What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls?

Re:What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls? by fncypants on Friday August 03, 2018 @08:22PM (#17684622)

Yes, just like any company with a virtual office. But the Supreme Court in TC Heartland last year limited where patent suits can be filed. Now, a _defendant_ needs a physical presence in east Texas to be sued there. Only big box retailers with stores in east Texas towns, or companies with headquarters / offices / storefronts in Dallas suburbs like Frisco or Plano, can be sued there. The virtual office for the patent owner no longer had any effect on the suit being proper in east Texas.

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Re:What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls? by tluyben2 on Friday August 03, 2018 @09:13PM (#17684849)

Do you know how it works if a US troll sues a company outside the US?

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Re:What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls? by fncypants on Friday August 03, 2018 @09:32PM (#17684898)

Assuming you mean filing a lawsuit for infringement of a US patent, a foreign company can be sued in any federal district court in the US. It is a special case.

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Re:What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls? by URSpider94 on Friday August 03, 2018 @09:44PM (#17684925)

IANAL, but they can only sue for infringement that takes place within the US. A German company selling to Indian customers can’t be sued in the US.

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Re:What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls? by Drdrdrq on Saturday August 04, 2018 @08:57AM (#17686695)

But German company selling to US customers can, right? Does that mean the company needs to defend itself on US court?

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Re:What Can Small Tech Companies Do About Patent Trolls? by JackRW on Saturday August 04, 2018 @10:35AM (#17686993)

Generally yes.

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