14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier this month, OPTi Inc. announced that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued the final judgment in the patent-infringement action between it and Apple. Following the jury’s debate, Apple was found guilty of infringing OPTi’s U.S. patents covering its “pre-snoop” technology. Finally, the Mac maker was ordered to pay a total of $21.7 million in damages and pre-judgment interest.
Although Apple was found to be guilty of violating the patent claims, the court did not view the actions as willful infringement. It was a decision that could potentially save Apple from having to pay even higher damages, people familiar with the matter said. However, according to more recent reports, Apple won’t stand for it at all.
Here is OPTi’s official word on this, according to a report over at MacDailyNews. The site adds a note of its own saying that, although Apple’s cash reserves are not affected, the company may be trying to protect itself in what is a matter of principle and precedent.
OPTi Inc. has announced that Apple Inc. is appealing the final judgment entered in this action by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on December 3, 2009, and “from all interlocutory orders that gave rise to that judgment, including, without limitation:”
• Claim Construction Order, entered on December 4, 2008;
• Order granting and denying parties' motions in limine, entered on March 25, 2009;
• Memorandum Order granting OPTi's motion for summary judgment on infringement and denying Apple's motion for summary judgment on non-infringement, Apple's motion for summary judgment on no pre-suit damages and Apple's motion to exclude the opinions of Weinstein, entered on April 3, 2009;
• Jury Verdict Form, entered on April 23, 2009; and
• Memorandum Opinion and Order denying Apple's post-trial JMOLs (except for JMOL on willfulness), entered on December 3, 2009.