SCOTUS Asks For Views On Blockbuster Apple/Caltech Patent Dispute

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday asked for the Biden administration’s views on Apple Inc and Broadcom Inc’s bid to revive their challenges to patents owned by the California Institute of Technology, in a dispute in which Caltech previously won $1.1 billion in damages from the companies.

The justices asked for the US solicitor general’s input on a lower court decision that prevented Apple and Broadcom from arguing the patents were invalid at trial.

Caltech had no comment on the Supreme Court’s order. Representatives Apple and Broadcom did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Related: Bid To Prolong Apple Antitrust Suit Fails

Caltech, located in Pasadena, California, sued Cupertino-based Apple and San Jose-based Broadcom in 2016 in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging that millions of iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and other devices with Broadcom Wi-Fi chips infringed its data-transmission patents.