Apple wins as U.S. appeals court affirms decision to toss $308.5 million jury verdict

A U.S. appeals court on Friday affirmed a decision to toss a $308.5 million jury verdict against Apple for allegedly infringing a patent related to digital rights management (DRM).

Blake Brittain for Reuters:

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., upheld an East Texas federal judge’s ruling that Personalized Media Communications LLC’s patent was invalid because the company engaged in misconduct before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
PMC, a patent licensing company, first sued Apple for infringing several patents in 2015. An East Texas jury said in August 2021 that the FairPlay software used in Apple’s iTunes and App Store to decrypt movies, music and apps infringed one of the patents and awarded the company $308.5 million in damages.
District Judge Rodney Gilstrap overturned the verdict four months later… Gilstrap said PMC had used an improper “submarine” strategy that some applicants employed before 1995 to delay patents from becoming public until a market developed for their invention.
The Federal Circuit affirmed Gilstrap in a 2-1 ruling.

MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote back in 2021 when the jury imposed this ridiculous fine:
$308.5 million for a DRM patent that Apple is alleged to have infringed. For perspective, Samsung paid Apple $539 million for basically copying the iPhone, however poorly.
The proper judgement in this case has finally been rendered! This calls for a toast!
Interns, please commence your most-sacred duty and Tap That Keg! Prost, everyone!