known as a branch predictor.

The initial complaint named the Apple A7 processor but, upon review, WARF included the A8 and A8X.

In the complaint, WARF argued that Apple willfully infringed on its patent, saying the company even cited it in its own patent filing and it had rejected WARF’s request for licensing.

Apple denied the infringement and asked for a review of the patent’s validity but was rejected by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Just last month, WARF filed a second lawsuit against the tech giant regarding the same patent, this time looking into the A9 and A9x processors used in the newest iOS flagship devices.

The 1998 patent was also used to sue Intel Corp in 2008, though it was settled out of court before trials started. – Rappler.com