Patent infringement lawsuits have long been the business version of a first world problem — a thorny matter for the Googles and Samsungs of the world. But in recent years, so-called patent trolls, shell companies that exist only to sue other companies for allegedly violating patents the shell company owns, have been going after much smaller businesses, from coffee shops to real estate offices. Officially known by the less pejorative term “patent assertion entities” or “non-practicing entities,” these companies rarely create any products of their own. Rather, they buy patents (often on the cheap) and then threaten to sue anyone using technology covered by those patents … unless they fork over some cash. Because the cost to defend a patent infringement suit can be prohibitive, many small businesses simply roll over and write the check. Congress, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court and now many states have taken steps to help businesses defend themselves against the problem, but it remains a confusing and controversial issue. To make some sense of it, we sat down recently with UC Davis law professor Peter Lee, a nationally recognized authority on patent law, to hash out this complex issue. Continue reading: https://comstocksmag/patent-trolls
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 15:14:42 +0000
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