Halliburton applied for a similar patent (#20080270152) a few years ago.
What's the purpose of these patents? Is it just satire or do they actually have legal value for counter suing patent trolls?
What's the purpose of these patents? Is it just satire or do they actually have legal value for counter suing patent trolls?
Imagine for a moment that you were sued over a product or service another party claims infringes a patent of theirs. Then, you found out that some product they offer actually infringes one of your patents. Now, you're thinking you've got leverage to negotiate a settlement, but the other party refuses all your offers, until you're finally left with no choice to countersue. That's when you find out they actually have the patent on patent trolling! Not only can they sue anyone they like for the slightest whiff of possible infringement, but the defendant can't fight back without actually violating another patent!
Quite the trump card, if you can get it.
To stop other people doing it, would be my guess.
If someone were to patent troll you (other than IBM, I guess) you could say that they were performing a practice that they didn't have the rights to practice. Essentially "hey, only IBM can patent troll me".