Apple Inc. has been hit with another patent infringement lawsuit -- but this time over the development of the new A7 chip.

Apple first announced the A7 chip on Sept. 10, 2013, for the iPhone 5s smartphone. The A7 chip brought "64-bit desktop-class architecture" to a smartphone for the first time.

"With up to twice the CPU and graphics performance, almost everything you do on iPhone 5s is faster and better than ever, from launching apps and editing photos to playing graphic-intensive games-all while delivering great battery life," noted Apple in a statement about the A7 chip.

Since the iPhone 5s, the A7 chip has been installed on the iPad Air and and iPad mini with Retina Display, both available since October 2013.

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the patent licensing firm of the University of Wisconsin, has since filed a lawsuit against Apple. WARF claimed Apple's A7 chip infringed on the university's patent that improved "the efficiency and performance of contemporary computer processors."

The patent in question is United States Patent No. 5,781,752, titled "Table Based Data Speculation Circuit for Parallel Processing Computer," filed in July 1998.

The patent is described as, "A predictor circuit permits advanced execution of instructions depending for their data on previous instructions by predicting such dependencies based on previous mis-speculations detected at the final stages of processing. Synchronization of dependent instructions is provided by a table creating entries for each instance of potential dependency. Table entries are created and deleted dynamically to limit total memory requirements."

The patent credited Andreas I. Moshovos, Scott E. Breach, Terani N. Vijaykumar, and Gurindar S. Sohi as the inventors.

"The inventors are leading researchers in the field of computer microprocessor architecture. Their work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, particularly the work for which they were awarded the patent-in-suit, has significantly improved the efficiency and performance of contemporary computer processors," reported Jack Purcher of Patently Apple.

WARF believes Apple incorporated the ideas of the patent onto the A7 processor chip and have asked the court to prevent the Cupertino company from issuing unauthorized use of it.

Apple isn't oblivious to the patent. In previous patent applications, according to Patently Apple, Apple has cited patent No. 5,781,752 is relevant to its work.

"WARF is informed and believes, and on this basis alleges, that the acts of infringement by Defendant (Apple Inc.) have been, and continue to be, willful, intentional, and in conscious disregard of WARF's rights in the '752 patent," noted WARF in its court complaint, which was filed to the Wisconsin Western District Court, Madison Office.

WARF could be seeking financial damages for the use of the A7 chip instead of a ban. A judge has not been selected for the case yet.

Apple has not commented on the matter.

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