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The article reports that as of November 2012 networking-equipment firm Cisco Systems Inc. has begun to pursue lawsuits against so-called non-practicing entities (NPEs), which hold patents but do not produce goods or services. Cisco is accusing the firms Innovatio IP Ventures LLC and Mosaid Technologies Inc. of racketeering.

The article discusses patent trolls and nonpracticing entities (NPEs), looking at how some companies in the technology industry have created separate entities which control patents in order to pressure other companies into licensing technology. The article discusses NPEs such as Acacia Research Corp. and Intellectual Ventures Management LLC as well as patent activities by technology companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Sony.

The article focuses on lawyers John Desmarais and Matt Powers, well-known specialists in patent law. A change in the law practices of the two men is considered in which they have switched from representing large corporations in patent suits to representing holders of patents known as nonpracticing entities or colloquially as patent trolls who purchase patents for the sole purpose of instituting patent infringement suits.

The authors criticize pending "patent troll" legislation in the U.S. Congress known as the Innovation Act for what they view as its harmful impact on the U.S. patent system and university research.

The author discusses reform of the U.S. patent system in order to combat against Patent Monetization Entities, known as "patent trolls," that purchase patents from inventors and sue firms that use them without payment as of June 2014, including research by Alexander Galetivic and Zorina Khan on innovation rates and related litigation.

The article reports that several U.S. states are changing patent laws to prevent "patent troll" activity against small businesses by firms that purchase patents and demand royalties.

The article reports that New York state has reached a civil agreement with nonpracticing entity MPHJ Technology Investments LLC to ban it from attempting to have business enterprises in the state pay for patent licenses.

The article gives information about the U.S. legislative bill passed by the House of Representatives with a vote of 325-91 on December 5, 2013 which is expected to discourage patent trolls, nonpracticing entities, or patent holders from filing frivolous lawsuits.

The author discusses the potentially adverse impact of patent trolls on inhibiting innovation from small businesses as of November 2013, arguing that a proposed expansion of the U.S. Covered Business Method Program for reviewing patents, as well as reform of the U.S. Patent Office, is necessary.

The article argues that the U.S. Congress' establishment of a more uniform and narrow definition of terms in regards to American patent rights will discourage patent trolls and restrict their ability to file claims in the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and manipulate other agencies.

The author looks at U.S. patents as of 2013, criticizing some proposals in the U.S. Congress to address the problem of patent trolls, or businesses holding patents solely for the purpose of suing for patent licensing fees, saying they may weaken legitimate intellectual property protection.

The article reports that the American Public Transportation Association has filed a lawsuit against the firms ArrivalStar SA and Melvino Technologies Ltd. as of June 2013, claiming that the firms are patent trolls that have filed infringement lawsuits only to collect settlements.

Letters are presented from readers responding to articles previously published in 2013 including "How to Increase the Crime Rate Nationwide" by Heather MacDonald from the June 12 issue, "A Strategy for Combating Patent Trolls" by Charles Schumer from the June 13 issue, and "The Farm Worker Shortage" from the June 6 issue.

The article looks at the efforts of U.S. politicians to limit the activities of patent-holding firms, or trolls, as of 2013, saying the issue became prominent after the firms began suing small retail businesses, not only large technology companies, for patent infringement.

The article looks at the response of the high-technology industry to U.S. President Barack Obama's June 2013 policy and legislative proposals designed to reduce the power of patent-holding companies, or patent trolls.

The article looks at the problems posed by patent trolls, or nonpracticing entities (NPEs), for companies engaging in technological innovation as of 2013, reporting on new business enterprise Unified Patents Inc., which plans to help companies defend themselves against patent suits brought by NPEs.

The author looks at the problem of patent trolls, or patent-assertion entities (PAEs), bringing patent suits against high-technology companies in the U.S. as of 2013, expressing the view that a combination of market-based and legal strategies is necessary to protect innovative firms from them.