Judge cancels patent fine Apple received for using DRM technology

A US judge has canceled a patent fine for Apple. The judge acknowledges that Apple’s DRM technology FairPlay infringes a patent of Personalized Media Communications, but that the company has waited too long to disclose its patents.

Personalized Media Communications filed the patent applications in the 1980s, but waited to have the applications approved until the technology for DRM was widespread, in order to get more money that way. Such patents are called ‘submarine patents’. Companies with patents often charge money for granting a license to use the technology from a patent.

PMC is now losing Apple’s case because of the long delay to grant the patent, Reuters writes. A Texas court judge called the technology a “conscious and blatant abuse of the patent system.”

Earlier, another judge ordered Apple to pay damages of more than $300 million. PMC now says it will appeal against the judge’s decision. Apple has not yet commented on the matter.