BigCo and the Patent Troll (Score 2, Interesting)

The term "Patent Troll" when originally coined was aimed at companies that bought patents (primarily software and typically purchased through a bankruptcy liquidation) with the sole intent of forcing licensing deals. However, the use of the term has now spead to everyone that has a patent they seek to enforce against BigCo. BigCo wants protection from small companies with patents -- what protection are they willing to grant smallco from BigCo. BigCo has all the advantages -- more patents, money to pay lots of lawyers, money to ride out the lengthy legal battle, and money to lobby Congress. BigCo is certinaly not about to change their habits of bulk patenting -- they just want small co to have higher hurdles. Small companies have limited resources to create businesses around every good idea and concept they generate. That does not mean they should be prevented from protecting, marketing and licensing that concept. That is how small-co hopes to become big-co. The biggest issue I see is that patent holders (big and small) have established license rates that force costly battles. If the licensing rates were upfront and affordable many of the disputes would go away. But I don't see that happending soon. I just hope Congress has not fallen deaf to the concerns of small co.