Patent lawsuits are nothing new, but this one comes with a troublesome wrinkle.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is the target of another patent-related lawsuit, this time from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, or WARF. The lawsuit alleges that Apple’s A7 processor chip directly infringes a patent held by the University of Wisconsin – Madison, U.S. Patent No. 5,781,752.
Both the Apple patent and the Wisconsin patent deal with branch prediction, a technique for predicting the flow of chip instructions to make execution more efficient.
The question of infringement is one issue, but another, more important issue is the possibility that the litigation may target Apple trade secrets.
Regardless of whether or not WARF wins its lawsuit against Apple Inc. the legal action may have profound ramifications for the Cupertino-based technology firm. In the process of defending itself, Apple will likely be forced to reveal proprietary details about its A7 chip, which until now has been a closely guarded company secret. Indeed, there is already speculation in some quarters that the main purpose of the litigation is to force Apple Inc. to reveal some or all of the A7′s engineering.
As I understand it, a company can declare trade secrets to get a protective order that keeps such secrets under wraps. Don’t know how effective this is in practice.
I would not worry about it, Apple can take steps to ensure the amount of their a7 design revealed in court is limited. The only worry is that someone who cannot design ARM SOC’s very well..like say Samsung or the Chinese chip companies popping up, get their hands on it via a leak.
Step 1: Fund University with tax money
Step 2: University invests your money into research
Step 3: Get sued by university you funded because the research you funded came up with the same solution to a problem as you
Yay, patents! So good for innovation!
Samsung makes the A7, honey.
Samsung fabs the A7 from a net list Apple gives them. Apple designs the A7 SOC.
“As I understand it, a company can declare trade secrets to get a protective order that keeps such secrets under wraps. Don’t know how effective this is in practice.”
It depends on how much of a big mouth the opposing council has. I am thinking of the one lawyer who blabbed confidential Apple contract agreements with another company to Samsung execs.
I’m really not sure why a state university (or possibly any university) should be applying for patents, unless they intend to hold those patents in the public trust, to prevent others from patenting their innovation but not prevent others from using the work.
If you have the netlist, there’s very little you can gain from anything the court can reveal.
Or, they could just buy the University of Wisconsin and call it a day..
This patent expires in 12/2016.
University is not practicing entity, so no injunction.
All you will get is few percent off from the chip price not iphone.