In scandinavian folklore trolls were dumpy with grotesque faces and uncontrollable hair. These horrifying creatures have given their name to patent trolls, who buy up lots of vaguely worded patents and then use them to extract cash from unsuspecting victims-who pay them off rather than risk a pricey lawsuit. It is not hard to identify the obvious ones, but writing laws to catch them without endangering everyone else is. Having tried once with the America Invents Act of 2011, Congress is having another go. The Innovation Act looks set to become law by the end of the year, after attracting an unusual amount of support from both parties.
展开▼
