Patent trolling has become such a lucrative business for many companies out in all corners of the world. Apple being arguably the most visible company is probably the biggest patent target of them all, as the tech giant finds itself continuing to fight lawsuits from all over.
In the latest developments, Apple is being ordered to pay ¥300 million ($3.3 million) to Japanese inventor Norihiko Saito for infringing on a patent covering the touch-sensitive click wheel used in the iPod Classic and older models. This order is coming down from the Tokyo District Court.
However, in this case, Saito doesn’t come off as patent troll. The man filed this lawsuit more than five years ago, and the process has just dragged. If you know anything about law, then you would know that the best tactics done by large companies being sued is to prolong a case as much as possible to bring the opposition’s asking price down.
This strategy almost always works. And in this case the stall tactic seemingly worked, as Saito originally sought damages of ¥10 billion ($101 million). That number has shrunk considerably, all the way down to just $3.3 million. You clearly don’t have to be a math major to know the better deal.
[Kyodo News; via Engadget]