Judge rejects Apple’s bid to overturn $234 million WARF patent infringement case

A federal judge in Madison has rejected Apple’s bid to overturn a jury’s finding that it must pay $234 million in damages to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

WARF sued Apple in 2014 for infringing on a technology patent for its A7, A8 and A8X processors, and a federal jury in October 2015 decided in favor of the foundation.

According to legal case website Legal360, U.S. District Judge William Conley upheld the jury’s findings on Tuesday, but denied WARF’s request for a much larger pay-out, saying the infringement was not willful. He also denied Apple’s attempts to reduce the award and to get a new trial.

WARF anticipates Apple may appeal the decision, in which case it would go to a U.S. Court of Appeals.

“WARF is reviewing the ruling,” said Jeanan Yasiri Moe, WARF’s director of strategic communications. “WARF will continue to defend the work of the university researchers and WARF’s patent in this case should Apple, Inc. file an appeal.”

The patent in question “significantly improves the efficiency and speed of computer processing,” WARF says.

See a related story with WARF Managing Director Erik Iverson: http://wisbusiness.com/index.Iml?Article=374864

–By Alex Moe
WisBusiness.com