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RPX Corporation was created to be the white knight that you describe. It is a for-profit company with a $600M mkt cap. Kleiner, CRV and Index invested significa
by vm 14y ago
RPX Corporation was created to be the white knight that you describe. It is a for-profit company with a $600M mkt cap. Kleiner, CRV and Index invested significant capital in it (I believe Kleiner incubated it).
Basically, your company pays a % of revenues to be part of their patent protection scheme. They get to license your patents, which they allow other members to use. They purchase patents outright as well (though haven't been able to compete with bids from Apple, Google, Microsoft and the like).
From their website: "Our pioneering approach combines principal capital, deep patent expertise, and client contributions to generate enhanced patent buying power to manage patent risks and ongoing costs. By acquiring potential problem patents, we significantly reduce patent assertions directed at our client network. We will never assert or litigate the patents in our portfolio."
This doesn't solve the problem of large companies litigating frivolous patent claims, though it does fight against patent trolls.
- btilly 14y agoRead their FAQ. They are also willing to sell patents, under a deal that indemnifies all current (but not future) members. They already use this threat as a reason to sign up now instead of later. The path from their current position to monetizing themselves off of patent trolls is very short. They have an incentive not to walk this path too obviously - right now they are acquiring patents at fire sale prices - but the temptation is always there. Disclaimer I had a previous employer take out 3 patents in my name. Those patents have wound up in RPX's portfolio. I am not happy about this fact.