A university in the US is suing Intel over the way its Core 2 Duo chips handle instructions when processing.
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) sued Intel on Wednesday for patent infringement, charging that the Core 2 Duo infringes on a patent granted to University of Wisconsin at Madison researchers in 1998. The patent is for a processor design that can break instructions into separate strands for more efficient processing.
The method patented by the researchers covers certain instructions that would normally have to wait for other instructions to finish processing before they can move forward, which means they be partially processed while waiting for the other tasks to finish. The method takes advantage of the multi-core processor's ability to predict instructions.
WARF said it tried to get Intel to license the technology in 2001, but the company refused. Intel has also "aggressively marketed" this type of technology with its Core 2 Duo promotions, according to WARF.
An Intel representative did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
