University of Wisconsin Sues Intel

The University of Wisconsin has filed a suit against Intel over technology used in Core 2 Duo processors.

The University of Wisconsin has filed a patent infringement suit (PDF) against Intel Corporation, claiming technology used in the company’s Core 2 Duo processor belongs to them—and they’ve been trying to license it to Intel since 2001.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, a non-profit private corporation associated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is alleging Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors infringe on patent 5,781,752 dating from 1998. Developed by current chair of the UW computer science department, the patent outlines a data speculation circuit that enables the execution of instructions in advance of other instructions which are data dependent: if the circuit guesses right, necessary code has already been executed, speeding real-time performance of the processor.

According to WARF, Intel was initially contacted about licensing the patent in 2001. The organization has made repeated attempts to resolve the matter since then, including face to face meetings.

“The technology of the UW-Madison researchers has been widely recognized in the field of computer architecture as a pioneering invention,” says WARF general counsel Michael Falk. “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.”

WARF is seeking an injunction barring Intel from infringing on its patent—which, if granted, would take the Core 2 Duo processor off the market. The suit also seeks damages and legal fees.

Intel has yet to comment on the suit.