Patent Law

RPX and Light Valve (Acacia): "trolls"/NPEs uniting?

By Lawrence B. Ebert, Esq.

Patent lawyers observing from the sidelines and those involved in the fight over light valve patents in the Northern District of Georgia said it's the first time they've seen this happen.

"The involvement of a patent aggregator such as RPX in settling patent litigation is very unique and unusual to see, and it will be interesting to see if it becomes a trend in the future" said James Gilliland Jr., chairman of San Francisco's Townsend and Townsend and Crew who represents Epson. Gilliland declined to comment on whether his client would negotiate with RPX.

"I've never seen patent rights acquired mid-litigation like this," agreed Michael Dorfman, a Katten Muchin Rosenman partner representing defendants Sanyo, Eiki International Inc., and Christie Digital Systems USA Inc.

Also-->

"It's quite possible that there is an organization of these licensing entities that is starting to take place," said Amar Thakur, who co-leads Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton's IP practice and is not involved in the case. "I don't know whether it's illegal -- it does seem to be not in particularly good taste."

Full post as published by IPBiz on January 08, 2009 (boomark / email).