University sues Intel over patent infringement

The suit claims Intel's Core 2 Duo micro-architecture infringes on WARF's U.S. Patent No. 5,781,752, entitled "Table Based Data Speculation Circuit for Parallel Processing Computer." The technology, patented in 1998, covers a type of circuit that improves the efficiency and speed of processing instructions sent from applications to the CPU.

"The technology of the UW-Madison researchers has been widely recognized in the field of computer architecture as a pioneering invention," WARF's lawyer Michael Falk said in a statement.

Intel on Thursday said it had received the lawsuit and was in the process of evaluating it. "I can confirm that we have been in discussions with WARF for more than a year but we didn't expect this action," Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said in an e-mail. He said the company had 30 days to respond to the suit.

WARF claims it has made repeated attempts starting in 2001 to meet with Intel to discuss licensing. "We are disappointed with Intel's lack of response in resolving this matter, and while we were not anxious to use the courts to enforce our patent rights, we have no other recourse given our duty to protect the intellectual property of our inventors and the university," Falk said. WARF is asking the court to order Intel to stop selling the product using the patented technology, and to order the company to pay damages and cover WARF's legal fees.