BlackBerry-maker RIM faces the prospect of a US$147.2 million fine after a Northern California jury passed a verdict against the Canadian company regarding the infringement of a single patent.

Mformation Technologies filed the case regarding a patent for the "system and method for remote control and management of wireless devices" in 2008, with seven claims of the patent found to have been infringed.

The fine is based on the jury’s recommendation of a reasonable per-unit royalty of US$8 for the 18.4 million units said to have infringed the patent in question.

A RIM spokeswoman told Reuters that the company has “pending legal motions” that could overturn the verdict.

Foss Patents’ Florian Mueller said the jury verdict is clearly one that no reasonable jury could have come to without being mis-instructed.

The decision still needs to be entered as a judgement as a matter of law by Chief Judge Ware to take effect. Mueller said that if Ware affirms the jury verdict, it would set a “terrible precedent”.