$57 Million Patent Damages Ruling Against Cisco Cut (2)

Cisco Systems Inc. dodged paying nearly $57 million in a hacker-security patent dispute, but is still on the hook for infringement.

The two patents at issue weren’t directed to a patent-ineligible abstract idea, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said March 20. Enhanced damages, however, weren’t justified because Cisco’s infringement wasn’t willful, it said.

The Federal Circuit sent the case back to U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware for further proceedings, but upheld the court’s grant of attorneys’ fees and ongoing royalties.

Conduct that is “willful, wanton, malicious, bad-faith, deliberate, consciously wrongful, flagrant,” warrants enhanced ...