A Wisconsin court found Apple in infringement of a patent owned by the University of Wisconsin on Tuesday, potentially leading to $862.7 million in damages.
The University of Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) claimed in early 2014 that Apple used patented computer microarchitecture in several system-on-chip designs used in iOS devices. Their patent, for a “Table based data speculation circuit for parallel processing computer,” was granted to a University of Wisconsin team in 1998. WARF holds and manages all inventions developed at the university.
The invention has “significantly improved the efficiency and performance of contemporary computer processors. This work has been recognized as a major milestone in the field of computer microprocessor architecture/design,” WARF said in court documents.
The circuit is designed to improve power efficiency in computer processors by using “data speculation,” or a branch predictor. Apple cited the property in some of its own patent filings and refused WARF’s requests to license according to the lawsuit. The complaint claimed that Apple used the data speculation circuit in the iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and iPad Mini. Since 2014, additional products such as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and several versions of the iPad have been added to the suit.
The jury found Apple to have been guilty of infringing all six patent claims. WARF is seeking an award of up to $862.4 million, although the exact damages have not yet been assigned by the court.
(Via Apple Insider.)
