What is a Patent Troll?

Patent Trolls acquire patents from patent holders and then proceed to aggressively sue others for infringement. Patent trolls usually operate by filing infringement suits against individuals or companies who are using products even remotely similar to their patented product. It’s the practice of obtaining and using patents for licensing or litigation purposes rather than for production of one's own goods or services. 

The claims would not typically hold up in court, so the aim of Patent Trolls is to convince the other party to settle the lawsuit as early as possible. This usually works, because patent litigation can be a long, expensive and deeply frustrating process that often cuts into the operations of whoever is being sued.

The end result is bad faith infringement threats and licensing demands that require companies to spend a significant amount of money to settle these claims. This is particularly damaging for startups and small businesses, who tend to have less money to spend on frivolous litigation claims.