Apple’s $1 Billion Verdict Against Samsung Left Intact

Apple’s $1.05 billion damages award against Samsung from its patent- infringement trial in San Jose, California, was left intact after a judge denied Apple’s bid to increase the award.

US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose declined to increase the award after she found Samsung’s infringement wasn’t willful. The ruling was one of many post-trial decisions Judge Koh issued denying both companies’ bids for a new trial and leaving largely untouched the jury’s finding in August that Samsung infringed six mobile-device patents. Judge Koh rejected Apple’s argument that jurors erred by finding Apple’s trade dress, or how a product looks, for the iPad and iPad 2 wasn’t protectable. The judge also denied Apple’s request that she overrule jurors’ conclusion that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 didn’t infringe one patent covering the design of Apple’s iPad tablet computer. She found that two claims, or elements, of Samsung’s patent covering data transmission over wireless systems were invalid. The judge also denied Samsung’s request for a new trial. Judge Koh also rejected Samsung’s argument that Apple’s patents may be “indefinite,” meaning that its claims, or elements, aren’t particular enough in describing the technology they covers.