Marvell Technology has failed to toss a $1.17bn verdict it lost in December 2012 to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the US for infringing the varsity’s two hard disk drive patents.
The US District Judge Nora Barry Fischer denied the firm’s appeal for new trial on either liability or damages, while ruled that the firm’s wilful infringement would triple the amount for damages.
The varsity also demanded Marvell to pay ongoing royalties of about $1.50 per infringing hard drive chip, while the jury’s award was based on the royalty of $0.50 per chip.
Fischer said that the firm didn’t present convincing arguments for tossing the award or ordering a new trial in a case over semiconductor chips that used technology developed by a CMU professor and student.
"Marvell is in its current predicament because it deliberately undertook a series of strategic risks," Fischer said.
"Marvell’s bad facts and even worse litigation strategy were fatal to its cause."
"There was adequate evidence upon which a reasonable jury could properly find a verdict in favour of CMU."
In December 2012, CMU was awarded over $1bn as per a royalty of 50 cents per semiconductor for Marvell chips that use university’s patented technology.
Marvell manufactured about two billion chips based on the varsity’s technology, and has reportedly generated an operating profit of $5bn through sales.
