The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has overturned a jury ruling compelling Apple to pay $300 million in a patent infringement case involving Optis Wireless Technology.
Overview of the Optis versus Apple Case
Optis and its affiliates sued Apple in 2019 in federal court in Marshall, Texas, accusing the tech giant of infringing patent rights related to the LTE standard technology. In 2020, a jury ruled Apple would have to pay Optis $506 million for patent infringing.
The Appeal Court's Ruling
In 2021, US District Judge Rodney Gilstrap ordered a retrial on damages, indicating the amount may not have covered Optis's obligation to license its patents fairly. After a retrial in 2021, a different jury awarded Optis $300 million, which was subsequently overturned by the Federal Circuit citing jury instruction errors.
Expectations and Consequences of the New Trial
Optis representatives expressed confidence that the court will establish a fair compensation for the patents enabling millions of Apple devices to connect at high speed. Meanwhile, Apple announced its intention to appeal another ruling in the UK that mandates a payment of $502 million for patent infringement.
The Optis versus Apple case continues to draw attention both in the US and the UK. The outcome of the upcoming trial could significantly impact the relationship between tech companies and patent holders.
