Apple ordered to pay $110 million in 3G patent dispute with Spanish firm

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Apple ordered to pay patent troll Optis $502M, despite threat to leave UK market | Digital representation of a court gavel

Spanish company TOT Power Control has been awarded $110.7 million in damages after a federal jury in Delaware found that Apple’s devices infringe on a patent related to 3G wireless communications. Here are the details.

TOT Power Control licenses a technology that manages radio signal interference and power consumption in 3G systems, improving network efficiency and battery life.

The company says its patented algorithm adjusts how power is used depending on the ratio of signal to interference, and that wireless chips used in iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches rely on its technology without a license.

Apple was unable to convince the jury to invalidate the two patents at issue

In the verdict, issued on June 30 and made public today, the jury unanimously decided that Apple infringed on United States Patent Number 7,532,865, but not on United States Patent Number 7,496,376.

The jury also unanimously rejected Apple’s motion to invalidate TOT Power Control’s patents, a common avenue pursued by defendants during patent litigation. In the past, Apple has managed to invalidate patents in similar disputes.

According to the jury, rather than a single payment, known as a “lump sum”, Apple must pay a “running royalty” of 25 cents per infringing device, which adds up to $110,734,008.

In a statement to Reuters, Apple said it was disappointed with the outcome and plans to appeal the decision.