Acacia Research says damages won in case against Yahoo have grown to $12.4 million

Acacia Research says it will get $12.4M from Yahoo

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Acacia Research Corp., a company that buys and licenses patents, said Wednesday that a Texas court has raised the amount of damages it will get from Yahoo Inc. in a patent infringement ruling.

The company said the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas awarded it $12.4 million in a final judgment this week, up from a $6.6 million ruling last May.

Acacia said the higher figure accounts for willful infringement of its patent, which is related to backgrounds called IMVironments in Yahoo’s instant messaging service, as well as interest.

Acacia shares rose 8 cents to $8.71 in afternoon trading, while Yahoo rose 32 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $15.49.