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The Truth Behind Patent Trolls Issue Brief (view source)
Revision as of 16:47, 6 April 2016
, 16:47, 6 April 2016→What is a Patent Troll?
These demand letters serve as the tipping point between patent assertion entities and patent trolls. Whereas PAEs assert the fair value of their patent against the infringer, patent trolls inflate the amount of damages felt as a result of infringement. Patent trolls may threaten a firm with exorbitant lawsuit costs, and then provide a quick way out of a lawsuit through a license. The supposed infringer, fearful of a high lawsuit costs, may just pay the licensing fee. However, the supposed infringer may not even have infringed on any patent.
Patent trolls may also target a slew of companies that tangentially intersect the sphere of the patent. One famous example of a patent troll is MPHJ Technology Investment, which who claimed to have patents that cover any networked "scan-to-email" function. MPHJ sent out demand letters to more than 16,000 small businesses. Each , each letter demanded demanding license fees in the of at least $1000 rangeper worker.
*Show venn diagram on patenttrollsdata3.xlsx on sheet 1 if relationship between NPE, PAE, and PT is not clear
