The likes of Apple and Microsoft do not only sue their rivals to protect their own inventions, but go on to buy third party patents to build up their weapon stockpile.
A common covenant (promise) in biomedical consulting agreements is a statement from the consultant that none of the IP he or she generates for the company in the course of his or her consulting services will infringe on third-party patents.
But now companies seem increasingly interested in licensing to third parties (patents trolls) to go after those who are competing against them.
The little girls in party dresses, patent leather shoes and lace-trimmed socks give new meaning to the term "Sunday best".
"We are currently, and expect to be in the future, party to patent lawsuits and other intellectual property rights claims that are expensive and time consuming, and, if resolved adversely, could have a significant impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations," it declared in its application for a public offering in February.
Lawmakers roamed the corridors with their children and grandchildren: little girls in party dresses and patent leather shoes, little boys in crew neck sweaters, their hair combed and faces freshly scrubbed.
One would require the losing party in a patent infringement suit to pay the winning party's legal fees.
He concludes that great care in compiling and cross-checking of status data is essential, especially for countries, such as the United Kingdom, which are party to regional patent issuing authorities.
And although it's a stretch to say that all tea party protesters are patent racists, Saturday's incidents pretty much sealed the deal -- fear of racial difference animates a portion of, if not the entire, "Tea Party Movement".
This may occur in a variety of ways, but the most important element for regulators is to understand the context and business model of is the party acquiring the patent, at which point "you can apply the vertical harm theory of your choice".
