International Business Machines Corp. on Tuesday became the latest company to settle charges of infringing a patent owned by the University of Wisconsin's research arm in making computer chips. The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which owns patents granted to UW researchers, had accused IBM in a federal lawsuit of infringing on patented technology in making and selling copper-based chips. The two sides told a federal judge last week they had a deal and finalized the out-of-court agreement on Tuesday, said foundation spokesman Andrew Cohn. "Both sides are happy with the agreement," said Cohn, who would not provide details. The patent in question covers a metal barrier that prevents conductive metals from getting into the silicon that stores data in computer chips, stopping them from overheating or malfunctioning. It was granted in 1986 to John Wiley, an engineering professor who is now the school's chancellor, and his colleague John Perepezko.