It’s not only Apple and Samsung who are busy suing each other and additional tech companies. According to a report, 40% of patent infringement cases filed in 2011 were filed by trolls.
These patent trolls don’t develop the technology themselves; these non-practicing entities or ‘patent assertion entities’ (to use some more official terms) buy up patents with a view to making money from companies that often unwittingly infringe on them. Rather than fight claims against them, small businesses tend to sign off on licensing deals to avoid expensive litigation – regardless of the merit of the action.
According to the study, Effects of Patent Monetization Entities on US Litigation, lawsuits filed by patent monetisers have increased from 22% of the cases filed five years ago (2007) to almost 40% of the cases filed in the most recent year (2011).
Back in June a study from the Boston University School of Law found that patent litigation caused by these non-practicing entities, or patent trolls, cost US software and hardware companies $29 billion in 2011.
Patent litigation has become standard business practice in the tech world, and no rivalry demonstrates that better than Apple and Samsung, which has seen a seeming endless back and forth of product withdrawals, reinstatements and redesigns.
IDG News Service
Subscribers 0
Fans 0
Followers 0
Followers