By not securing permission to use the technology patented by WARF in their A-series chips, Apple is now liable for damages up to $862 million dollars, but for which WARF is reportedly only seeking $400 million.
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As the University of Wisconsin’s non-profit patent management body, WARF patents and licenses inventions developed at the institution, with proceeds gained put toward future research projects.
Odds are you’ve never heard of the University of Wisconsin’s “Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation”, or WARF as it’s more commonly known.
Apple had argued the patent, owned by the university’s licensing arm, was invalid and said there was no infringement.
However, a report in the Times of India states that two Indian researchers Gurindar Sohi and T N Vijaykumar are entral to the patent lawsuit that may bring hefty damages to the California-based Apple. And Apple’s certain to appeal the damages to be handed out Wednesday by a federal court judge in Madison, Wisconsin.
The university has sought around $862.4 million in damages, but the jury has yet to rule on the sum to be awarded.
Last month, the foundation filed a almost identical complaint to the one the jury decided, claiming infringement of the same patent on the new A9 and A9X processors in the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, and iPad Pro. “In any case, any fine for Apple relating to this case would not have a substantial or lasting impact on its earnings”.
Since Apple reported revenues of $49.6 billion for its fiscal 2015 third quarter ended June 27, losing $400 million isn’t the end of the world. The ‘752 patent, filed by WARF in 1998, is for a “table based data speculation circuit for parallel processing computer” which, explains Techcrunch, helps make computer processors more efficient-Processors like Apple’s A7, A8, and A8x chips, which are found in most late-model iPhones and iPads.
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WARF used the patent to sue Intel Corporation in 2008.
