Replies

Apple loses a patent infringement suit to a publicly funded University over a 17 year old predictive processor circuit used in almost all computer processors. . . University of Wisconsin/Madison demands $400,000,000 for the claimed infringement. — PING!

Apple loses patent infringement suit
Ping!

The Latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword “ApplePingList” on Freerepublic’s Search.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

In the current case, WARF is claiming $400 million in damages from Apple. As the dispute over how much the iPhone maker owes is hashed out, critics are questioning whether schools receiving public money for research should be engaged in hostile patent litigation.

NO. And public money should not be doled out for research.

Some legal experts have criticized lawsuits over patents developed with public funding. "Government funding is being used to go after some of our most innovative companies," said Robin Feldman, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of Law. "Do we want taxpayer money to fund this behavior?”

Government-funded research is not something contemplated in the Constitution, which does speak - and only speaks - of
Article 1 Section 8.: The Congress shall have power . . . To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries . . .
President Eisenhower’s famous “Military-Industrial Complex” speech addressed that issue:
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientifictechnological elite. - Eisenhower’s Farewell Address

suit . . . over a 17 year old predictive processor circuit used in almost all computer processors

If it’s 17 years old, I take it that this is about “copyright” as opposed to “patent” infringement?
In any case, there would seem to be a “use it or lose it” aspect: after 17 years, is Apple the first and only infringer of this patent?? Or the only one to have trillion dollar pockets?