A jury has decided that Apple must pay the University of Wisconsin-Madison $234 million for infringing one of its patents, Reuters reports. The final figure is much lower than the maximum damages set for the trial, and also lower than the $400 million the university had asked for, but it's still one of the largest sums Apple has been ordered to pay in a patent trial.

Apple is a big target for patent lawsuits, but cases are volatile and can drag on for many years through appeals. Earlier this year, for example, Apple lost a $532.9 million judgement to a patent licensing company, but the award was later voided. Even when Apple wins, its awards are not guaranteed. The company's high-profile case against Samsung still isn't over; in May, a federal court downsized Apple's $930 million victory.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison's licensing group (WARF) filed the suit early last year, and claimed that the processor used in the iPhone 5S, iPad Air, and iPad Mini 2 infringed on one of its patents from 1998. Reuters reports that the jury in the case agreed that Apple had used the university's technology, but the judge limited damages by ruling that the infringement was not willful. Apple will reportedly appeal to overturn the verdict.