Patent assertion entities or patent trolls are one of the most troublesome entities in the world of business and intellectual property. Although patent trolls own some patents here and there, they generally do not produce and goods or services. Instead, patent trolls use their patents to sue others. Why is this strange? If a business […]
What Are Patent Trolls? Have you heard the term patent troll? While it is not exactly a household phrase, patent trolling is fast becoming a thorn in the side of small businesses that have good research and development departments, some really good ideas, but little in the way of financial resources. It is a significant […]
Recently I was interviewed by Colin O’Keefe of LXBN TV about the push in Congress and the Senate by bipartisan representatives to punish patent trolls. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) announced the proposed legislation named the Shield Act, which would make the “patent troll” that brings a patent infringement lawsuit liable for both sides’ legal fees should they lose. The Shield Act is an […]
It’s pretty apparent that nobody likes patent trolls except for the attorneys that represent them. I think the biggest problem with nonpracticing entities (NPE’s) is that they sue on cases that are not true infringement cases. At first blush this may seem unreasonable because why would you sue a case if you didn’t think […]
As a Buffalo New York patent attorney I often travel throughout Western New York to attend seminars having to do with patents and trademarks. Last week I went to a seminar at the University of Buffalo TCIE. The Center for Industrial Effectiveness, UB TCIE serves businesses of all types and sizes through technical engineering, consulting and […]
There’s no question that patent litigation is increasing every day. If it’s not the big guys fighting it out it’s a nonpracticing entity (NPE) suing on patents that it purchased in an attempt to get a big payday. People argue that NPE’s should not be denigrated as patent trolls because they are just protecting their […]
Eastman Kodak Company announced that it is “exploring strategic alternatives related to its digital imaging patent portfolios, a move reflecting the current heightened market demand for intellectual property.” Does this mean they’re going to try to leverage their patent portfolio against other competitors in lawsuits? Can you say “patent troll”? Some people think that maybe […]
Since my recent blog post entitled “Patent Trolls” Search for Falsely Marked Products the ad hoc “patent marking police” have filed at least 17 lawsuits alleging false marking against 33 different companies. This number is an approximation because False Marking suits are not consistently categorized within the federal court system. To see a list of […]
What a corporation needs to know about patent law… I’m sorry if I insult anybody by using the derogatory term “Patent Troll” for a non-practicing entity (NPE) or patent dealer that claims patent rights to technology and demands a licensing payment for the use of the technology. But if the name fits… I’m not saying […]
What a corporation should know about intellectual property law… It is now in vogue for the new breed of “patent troll” to sue corporations in the US Federal Courts on behalf of the government for falsely marking unpatented products with patent registration numbers. Corporations need to be able to identify and protect their intellectual property. […]