Lawmakers take aim at patent speculators

Holding companies sue large firms en masse; what makes a 'patent troll'?

[walkman]

[marketwatch.com...]
'But there's also "a cottage industry of people who go out and acquire patents solely for the purpose of bringing these suits, and with the hope that they will never have to go to trial," said Rose, the lawyer wit Alston & Bird LLP. Instead, he said, such holders hope for a high volume of settlements from companies wishing they'd just go away.'

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This is an old game. The trick is to ask for an amount of money thats less than potential court costs and get settlements with enough companies to make a profit.
I cant see how you target these patent trolls and not hurt patent rights for legitimate patent holders especially where an industry relies on relatively few patents. Limiting costs for infringement would hurt those industries. The article is a good summary of the situation.