Such as when?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090121/1932143481.shtml
However, I'd be surprised if other examples didn't exist.
Note: When I said Apple "played the patent game" I wasn't specifically referring to filed lawsuits. The threat of a lawsuit is often enough.
Only in the sense that an author has to "tread carefully" around ripping off another author's work. Clearly Apple's patents did not prevent the Pre or Android or any number of other devices from making it to market without apparent functional omissions. What exactly is the problem?
The threat of a lawsuit is often enough.
Enough for what? To prevent someone from violating your rights under law? Well, yeah. That's the way a lot of things work. Holding a patent does not strike me as inherently reprehensible.