Two points here: 1. I'm more inclined to judge a policy by the net benefits to society rather than specific participants in it. 2. I actually think the patent

Two points here: 1. I'm more inclined to judge a policy by the net benefits to society rather than specific participants in it. 2. I actually think the patent system favors large enterprise more often than it does small companies. For a number of reasons. One of them being so much is patented you need a large portfolio of covering things your competitors are probably infringing on as a deterrent from them suing you or counter attack if they do. etc. As a small player, you can't do this. Your example is perhaps one of how the system was envisaged to work - though I'd be interested to know how you go if ever you needed to finance legal proceedings against a big corporate.