It was probably a reasonable risk/return calculation on their part. What are the odds that they will be on the losing end of more than $3.14 billion in patent

It was probably a reasonable risk/return calculation on their part. What are the odds that they will be on the losing end of more than $3.14 billion in patent suits? How much interest can $3.14 billion earn between now and the time these hypothetical damages will have to be paid? The calculation might have gone differently if it hadn't been for the fairly recent SCOTUS decision that made it more difficult for a plaintiff to obtain a permanent injunction against distribution of an allegedly-infringing product ( http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2006/05/supreme_court_v.html http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2006/05/supreme_court_v.html ). If it hadn't been for that decision, the Nortel patents might have been worth $3 billion and then some.