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Large companies patent everything that they use that doesn't have a patent already. Better to have a patent for entry of text in to a form using a keyboard than to pay a troll later.

But it is also mutually ensured destruction for fights between big companies. You can't sue me for a billion dollars because you are infringing on 2 patents for every on of yours I am infringing. Apple vs Samsung was an example of this.

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Here's an example going back to the 80's when IBM shook down Sun[1]:

>> Finally, the chief suit responded. "OK," he said, "maybe you don't infringe these seven patents. But we have 10,000 U.S. patents. Do you really want us to go back to Armonk and find seven patents you do infringe? Or do you want to make this easy and just pay us $20 million?"

[1] http://www.forbes.com/asap/2002/0624/044.html

This is how the lawyers at my large company described it as well, mutually ensured destruction. If you're a big company, you're essentially forced to play the patent game.

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