Dive Brief:
- Carnegie Mellon University's award in a patent infringement suit is now $366 million larger due to "enhanced damages" added to the verdict by U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
- Fischer upheld a previous judgment but added the additional damages (23%) because Marvell Technology Group was willful in its actions.
- CMU wanted to triple the damages owed by Marvell to over $3.7 billion, but Fischer felt that the "intermediate sanction" for damages incurred since the original jury trial was enough.
Dive Insight:
Marvell was previously found guilty of infringing on two Carnegie Mellon patents when it sold billions of computer chips utilizing the university's technology. The jury verdict charged Marvell damages of 50 cents per infringed chip sold. Fischer says the damages are sustainable for the company's operations.
Naturally, though, Marvell says the suit was unjustified, that one $250,000 payment would have been enough, and that it is working on a response.