Patent Assertion 

Entity Activity 

AN FTC STUDY 

Federal Trade Commission 

October 2016 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PATENT ASSERTION ENTITY ACTIVITY: AN FTC STUDY
 

A REPORT OF THE
 

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
 

EDITH RAMIREZ Chairwoman 

MAUREEN K. OHLHAUSEN Commissioner 

TERRELL MCSWEENY Commissioner 

Heather Hippsley Chief of Staff 

David B. Robbins Executive Director 

Deborah L. Feinstein Director, Bureau of Competition 

Jessica L. Rich Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection 

Ginger Zhe Jin Director, Bureau of Economics 

David Shonka Acting General Counsel 

Randolph W. Tritell Director, Office of International Affairs 

Jeanne Bumpus Director, Office of Congressional Relations 

Tara Isa Koslov Acting Director, Office of Policy Planning 

Justin Cole Director, Office of Public Affairs 

Donald S. Clark Secretary of the Commission 

Andrew I. Gavil Former Director, Office of Policy Planning* 

Martin S. Gaynor Former Director, Bureau of Economics 

Francine Lafontaine Former Director, Bureau of Economics 

Marina Lao Former Director, Office of Policy Planning 

Report Drafters and Contributors 

Suzanne Munck, Deputy Director, Office of Policy Planning & Chief Counsel for Intellectual Property 

Daniel S. Hosken, Deputy Assistant Director, Bureau of Economics 

John E. Dubiansky, Office of Policy Planning 

J. Elizabeth Callison, Bureau of Economics 

Julie A. Carlson, Bureau of Economics 

Jason O’Connor, Bureau of Economics 

Elizabeth A. Gillen, Office of Policy Planning 

Benjamin Chartock, Bureau of Economics 

Christopher Bryan, Office of Policy Planning 

Henry C. Su, Office of Chairwoman Edith Ramirez 

Inquiries concerning this report should be directed to: 

Suzanne Munck, smunck@ftc.gov 

* Mr. Gavil, Dr. Gaynor, Dr. Lafontaine, and Ms. Lao were directors during parts of the report period. 
Table of Contents 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................1
 

Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................1
 

Key Findings....................................................................................................................................3
 

Recommendations for Legislative and Judicial Reform..................................................................8
 

Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................13
 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND .......................................................................15
 

Definition of a Patent Assertion Entity..........................................................................................15
 

Legal Framework for PAE Activity...............................................................................................17
 

Prior Studies of PAE Activity and Other Literature ......................................................................20
 

Government Interest in and Response to PAE Activity.................................................................28
 

United States Patent and Trademark Office.......................................................................28
 

The White House ...............................................................................................................30
 

United States Congress ......................................................................................................31
 

United States Supreme Court.............................................................................................34
 

The History of the FTC’s PAE Study............................................................................................35
 

Study Scope and Methodology ......................................................................................................38
 

Organization of the Report.............................................................................................................41
 

CHAPTER 2: PAE ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE ...................................................................42
 

Introduction....................................................................................................................................42
 

Two Models of PAE Behavior: Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs...........................................42
 

Portfolio PAEs ...................................................................................................................45
 

Litigation PAEs..................................................................................................................47
 

Some Litigation PAEs Comprised Multiple Affiliates ..................................................................50
 

Transparency Issues with Multi-Affiliate Structures.....................................................................52
 

CHAPTER 3: PATENT ASSERTION......................................................................................................54
 

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Introduction....................................................................................................................................54
 

PAE Demand Behavior..................................................................................................................58
 

Affiliates Sent Demand Communications .........................................................................59
 

Demand Recipients ............................................................................................................61
 

Comparison with Prior FTC Enforcement Regarding PAE Demand Letters ....................66
 

PAE Litigation Behavior................................................................................................................67
 

Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs Litigated Differently ...............................................71
 

The Relationship Between Litigated Patents and Defendant Industries............................74
 

Affiliates Filed Patent Infringement Suits .........................................................................78
 

Study PAEs Initiated the Greatest Number of Cases in the Eastern District of 

Texas and the District of Delaware........................................................................80
 

PAE Licensing Behavior................................................................................................................82
 

Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs Adopted Different Licensing Strategies..................82
 

Affiliates Executed Patent Licenses...................................................................................84
 

License Term Characteristics Were Relatively Homogeneous .........................................85
 

Study PAEs Generated Approximately $4 Billion in License Revenue During the 

Study Period...........................................................................................................89
 

Study PAE Licensees.........................................................................................................96
 

Revenue Sharing with Inventors......................................................................................100
 

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................100
 

CHAPTER 4: WIRELESS CASE STUDY .............................................................................................102
 

Introduction..................................................................................................................................102
 

Wireless Respondents’ Demand Activity ....................................................................................105
 

Wireless Manufacturers and NPEs Sent More Demands than Study PAEs ...................105
 

A Small Number of Targets Received Multiple Demands ..............................................107
 

Wireless Respondents Sent Demands to Different Industries .........................................107
 

Wireless Respondents’ Litigation Activity..................................................................................109
 

Wireless Manufacturers Rarely Sued for Patent Infringement .......................................109
 

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Litigation Outcomes.........................................................................................................111
 

Most Wireless Defendants Operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” Industry......................................................................................113
 

Wireless Respondents’ Licensing Activity..................................................................................115
 

Licensing Activity and License Characteristics...............................................................115
 

Magnitude of License Fees for Wireless Patents.............................................................119
 

Most Wireless Licensees Operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” Industry......................................................................................121
 

Fewer Than 1% of Study Patents Were Identified as Encumbered by a FRAND 

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY OF FREQUENTLY USED TERMS..................................................... A - 1
 

APPENDIX B: METHODOLOGY.......................................................................................................B - 1
 

Introduction................................................................................................................................B - 1
 

Differences in Response Rates by Question ..............................................................................B - 1
 

Identifying Subjects of Patent Assertion....................................................................................B - 2
 

Transforming Docket-based Data Entries to Cases ...................................................................B - 3
 

Identifying Unique Patent Licenses ...........................................................................................B - 5
 

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................123
 

CHAPTER 5: PATENT CHARACTERISTICS .....................................................................................124
 

Introduction..................................................................................................................................124
 

Methodology................................................................................................................................125
 

Portfolio PAEs Held Many More Patents than Litigation PAEs .................................................126
 

The Majority of Study Patents Related to Computers & Communications Technologies ..........128
 

More Than 75% of Study Patents Included Software-Related Claims........................................135
 

Commitment to a SSO .....................................................................................................136
 

Patent Age and Citation Patterns .................................................................................................137
 

PAEs Acquired Patents Several Years Before the Patents Expired.................................138
 

Litigated PAE Patents Received More Citations than Average Patents ..........................140
 

Study Patent Acquisitions Frequently Were Recorded with the USPTO ....................................144
 

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................146
 

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PAE Patent Licenses with Zero Reported Revenue...................................................................B - 6 

Identifying Subject Firms’ Industries ........................................................................................B - 6 

Counting PAE Acquisitions Recorded at the USPTO ...............................................................B - 9 

Methodology to Select Study Subjects: Additional Information.............................................B - 10 

Methods to Validate Study Responses.....................................................................................B - 15 

APPENDIX C: PAE SPECIAL ORDER...............................................................................................C - 1 

APPENDIX D: WIRELESS CASE STUDY SPECIAL ORDER........................................................ D - 1 

APPENDIX E: SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR A PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT 

SUBMISSION TO OMB, FTC STUDY OF PATENT ASSERTION ENTITES, PART A ....E - 1 

APPENDIX F: SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR A PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT 

SUBMISSION TO OMB, FTC STUDY OF PATENT ASSERTION ENTITES, PART B.....F - 1 

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Executive Summary and Recommendations 

Executive Summary 

Patent assertion entities (PAEs) are businesses that acquire patents from third parties and seek to 

generate revenue by asserting them against alleged infringers. PAEs monetize their patents primarily 

through licensing negotiations with alleged infringers, infringement litigation, or both. In other words, 

PAEs do not rely on producing, manufacturing, or selling goods. When negotiating, a PAE’s objective is 

to enter into a royalty-bearing or lump-sum license. When litigating, to generate any revenue, a PAE 

must either settle with the defendant or ultimately prevail in litigation and obtain relief from the court. 

In acquiring and then asserting patents, PAEs target individuals and businesses that already use (at least 

allegedly) the patented technology. PAE activity therefore results in what often are referred to as ex post 

patent transactions because any patent license or settlement occurs after someone has developed or 

marketed the product at issue. This contrasts with ex ante patent transactions in which the technology 

and related patent rights transfer from an inventor to a manufacturer before the product is developed and 

marketed.1 The fact that PAE activity facilitates ex post, as opposed to ex ante, patent transactions has 

raised policy questions about the role of PAEs in promoting innovation and economic growth. 

To begin answering these questions, researchers at several government agencies and academic 

institutions have studied PAE business models to evaluate the specific impact on patent litigation.2 

1 See, e.g., FED. TRADE COMM’N, THE EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE: ALIGNING PATENT NOTICE AND REMEDIES WITH 

COMPETITION 7–8 (2011), https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/reports/evolving-ip-marketplace-aligning-patentnotice-and-remedies-competition-report-federal-trade/110307patentreport.pdf [hereinafter FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE 

REPORT]. 

2 See U.S. GOV’T ACCOUNTABILITY OFF., GAO-13-465, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: ASSESSING FACTORS THAT AFFECT 

PATENT INFRINGEMENT LITIGATION COULD HELP IMPROVE PATENT QUALITY (2013), http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13­

465 [hereinafter 2013 GAO REPORT]; EXEC. OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION 1–3 

(2013), http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/patent_report.pdf [hereinafter EOP PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. 

INNOVATION REPORT]; EXEC. OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, MARCH 2016 ADDENDUM (2016), 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/PatentReportAddendumMarch2016.pdf [hereinafter EOP 

REPORT ADDENDUM]; CHRYSSOULA PENTHEROUDAKIS, JOINT RESEARCH CTR., EUR. COMM’N, JRC96728, INNOVATION IN 

THE EUROPEAN DIGITAL SINGLE MARKET: THE ROLE OF PATENTS 8, 52–53 (Nikolaus Thumm ed., 2015), 

http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC96728/jrc96728.pdf; STEFANO COMINO & FABIO MARIA 

MANENTI, JOINT RESEARCH CTR., EUR. COMM’N, JRC97451, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND INNOVATION IN INFORMATION 

AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) 3, 26–27 (Nikolaus Thumm ed., 2015), 

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These studies have focused on publicly observable litigation behavior and relied on publicly available 

litigation data. A deeper understanding of PAE business models, however, requires consideration of 

behavior that is not publicly observable or available, such as how the entities structure and organize 

themselves, or their confidential acquisition and licensing terms and data. 

The Federal Trade Commission has authority under Section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act3 

to collect confidential business information and conduct industry studies. We used our authority to study 

PAE acquisition, litigation, and licensing practices because more data on and analysis of the non-public 

aspects of PAE business models can enhance the quality of the policy dialogue. Furthermore, to better 

understand how PAE business models compare with other business models that utilize patent licensing, 

we conducted a more specific study of the wireless chipset sector, in which not only PAEs, but other 

non-practicing entities (NPEs) and wireless chipset manufacturers (Wireless Manufacturers) assert 

wireless-technology patents.4 

In the general PAE study, the FTC analyzed information from 22 Responding PAEs and over 2,500 of 

both their Affiliates and other related entities. As explained below, the FTC observed two distinct 

PAE business models: Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs. Table A.1 provides an overview of the 

various categories of PAEs discussed in this Report. 

http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC97541/jrc97541.pdf; Christopher A. Cotropia et al., Unpacking 

Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs), 99 MINN. L. REV. 649 (2014); Fiona M. Scott Morton & Carl Shapiro, Strategic Patent 

Acquisitions, 79 ANTITRUST L.J. 463 (2014); Robin Feldman et al., The AIA 500 Expanded: The Effects of Patent 

Monetization Entities, 17 UCLA J. L. & TECH. 1, 6 (2013); Mark A. Lemley & A. Douglas Melamed, Missing the Forest for 

the Trolls, 113 COLUM. L. REV. 2117 (2013); Sara Jeruss et al., The America Invents Act 500: Effects of Patent Monetization 

Entities on US Litigation, 11 DUKE TECH. L. REV. 357 (2012). 

3 15 U.S.C. § 46(b) (2012). 

4 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. Non-practicing entities (NPE) include patent owners that primarily 

seek to develop and transfer technology. See FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1, at 8 n.5. The NPEs in 

this study conducted research and patented technologies related to wireless chipsets. 

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Table A.1: Categories of PAEs in FTC Study5 

Litigation PAEs Portfolio PAEs 

Both Business 

Models 

Responding PAEs 18 4 22 

Affiliates 297 30 327 

Study PAEs 315 34 349 

We examined the practices of each of these respondents across an almost six-year period between 

January 2009 and mid-September 2014. Of the related entities, 327 engaged in active assertion behavior, 

namely, sending demands, suing for patent infringement, or licensing patents, during the study period. In 

the wireless chipset case study, the FTC compared the behavior of PAEs active in the wireless chipset 

sector with eight manufacturers and five NPEs that asserted patents in this sector. This report describes 

our major findings from the study and makes recommendations for future reform. 

Key Findings 

The FTC observed two distinct PAE business models: Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs. From 

the information and data collected from the PAE respondents, we observed two distinct PAE business 

models for generating revenue through patent assertion: Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs. Within 

each business model, Study PAE behavior was relatively homogeneous. 

	 Portfolio PAEs: Portfolio PAEs negotiated licenses covering large portfolios, often containing 

hundreds or thousands of patents, frequently without first suing the alleged infringer. The value 

of these licenses was typically in the millions of dollars. Although Portfolio PAEs accounted for 

only 9% of the reported licenses in the study, they generated 80% of the reported revenue, or 

approximately $3.2 billion. Portfolio PAEs typically funded their initial patent acquisitions 

through capital raised from investors, including institutional investors or manufacturing firms. 

5 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “Study PAE” means any PAE for which this study presents patent 

assertion data. The group of “Study PAEs” includes all “Responding PAEs and “Affiliates.” “Responding PAE” means one 

of the 22 PAEs that received the PAE Special Order and submitted information used in this study. “Affiliates” means entities 

identified as affiliates by a Responding PAE, including “wholly or partially owned subsidiaries” and “other person(s) over 

which the firm exercises or has exercised supervision or control,” that sent demands, sued for patent infringement, or licensed 

patents within the study period. See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification B.2. 

The FTC also observed entities that held, but did not assert, patents during the study period. We use the term “Holding 

Entity” to describe this category. See infra Figure 1.1 and accompanying text. There were 2,189 Holding Entities in the study. 

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 Litigation PAEs: Litigation PAEs typically sued potential licensees and settled shortly 

afterward by entering into license agreements with defendants covering small portfolios, often 

containing fewer than ten patents. 6 The licenses typically yielded total royalties of less than 

$300,000. According to one estimate, $300,000 approximates the lower bound of early-stage 

litigation costs of defending a patent infringement suit.7 Given the relatively low dollar 

amounts of the licenses, the behavior of Litigation PAEs is consistent with nuisance litigation.8 

For each separate patent portfolio that they acquired, Litigation PAEs characteristically 

created a new affiliate entity, which often held ten patents or less. They generally operated with 

little or no working capital and relied on agreements to share future revenue with patent sellers to 

fund their businesses. Litigation PAEs filed 96% of the cases in the study and accounted for 91% 

of the reported licenses, but only 20% of the reported revenue, or approximately $800 million. 

 Portfolio PAE licenses generated total royalties that were much larger, on average, than 

those of Litigation PAE licenses. There was little overlap in the royalties generated by 

Litigation PAE and Portfolio PAE licenses. Seventy-seven percent of Litigation PAE licenses 

6 Sixty-six percent of Litigation PAE cases settled within 12 months. To provide context, one recent study found that, 

between 2010 and 2014, the median time to trial for patent lawsuits was 29 months. PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, 

2015 PATENT LITIGATION STUDY: A CHANGE IN PATENTEE FORTUNES 14 (2015), https://www.pwc.com/us/en/forensicservices/publications/assets/2015-pwc-patent-litigation-study.pdf [hereinafter 2015 PWC PATENT LITIGATION STUDY]. While 

cases that proceed to trial are far fewer than those that settle, the 29-month value provides a benchmark for the approximate 

length of time that a case would take if it did not settle. Note that, as used in this report, “Case” means the unit of observation 

defined as a matter between a particular plaintiff and a particular defendant involving a particular set of asserted patents. See 

Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. 

7 The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), which periodically surveys the costs of patent litigation, 

recently reported that the cost of defending an NPE patent litigation through the end of discovery, which litigation budgets 

typically use as a milestone for filing any summary judgment motions, is between $300,000 and $2,500,000, depending on 

the amount in controversy. AM. INTELLECTUAL PROP. LAW ASS’N, REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY 35 (2013) [hereinafter 

AIPLA 2013 REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY]. Although there are more recent AIPLA reports, the FTC uses the 2013 

survey here because 2013 is the last full year for which it collected data. 

8 William H.J. Hubbard, Sinking Costs to Force or Deter Settlement, 10 J.L. ECON. & ORG. 1093, 1093–94 (2015) (“The 

notion is that the prospect of expensive litigation drives the defendant to pay a settlement despite knowing that, were the case 

to go to trial, the defendant would probably or certainly win.”); David Rosenberg & Steven Shavell, A Solution to the 

Problem of Nuisance Suits: The Option to Have the Court Bar Settlement, 26 INT’L REV. L. & ECON. 42, 42 (2006) (“By a 

nuisance suit we refer to a legal action in which the plaintiff’s case is sufficiently weak that he would be unwilling to pursue 

it to trial.”); David Rosenberg & Steven A. Shavell, A Model in Which Suits Are Brought for Their Nuisance Value, 5 INT’L 

REV. L. & ECON. 3, 3 (1985) (“By a suit brought for its nuisance value, we mean a suit in which the plaintiff is able to obtain 

a positive settlement from the defendant even though the defendant knows the plaintiff’s case is sufficiently weak that he 

would be unwilling or unlikely actually to pursue his case to trial.”). 

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generated royalties of less than $300,000 per license, and 94% generated royalties of less than 

$1 million per license. By contrast, 65% of Portfolio PAE licenses generated royalties of greater 

than $1 million per license, and 10% generated royalties of greater than $50 million per license. 

The FTC did not observe demand-letter campaigns that, on their own, generated low-revenue 

licenses. In addition to negotiating licenses and initiating infringement litigation, PAEs may assert their 

patents by demanding that a target take a license from them. Often these demands take the form of a 

“demand letter.” The FTC did not observe Study PAEs successfully generating low-revenue licenses by 

sending demands, but not suing the target. This suggests that demand-letter reform, on its own, would 

not fully address the potential negative repercussions of PAE activity. 

Instead, most licenses in the sample followed a patent infringement suit against the alleged 

infringer. Consistent with the fact that Litigation PAEs accounted for 91% of reported licenses, patent 

infringement suits against the eventual licensee preceded 87% of the licenses in the sample. 

Litigation preceded 93% of Litigation PAE licenses, but just 29% of Portfolio PAE licenses. Because a 

significant portion of observed PAE activity passed through the courthouse doors, further analyses of 

publicly available litigation data likely would be beneficial. 

Study PAEs focused on acquiring and asserting Information and Communication Technology 

(ICT) patents. Of all the patents held by PAEs in the FTC’s study, 88% fell under the Computers & 

Communications or Other Electrical & Electronic technology categories, and more than 75% of the 

Study PAEs’ overall holdings were software-related patents.9 

Although Study PAEs overwhelmingly held ICT and software patents, they asserted those patents 

against firms in a broad range of industries, including “Retail Trade.” More than 17% of demand 

recipients, 10% of litigation defendants, and 13% of licensees identified in the study operated in the 

“Retail Trade” industry, which includes both store retailers that operate fixed point-of-sale operations 

9 The FTC used the methodology developed by Graham and Vishnubhakat for identifying software-related patents. See Stuart 

Graham & Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Of Smart Phone Wars and Software Patents, 27 J. ECON. PERSP. 67 (2013). The FTC used 

the patent technology categories developed by Bronwyn H. Hall et al. to classify patents into broad technology categories. 

Bronwyn H. Hall et al., The NBER Patent Citations Data File: Lessons, Insights and Methodological Tools 12–13 (Nat’l 

Bureau of Econ. Research, Working Paper No. 8498, 2001), http://www.nber.org/papers/w8498. 

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and non-store retailers, such as Internet merchants that directly sell products.10 Given that most of the 

patents asserted by Study PAEs were ICT patents, the presence of retailers among the targets of 

assertion activity in the study suggests that Study PAEs asserted their patents not only against 

manufacturers of the accused products, but also against firms that were end-users of the products. This 

finding supports anecdotal evidence that end-users are frequently PAE targets.11 

Although most Study PAE targets had just one encounter with any Study PAE, a small number of 

entities were frequent targets of Study PAE activity. Within each category of assertion behavior 

(demand, litigation, and licensing), most of the observed activity involved a single instance of assertion 

by any Study PAE against a target. For example, during the study period, 73% of the assertion targets 

were defendants in only one lawsuit brought by any of the 256 Study PAEs that filed infringement suits, 

and 13% of the assertion targets were defendants in two lawsuits. Nevertheless, a small number of firms 

reported multiple encounters with Study PAEs. Of the firms that received demands from Study PAEs, 

2% received more than five demands, and one firm received 17 demands. Of the firms that reported 

licenses with Study PAEs, 2% had licenses with more than nine separate Study PAEs. 

Study PAEs disproportionately asserted patents against a relatively small number of firms. These firms 

most frequently operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry. Indeed, 

firms in the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry accounted for more than half 

of the top 25 firms that (1) received the largest number of demands from Study PAEs, (2) were sued 

10 The FTC developed a methodology to determine the primary industry in which the demand letter recipients, defendants, 

and licensees observed in the study operated, relying on that used by the U.S. Census’s North American Industry 

Classification System (NAICS). See Appendix B: Methodology (providing a more detailed discussion of how this 

classification was made). The NAICS industry classifications appear in quotation marks in the text to distinguish them from 

the NBER patent technology categories as the names of the industry classifications and the patent technology categories are 

sometimes similar (e.g., Computers & Communications refers to a patent technology category while “Computer & Electronic 

Product Manufacturing” refers to a NAICS industry classification). 

11 See, e.g., Public Comment from Retail Indus. Leaders Ass’n to the FTC & DOJ Patent Assertion Entity Activities 

Workshop 4 (Apr. 5, 2013), https://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/pae/comments/paew-0051.pdf (PAEs “sue or send 

demand letters to countless small retailers such as coffee shops, bakeries, and podcasters.”); Public Comment from Food 

Mktg. Inst. & the Nat’l Rest. Ass’n to the FTC & DOJ Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop 6–7 (Apr. 5, 2013), 

https://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/pae/comments/paew-0068.pdf (PAEs are “targeting companies far removed 

from the traditional patent litigation ecosystem such as retailers, restaurants, and non-technical Internet-based services.”); 

Public Comment from Barnes & Noble, Inc. to the FTC & DOJ Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop 6–7 

(Mar. 1, 2013), https://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/pae/comments/paew-0012.pdf (“We face repeated allegations 

that anyone using Wi-Fi, anyone using 3G, anyone using MP3, anyone with an e-commerce website, anyone using Ethernet 

... is infringing and must pay a hefty price to license purportedly essential patents.”). 

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most frequently by Study PAEs, or (3) paid the largest royalties to Study PAEs. In addition, while not 

necessarily receiving the most demands, the top 25 firms that paid the highest amount of license 

royalties to Study PAEs accounted for 69% of the royalties observed in the study. 

In the wireless chipset sector, Litigation PAEs and Wireless Manufacturers asserted patents 

differently. In the Wireless Case Study, the FTC examined the patent assertion activities of PAEs, 

NPEs, and manufacturers in the wireless chipset sector to understand better how different business 

models might affect assertion behavior in the same technological space. We observed that Wireless 

Manufacturers sent demand letters before executing licenses, while Litigation PAEs sued before 

licensing their patents. Wireless Manufacturers and NPEs also sent nearly three times as many 

demand letters as all of the Study PAEs combined. Litigation PAEs brought nearly two-and-a-half 

times as many patent infringement cases involving wireless patents as Wireless Manufacturers (which 

collectively accounted for approximately 90% of worldwide chipset sales), NPEs, and Portfolio PAEs 

combined. 

Wireless Manufacturer and Litigation PAE license characteristics also differed markedly. Wireless 

Manufacturer licenses frequently included field-of-use restrictions, cross-licenses, and complicated 

payment terms, whereas Litigation PAE licenses involved simple lump-sum payments with few 

restrictions, if any. Portfolio PAE and NPE license characteristics fell between these two extremes. 

A number of scholars have expressed concerns that, because PAEs likely face lower costs and fewer 

risks of asserting their patents than other patent holders, such as manufacturers, PAEs more aggressively 

assert their patents.12 In particular, these scholars are concerned that lower litigation costs may allow 

PAEs to obtain higher royalties than a manufacturer or NPE would receive.13 In the Wireless Case 

Study, the FTC found that Study PAEs were more likely to assert their patents through litigation than 

were Wireless Manufacturers. For example, 30% of Portfolio PAE wireless patent licenses and nearly 

90% of Litigation PAE wireless patent licenses resulted from litigation, while only 1% of Wireless 

12 Scott Morton & Shapiro, supra note 2; Lemley & Melamed, supra note 2. Unlike manufacturers, PAEs do not face 

countersuit by defendants against their own products and do not risk reputational harm from litigation. Moreover, 

manufacturers likely have much higher discovery costs as they have many employees actively engaged in the implementation 

of the technologies where infringement claims are made. By contrast, PAEs typically have very few employees and none are 

involved in implementing the patents they hold. 

13 Scott Morton & Shapiro, supra note 2; Lemley & Melamed, supra note 2. 

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Manufacturer wireless patent licenses resulted from litigation. The FTC, however, has not attempted to 

determine if the royalties received by Study PAEs were higher or lower than those that the original 

assignees of the licensed patents could have earned. The FTC did not have the data to estimate reliably 

the royalties the original assignee would have received for the patents ultimately licensed by a Study 

PAE. 

Study PAEs had diverse and heterogeneous data-keeping practices. As a result, the FTC does not 

report how much revenue PAEs shared with others, including independent inventors, or the costs 

of assertion activity. The FTC sought to evaluate the role of PAE activity in promoting patent 

monetization for inventors and innovation as part of its study. Towards that end, the FTC requested 

that Responding PAEs provide detailed data describing how they shared licensing revenue with outside 

parties and their costs of patent assertion. Responding PAEs used different methods to maintain 

information describing their revenue sharing and costs, however, which prevented any meaningful 

comparison of the degree of revenue sharing by PAEs or their assertion costs. 

For example, some Responding PAEs viewed payments to outside counsel as a cost of patent assertion, 

but others viewed such payments as revenue sharing (counsel often received a fixed proportion of 

licensing royalties). Moreover, the majority of Responding PAEs did not maintain information on 

assertion costs, and only a few Responding PAEs provided such data at either the Affiliate level or 

assertion campaign level.14 For these reasons, we did not analyze either the proportion of licensing 

revenue that they shared with outside parties, or the costs of patent assertion. Due to this limited data, 

this report does not address the efficiency of PAE business models. 

Recommendations for Legislative and Judicial Reform 

As observed in the study, infringement lawsuits filed against targets played a key role in the viability 

and success of the Litigation PAE business model. Ninety-three percent of reported Litigation PAE 

licenses followed a lawsuit against the eventual licensee and 77% were valued at less than the estimated 

cost of defending a patent lawsuit through the end of discovery—a threshold below which litigation 

settlements might be considered nuisance value. In addition, when licenses followed litigation, those 

14 For example, litigation expenses were sometimes tracked at the level of all litigation corresponding to a given set of patents 

(aggregated across defendants) rather than at the level of a specific defendant. 

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litigations tended to settle early; of the cases that settled, 34% did so within six months of filing, 66% 

within one year, and 83% within 18 months. Although Litigation PAEs generated a minority of the 

reported PAE licensing revenues in the study, they accounted for the vast majority of total lawsuits 

filed. 

The FTC recognizes that infringement litigation plays an important role in protecting patent rights, and 

that a robust judicial system promotes respect for the patent laws. Nuisance infringement litigation, 

however, can tax judicial resources and divert attention away from productive business behavior. With 

this balance in mind, the FTC proposes reforms to: 1) address discovery burden and cost asymmetries in 

PAE litigation; 2) provide the courts and defendants with more information about the plaintiffs that have 

filed infringement lawsuits; 3) streamline multiple cases brought against defendants on the same theories 

of infringement; and 4) provide sufficient notice of these infringement theories as courts continue to 

develop heightened pleading requirements for patent cases. 

Develop rules and case management practices to address discovery burden and cost asymmetries 

in PAE litigation. In civil lawsuits, plaintiffs and defendants exchange information relevant to the 

litigation through disclosures and responses to discovery requests. The Federal Judicial Center notes 

that discovery in patent litigation “can be exhaustive and exhausting for a variety of reasons,” including 

broad claims and defenses which require inquiry into product development and financial records, special 

issues that arise with willfulness and inequitable conduct claims, and “potentially consequential but 

unpredictable outcome[s]” that can lead to extensive discovery requests and lack of compromise.15 

Because PAEs do not invent, develop, or manufacture products incorporating their patented technology, 

they generally have less discoverable information than the party accused of infringement 16 They also 

are not subject to countersuit for patent infringement, and therefore do not face potential discovery 

15 PETER S. MENELL ET AL., FED. JUDICIAL CTR., PATENT CASE MANAGEMENT JUDICIAL GUIDE 4-1 (3d ed. 2016), 

http://www.fjc.gov/public/pdf.nsf/lookup/Patent-Case-Management-Judicial-Guide-3d-ed-2016.pdf/$file/Patent-CaseManagement-Judicial-Guide-3d-ed-2016.pdf. 

16 Any firm that uses a litigation strategy to generate license revenues, however, may have more documents that are subject to 

a preservation duty. See, e.g., Eon-Net LP v. Flagstar Bancorp, 653 F.3d 1314, 1324–25 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (affirming the 

district court’s finding that Eon-Net and its principal failed to observe their duty to preserve evidence during the ongoing 

lawsuits); Micron Tech., Inc. v. Rambus Inc., 645 F.3d 1311, 1325 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (affirming the district court’s finding that 

litigation became reasonably foreseeable, and a preservation duty therefore arose, when Rambus’s vice-president of 

intellectual property “articulated a time-frame and a motive for implementation of the Rambus litigation strategy”). 

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relating to infringement counterclaims. A PAE may thus be able to subject a defendant to exhaustive 

discovery requests while itself facing a relatively light discovery burden. This asymmetry in 

discovery burden can give PAEs an advantage in litigation.17 

As discussed above, Litigation PAEs settled 66% of their cases within 12 months,18 and settlements 

frequently involved lump-sum license payments valued at less than $300,000. The American 

Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), which periodically surveys the costs of patent 

litigation, recently reported that defending an NPE patent lawsuit through the end of discovery costs 

between $300,000 and $2.5 million, depending on the amount in controversy.19 By this estimate, 77% 

of Litigation PAEs’ settlements fell below a de facto benchmark for the nuisance cost of litigation. This 

suggests that discovery costs, and not the technological value of the patent, may set the benchmark for 

settlement value in Litigation PAE cases. 

Because defendants frequently paid less than the estimated value of discovery costs to settle litigation 

with Study PAEs, and because there is asymmetry in discovery burden between PAE plaintiffs and 

defendants, Congress, the Judicial Conference of the United States, and individual courts should 

promote case management practices that take these costs and asymmetries into account. One step 

toward achieving this goal would be to amend Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, which addresses 

discovery in civil actions, in a way that helps balance these relative burdens. Rule 26 requires parties to 

meet and confer to discuss, among other things, a plan for discovery.20 Early disclosure of asserted 

claims and infringement and invalidity contentions in PAE litigation would help to balance the 

asymmetries of plaintiff and defendant-side discovery costs.21 Likewise, measures that would limit 

discovery before preliminary motions together with provisions to ensure that such motions are decided 

17 MENELL ET AL., supra note 15, at 4-18 (“This is especially salient in cases where patent holding companies that make no 

products (‘nonpracticing entities’) bring suit against companies making an allegedly infringing product. In these cases, the 

heavy burden of discovery is borne almost exclusively by the defendant, and this asymmetry allows the plaintiff to use 

discovery as a tool to coerce a favorable settlement.”). See also 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2, at 3. 

18 For comparison, one analyst found that between 2010 and 2014, the median time to trial for patent cases was 29 months. 

2015 PWC PATENT LITIGATION STUDY, supra note 6, at 14. 

19 AIPLA 2013 REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY, supra note 7, at 35. 

20 FED. R. CIV. P. 26(f). 

21 See, e.g., N.D. CAL. PATENT L.R. 3-1 & 3-3; E.D. TEX. PATENT R. 3-1 & 3-3; N.D. ILL. L. PATENT R. 2.2 & 2.3. 

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in a timely manner would help alleviate the asymmetry problem.22 Furthermore, early disclosure of 

damages theories would flag potential legal issues for summary judgment motions and provide more 

information for settlement discussions. In general, any measures that reduce discovery burden and costs 

while ensuring discovery of information appropriate to the case should be considered. 

Amend Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1 to reach a broader range of non-party interested 

entities or persons.23 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 7.1 requires all nongovernmental corporate 

parties to identify “any parent corporation and any publicly held corporation owning 10% or more of its 

stock” in its “first appearance, pleading, petition, motion, response, or other request addressed to the 

court.”24 The purpose of the rule is to “reach a majority of the circumstances that are likely to call for 

[judicial] disqualification on the basis of financial information that a judge may not know or recollect.”25 

The FTC observed significant variation in how multi-affiliate Litigation PAEs organized their affiliate 

companies, many of which existing Rule 7.1 would not cover. To provide defendants and the judiciary 

with a better understanding of financial relationships relating to firms that may appear in the courtroom, 

Congress and the Judicial Conference should expand the reportable relationships under Rule 7.1.26 

22 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) (2012) (“For the convenience of parties and witnesses, in the interest of justice, a district court may 

transfer any civil action to any other district or division where it might have been brought or to any district or division to 

which all parties have consented.”). 

23 This recommendation is consistent with the Administration’s recommendation that Congress “require patentees and 

applicants to disclose the ‘Real Party-in-Interest,’ by requiring that any party sending demand letters, filing an infringement 

suit or seeking USPTO review of a patent to file updated ownership information, and enabling the USPTO or district courts 

to impose sanctions for non-compliance.” Press Release, The White House, Fact Sheet: White House Task Force on HighTech Patent (June 4, 2013), https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/06/04/fact-sheet-white-house-task-force-hightech-patent-issues. See also Public Comment from U.S. Dep’t of Justice & Fed. Trade Comm’n to the U.S. Patent & 

Trademark Office Notice of Roundtable on Proposed Requirements for Recordation of Real-Party-in-Interest Information 

Throughout Application Pendency and Patent Term (Feb. 1, 2013), https://www.ftc.gov/policy/policy-actions/advocacyfilings/2013/02/proposed-requirements-recordation-real-party-interest [hereinafter Public Comment from U.S. Dep’t of 

Justice & Fed. Trade Comm’n to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office]. 

24 FED. R. CIV. P. 7.1. 

25 FED. R. CIV. P. 7.1 Committee Notes on Rules (2002). 

26 For example, the Civil Local Rules of the Northern District of California require any party that makes a first appearance in 

any proceeding of the Court to disclose, “any persons, associations of persons, firms, partnerships, corporations (including 

parent corporations), or other entities other than the parties themselves known by the party to have either: (i) a financial 

interest (of any kind) in the subject matter in controversy or in a party to the proceeding; or (ii) any other kind of interest that 

could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding.” N.D. CAL. CIV. L.R. 3-15(b)(1); see also id. 3-15(b)(2) 

(“For purposes of this Rule, the terms ‘proceeding’ and ‘financial interest’ shall have the meaning assigned by 28 U.S.C. 

§ 455 (d)(1), (3) and (4), respectively.”). 

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Establish procedures encouraging courts to stay a PAE’s infringement action against a customer 

or end-user, where the PAE has also sued the manufacturer of the accused product under the 

same theory of infringement. The FTC observed that a significant proportion of PAE targets in the 

study did not appear to manufacture the allegedly infringing product. For example, Litigation PAEs 

filed over 15% of their cases against defendants in the “Retail Trade” industry. The Patent Act allows a 

patent holder to recover from anyone who “uses” the patented invention. Nevertheless, simultaneous 

litigation by a PAE against a manufacturer and its customers on the same theory of infringement can 

impose unnecessary judicial and private costs. Should the patent be invalidated in one case, for example, 

it would make further litigation in the other cases unnecessary. The manufacturer of an accused product 

typically has a much better understanding of the disputed technology and thus typically is in a better 

position to defend against the infringement suit than is a customer or retailer. And it is also more likely 

to have discoverable evidence because it produces the accused product. 

Accordingly, to address situations where a PAE sues a manufacturer and its customers on the same 

theory of infringement, Congress and the Judicial Conference should enact provisions that encourage a 

district court to stay actions against end-users until the manufacturer suit has been resolved.27 

As courts continue to address the “plausibility” of pleadings in patent cases, ensure that patent 

infringement complaints provide sufficient notice to accused infringers. Until the end of 2015, a 

patent holder could file a complaint in district court by making simple allegations regarding its patent 

ownership and the defendant’s infringement. The patent holder did not need to identify any claims that 

were allegedly infringed, or list any accused products.28 This standard, based on a federal form for 

pleading patent infringement, applied to all of the infringement claims made by Study PAEs during the 

FTC’s study period. 

27 See, e.g., Innovation Act, H.R. 9, 114th Cong. § 5 (2015) (as reported by H. Comm. on the Judiciary, July 29, 2015) 

(including provisions that enable customer or end-user defendants to stay infringement litigation so as to allow the 

manufacturer or supplier of the accused product or technology to intervene in the litigation); PATENT Act, S. 1137, 

114th Cong. § 4 (2015) (as reported by S. Comm. on the Judiciary, Sept. 8, 2015) (including similar provisions addressing 

customer and end-user litigation stays). 

28 FED. R. CIV. P. 84, Form 18. 

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In December 2015, however, an amendment to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure abrogated the use of 

this form for patent cases.29 Patent holders, following the pleading standard articulated by the Supreme 

Court for civil cases generally, now must plead factual allegations that make infringement “plausible.”30 

Because Litigation PAEs generate licensing revenue primarily through litigation, requiring more 

particularity in a complaint can provide defendants with more information with which to evaluate the 

nature and scope of their accused infringement. As the courts continue to develop the plausibility 

standard in patent cases, they should continue to consider the benefits of pleadings that provide 

sufficient notice to accused infringers. 

Conclusion 

The FTC took its first in-depth look at PAE activity in the hearings leading up to its 2011 report 

examining technology markets and patent markets: The Evolving IP Marketplace: Aligning Patent 

Notice and Remedies with Competition.

31 As the Commission recognized then, consistent with our 

earlier examinations of patent policy, the patent system makes important contributions to innovation, 

consumer welfare, and U.S. prosperity, in part because of the patent holder’s right to exclude.

32 

29 28 U.S.C. § 2074 (2012); Letter of Transmittal to Congress (Apr. 29, 2015), http://www.uscourts.gov/rulespolicies/pending-rules-amendments. 

30 Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662 (2009); Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544 (2007). See, e.g., e.Digital Corp. v. 

iBaby Labs, Inc., No. 15-cv-05790-JST, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111689, at *5–9 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 22, 2016) (reviewing 

district court decisions since the abrogation of Form 18); Atlas IP LLC v. Pac. Gas & Elec. Co., No. 15-cv-05469-EDL, 

2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 60211, at *15–17 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 9, 2016) (granting motion to dismiss with leave to amend, noting 

that “the disclosures required by the Patent Local Rules will soon provide more detailed notice”); Ruby Sands LLC v. Am. 

Nat’l Bank of Tex., No. 15-cv-01955-JRG, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83897, at *15 (E.D. Tex. June 28, 2016) (granting motion 

to dismiss with prejudice, noting “a highly unusual case ... with a serial litigant” who failed to plead plausible claims of 

direct infringement). 

31 See, e.g. FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1, at 8. 

32 FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1, at 1; U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE & FED. TRADE COMM’N, ANTITRUST 

ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS: PROMOTING INNOVATION AND COMPETITION 1 (2007), 

https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/reports/antitrust-enforcement-and-intellectual-property-rights-promotinginnovation-and-competition-report.s.department-justice-and-federal-tradecommission/p040101promotinginnovationandcompetitionrpt0704.pdf [hereinafter FTC/DOJ PROMOTING INNOVATION AND 

COMPETITION REPORT]; FED. TRADE COMM’N, TO PROMOTE INNOVATION: THE PROPER BALANCE OF COMPETITION AND 

PATENT LAW AND POLICY 1–2 (2003) https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/reports/promote-innovation-properbalance-competition-and-patent-law-and-policy/innovationrpt.pdf [hereinafter FTC PROMOTE INNOVATION REPORT]. See also 

35 U.S.C. § 154(a)(1) (2012); see also FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, at 1 (noting that the patent system 

promotes innovation, in the face of business risk, “by giving patent owners the right to exclude others from making, using or 

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Further investigation of the PAE business model, including a workshop in 2012,33 led the Commission 

to initiate this study—the first use of its Section 6(b) authority to investigate transactions in the 

intellectual property marketplace. The research presented in this report uses both public and non-public 

information to shed new light on PAE business models, including detailed data describing PAE assertion 

behavior and patent holdings.34 

Based on the overall findings of this study and consistent with the FTC’s history of recommending 

improvements to patent law to facilitate the benefits of patent rights, while minimizing practices that can 

“discourag[e] follow-on innovation, prevent[] competition, and rais[e] prices through unnecessary 

litigation and licensing,”

35 the FTC recommends that policymakers address PAE litigation asymmetries 

through procedural and substantive reform. 

selling a patented invention for 20 years. By preventing copying that might otherwise drive down prices, the patent system 

allows innovators to recoup their investment in research and development.”) 

33 In December 2012, the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice held a joint workshop to 

explore the claimed harms and efficiencies of PAE activity. Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop, FED. TRADE 

COMM’N, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/events-calendar/2012/12/patent-assertion-entity-activities-workshop. 

34 The FTC estimates that the litigation reported in this study represents at least 8.8% of all patent suits filed in the U.S. 

during the study period. Infra notes 182–184, and accompanying text. 

35 FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1 (referring to invalid or overbroad patents and explaining that, as a 

result “many of the recommendations in the [FTC PROMOTE INNOVATION REPORT] focused on improving patent quality as a 

means of balancing exclusivity and competition.”). 

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Chapter 1: Introduction and Background 

Definition of a Patent Assertion Entity 

The term “patent assertion entity,” or PAE, as used by the Commission in this report and elsewhere,36 

refers to a firm that primarily acquires patents and seeks to generate revenue by asserting them against 

accused infringers. As the term underscores, PAE business models focus on asserting patents that the 

firm has acquired from third parties, rather than obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

(USPTO) through prosecution. Patents are a PAE’s principal asset; a PAE does not manufacture, 

distribute, or sell products. 

Merely holding a patent, however, does not generate revenue for a PAE. Instead, the firm generates 

revenue by licensing that patent or, more rarely, by obtaining court-ordered damages in successful 

patent infringement litigation. Furthermore, a PAE generally initiates negotiations that may lead to a 

license by communicating a demand for payment to, or filing an infringement suit against, an accused 

infringer.37 

The Commission first commented on PAEs in its 2003 report entitled To Promote Innovation: The 

Proper Balance of Competition and Patent Law and Policy. That report followed hearings conducted 

by the FTC and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2002 regarding the intersection of competition 

and patent law and policy.38 At those hearings, some panelists observed the rise of “non-practicing 

entities,” or NPEs—firms that, for various reasons, do not make or sell products and therefore are not 

vulnerable to a countersuit for patent infringement when they sue on their own patents.39 Panelists 

identified, as one type of NPE, “patent assertion firms” that buy patents from other companies and then 

36 See also FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1, at 50 n.2, 60–61. 

37 Additionally, some PAEs also generate revenue by selling their patents, although such transfers are typically ancillary to 

their licensing activity. 

38 FTC PROMOTE INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 32. 

39 Id., ch. 2, at 31 & ch. 3, at 38. 

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assert them against companies that make and sell products, such as firms in the computer hardware 

industry.40 

In a subsequent 2011 report entitled The Evolving IP Marketplace: Aligning Patent Notice and Remedies 

with Competition, the Commission used the term “patent assertion entity,” or PAE, to distinguish patent 

assertion firms from other types of NPEs, which include firms that primarily seek to develop and 

transfer patented technology, even if they do not practice the patents themselves.41 Examples of these 

latter types of NPEs include universities and semiconductor design houses.42 In contrast to such NPEs, 

“[f]or the most part, PAEs purchase patents, and then sell or license them as assets whose values are 

based on the amount of licensing fees that can be extracted from operating companies already using and 

marketing the technology, or they facilitate others who make the assertions.”43 

The Commission’s definition of a PAE is integral to understanding the findings and conclusions 

described in this report, and placing them in the context of prior studies, because other researchers have 

tended to examine the impact of NPEs generally. For example, in one study, Sara Jeruss et al. focused 

on “patent monetization entities,” which they define as “those entities whose primary focus is deriving 

income from licensing and litigation, as opposed to making products.”44 The authors tracked 

universities in their study separately, however, reasoning that although universities do not make 

products, “their core activity involves education and academic research, rather than monetization of 

rights.”45 In another study, John R. Allison et al. sorted patent infringement plaintiffs into 12 different 

“entity classes,” including an entity class called “acquired patents.”46 Eleven of the 12 entity classes 

40 Id., ch.2, at 31 & ch. 3, at 39. 

41 FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1, at 8 n.5, 50 n.2, 60. 

42 Id. 

43 Id. at 60; see also Colleen V. Chien, From Arms Race to Marketplace: The New Complex Patent Ecosystem and Its 

Implications for the Patent System, 62 HASTINGS L.J. 297, 328 (2010) (defining patent assertion entities as entities that “are 

focused on the enforcement, rather than the active development or commercialization of their patents”). 

44 Jeruss et al., supra note 2, at 361. 

45 Id. at 369. 

46 John R. Allison et al., Extreme Value or Trolls on Top? The Characteristics of the Most-Litigated Patents, 158 U. PA. L. 

REV. 1, 10 (2009). 

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corresponded to various types of NPEs, and “[r]ather than take a position on what, if any, nonpracticing 

entities should be considered ‘trolls,’ [the authors] classify each patent owner and let the reader 

decide.”47 

In the Commission’s view, a label like “patent troll” is unhelpful because it invites pre-judgment about 

the societal impact of patent assertion activity without an understanding of the underlying business 

model that fuels such activity. For example, in Halo Electronics, Inc. v. Pulse Electronics, Inc., the 

Supreme Court observed that “[t]rolls, in the patois of the patent community, are entities that hold 

patents for the primary purpose of enforcing them against alleged infringers, often exacting outsized 

licensing fees on threat of litigation.”48 This definition incorporates a normative judgment that licensing 

fees are “outsized,” which cannot be made without some understanding of the business model and its 

economics. The Commission’s study and this report seek to bridge that knowledge gap. 

Legal Framework for PAE Activity 

In a sense, a PAE reflects the legal environment created by the U.S. patent system.49 Indeed, four 

provisions of the federal Patent Act, Title 35, United States Code, undergird PAE business models. First, 

Section 261 declares that patents “shall have the attributes of personal property,” meaning that they can 

be owned by one or more persons and transferred to others.50 A PAE can acquire a patent from another 

firm or individual because patent law allows it to do so. Second, Section 154 establishes a patent 

holder’s core right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the patented 

invention in the United States.51 When a PAE acquires a patent, what it seeks to leverage is this statutory 

right to exclude. It exercises this right when it asserts a patent against another firm and demands 

47 Id. at 11. The sole (non-NPE) entity class was “product companies.” 

48 Halo Elecs., Inc. v. Pulse Elecs., Inc., 136 S. Ct. 1923, 1935 (2016). 

49 Our discussion focuses on the U.S. patent system but we do not mean to suggest that PAEs or, more broadly, NPEs are 

unique to the U.S. See, e.g., COMINO & MANENTI, supra note 2, at 3; PENTHEROUDAKIS, supra note 2, at 8. 

50 35 U.S.C. § 261 ¶ 1 (2012) (“Subject to the provisions of this title, patents shall have the attributes of personal property.”); 

id., ¶ 2 (“Applications for patent, patents, or any interest therein, shall be assignable in law by an instrument in writing.”). 

51 35 U.S.C. § 154(a)(1) (2012) (“Every patent shall contain ... a grant to the patentee, his heirs or assigns, of the right to 

exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the 

invention into the United States, ... referring to the specification for the particulars thereof.”). 

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payment in exchange for a license.52 Third, Section 271 defines patent infringement as any act of 

making, using, offering for sale, or selling the patented invention without authorization from the patent 

holder.53 When a PAE asserts a patent against a customer or other accused infringer who did not 

manufacture the claimed technology, it relies on this provision. Last, but not least, Section 281 creates a 

basic remedy for patent infringement, which is to sue an accused infringer for relief in a federal district 

court. 54 When a PAE files a lawsuit as part of its assertion activity, it does so under the color of federal 

patent law.55 

At the core of PAE activity is a claim of patent infringement. A PAE—no differently than any other 

patent holder—has the “‘right to try to exclude’ by asserting its patent in court” and laying odds on a 

favorable outcome.56 “Nothing in the patent grant guarantees that the patent will be declared valid, or 

that the defendant in the patent suit will be found to have infringed.”57 The likelihood that a PAE can 

successfully prove infringement will influence the amount that the PAE can recover from that firm. The 

PAE’s expected revenue will also depend on the likelihood that the accused firm will assert and 

successfully prove one or more affirmative defenses to infringement, such as invalidity and 

unenforceability.58 Importantly, if a patent is held invalid or unenforceable, that ruling would affect a 

52 By definition, PAEs exercise the statutory right to exclude only when their claims are successful. 

53 35 U.S.C. § 271(a) (2012) (“Except as otherwise provided in this title, whoever without authority makes, uses, offers to 

sell, or sells any patented invention, within the United States or imports into the United States any patented invention during 

the term of the patent therefor, infringes the patent.”). 

54 35 U.S.C. § 281 (2012) (“A patentee shall have remedy by civil action for infringement of his patent.”); 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1338(a) (2012) (“The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action arising under any Act of Congress 

relating to patents, ...”). Additionally, a patent holder may file a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission to 

block the importation of infringing articles as an unfair trade practice in violation of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930. 

See 19 U.S.C. § 1337(a)(1)(B) (2012). 

55 Statutory patent law does not explain why PAE business models exist—only that they can exist. An explanation of the 

incentives, risks, and rewards associated with PAE activity are largely the province of economics and organizational 

behavior. Nor does patent law answer the question whether PAE activity should be encouraged or discouraged. The point we 

make here is that patent law is consistent with PAE business models. We also clarify that, notwithstanding rights granted by 

the Patent Act, the antitrust laws may forbid patent acquisitions or patent assertions that harm competition. 

56 Carl Shapiro, Antitrust Limits of Patent Settlements, 34 RAND J. ECON. 391, 395 (2003) (emphasis in original). 

57 Id. For these reasons, a patent is best viewed as “a probabilistic property right.” Id. 

58 See 35 U.S.C. § 282(b) (2012). An invalidity defense must be proven by clear and convincing evidence because a patent is 

presumed valid. See 35 U.S.C. § 282(a) (2012); Microsoft Corp. v. i4i Ltd. P’ship, 564 U.S. 91, 95 (2011). 

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PAE’s enforcement of that patent against other firms as well. This evaluation may affect the PAE’s 

selection of which patents or patent claims to assert (e.g., stronger versus weaker patents). 

An accused firm likewise must evaluate the likelihood of these potential outcomes, as well as the 

expected litigation costs, and decide how best to respond. For example, it may decide to seek the 

advice of patent counsel in assessing the strength of a PAE’s infringement claim.59 The accused firm 

must also assess the potential impact on its business should the outcome be unfavorable from its 

standpoint. For example, in addition to a judgment awarding actual infringement damages, the firm may 

also face some risk of treble damages60 or that an exclusion order or a permanent injunction against 

the sale of its products may issue.61 

Whether an asserted patent will be held not invalid and infringed ultimately requires a judicial 

interpretation of the meaning and scope of the patent claims.62 Unless and until a court has provided 

such an interpretation, there may be a significant difference of opinion between a PAE and an accused 

59 As Justice Breyer recently acknowledged, “consulting counsel may help draw the line between infringing and 

noninfringing uses.” Halo Elecs., Inc. v. Pulse Elecs., Inc., 136 S. Ct. 1923, 1937 (2016) (Breyer, J., concurring). Advice of 

counsel is not required, however, to protect against a claim of willful infringement and the prospect of enhanced damages. 

Importantly, the Leahy–Smith America Invents Act added a new provision to the Patent Act that makes clear “[t]he failure of 

an infringer to obtain the advice of counsel with respect to any allegedly infringed patent, ... may not be used to prove that 

the accused infringer willfully infringed the patent or that the infringer intended to induce infringement of the patent.” 

Leahy–Smith America Invents Act, Pub. L. No. 112-29, § 17, 125 Stat. 284, 329 (2011) (codified at 35 U.S.C. § 298). See 

Halo Elecs., 136 S. Ct. at 1937 (Breyer, J., concurring) (“[O]n the other side of the equation lie the costs and the consequent 

risk of discouraging lawful innovation. Congress has thus left it to the potential infringer to decide whether to consult 

counsel—without the threat of treble damages influencing that decision.”). 

60 See 35 U.S.C. § 284 (2012); Halo Elecs., 136 S. Ct. at 1937 (Breyer, J., concurring) (expressing concern that “the risk of 

treble damages can encourage the company to settle, or even abandon any challenged activity,” which argues for careful 

application of Section 284, to ensure that it targets only instances of egregious misconduct). But see id. at 1935 (dismissing 

the concern that enhanced damages would ever be awarded in “garden-variety cases”). Additionally, both a PAE and an 

accused firm may face some risk that each will be required to pay the other party’s attorney’s fees should it lose the litigation, 

and the case is deemed “exceptional” by the trial court. See 35 U.S.C. § 285 (2012); Octane Fitness, LLC v. Icon Health & 

Fitness, Inc., 134 S. Ct. 1749, 1757 (2014). 

61 See 35 U.S.C. § 283 (2012); eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, LLC, 547 U.S. 388, 393 (2006) (“[S]ome patent holders, such as 

university researchers or self-made inventors, might reasonably prefer to license their patents, rather than undertake efforts to 

secure the financing necessary to bring their works to market themselves. Such patent holders may be able to satisfy the 

traditional four-factor test, and we see no basis for categorically denying them the opportunity to do so.”). But see id. at 396– 

97 (Kennedy, J., concurring) (“When the patented invention is but a small component of the product the companies seek to 

produce and the threat of an injunction is employed simply for undue leverage in negotiations, legal damages may well be 

sufficient to compensate for the infringement and an injunction may not serve the public interest.”). 

62 See Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Cable & Wireless Internet Servs., Inc., 344 F.3d 1186, 1192 (Fed. Cir. 2003); Markman v. 

Westview Instruments., Inc., 517 U.S. 370, 388–89 (1996); Cybor Corp. v. FAS Techs., Inc., 138 F.3d 1448, 1454 (Fed. 

Cir. 1998) (en banc). 

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firm as to whether the asserted patent is not invalid and infringed, or the likelihood that a judge or jury 

will reach the same conclusion. A decision from a court on claim interpretation, while not a final 

judgment in the case, may narrow or even close that difference of opinion.63 

If a PAE sues an accused firm for patent infringement, then the defendant firm may also assess the 

“nuisance value” of the case by estimating its litigation costs in terms of external legal fees and expenses 

and internal business disruption.64 The defendant firm may rationally decide to settle even if it 

reasonably believes that it could prevail on the issue of patent validity or infringement if the settlement 

amount is less than the estimated cost of litigation. As we will discuss later, however, some courts 

have been open to considering whether filing an infringement action to extract a nuisance-value 

settlement rises to the level of bad faith, warranting the imposition of attorneys’ fees or other relief.65 

Prior Studies of PAE Activity and Other Literature 

Drawing primarily on publicly available litigation data, a number of legal scholars and economists have 

attempted to estimate the amount of NPE or PAE activity as a fraction of all patent infringement 

lawsuits and to assess its impact on innovation and entrepreneurship. The discussion below samples 

prior studies and other literature addressing the purported harms and benefits of NPEs and PAEs. 

63 See Pauline M. Pelletier, The Impact of Local Patent Rules on Rate and Timing of Case Resolution Relative to Claim 

Construction: An Empirical Study of the Past Decade, 8 J. BUS. & TECH. LAW 451, 456 (2013) (positing that a decision by a 

judge on claim construction, “while not a final judgment, would no doubt make a profound impression on both parties, 

whether that impression removes any appetite for further expense and delay or instead inspires renewed commitment to get 

the case before a jury”). See also Greg Reilly, Patent “Trolls” and Claim Construction, 91 NOTRE DAME L. REV. 1045, 

1069–70 (2016) (“If patent assertion entities are as problematic as many in the patent community believe, then it is important 

to address the underlying problems of claim construction and reconsider the direction in which claim construction is 

moving.”). 

64 See generally Hubbard, supra note 8. As Hubbard points out, “[t]he notion is that the prospect of expensive litigation 

drives the defendant to pay a settlement despite knowing that, were the case to go to trial, the defendant would probably or 

certainly win.” Id. at 1093–94. See also Rosenberg & Shavell, 2006, supra note 8; Rosenberg & Shavell, 1985, supra note 8. 

65 SFA Sys., LLC v. Newegg Inc., 793 F.3d 1344, 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (agreeing with Newegg “that a pattern of litigation 

abuses characterized by the repeated filing of patent infringement actions for the sole purpose of forcing settlements, with no 

intention of testing the merits of one’s claims, is relevant to a district court’s exceptional case determination under § 285” but 

concluding that the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding insufficient evidence of such litigation misconduct); 

Eon-Net LP v. Flagstar Bancorp, 653 F.3d 1314, 1327 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (“The record supports the district court’s finding that 

Eon-Net acted in bad faith by exploiting the high cost to defend complex litigation to extract a nuisance value settlement 

from Flagstar.”). 

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In one of the earliest studies, James Bessen and Michael Meurer (2008) responded to anecdotes about 

the impact of “patent trolls,” which they describe as either patent holders “who opportunistically assert 

weak patents against the firms that actually develop the technology covered in the patent” or “small, 

nonproducing inventors who do not develop or commercialize new technology, who do not manufacture 

anything, but who do hope to snare other firms in their patent traps.”66 Criticizing the indefiniteness of 

these labels, they chose a “narrow and crude” proxy for lawsuits by “trolls”—lawsuits filed by 

individual inventors.67 They concluded that the percentage of infringement lawsuits involving patents 

awarded to individuals between 1984 and 1989 (24%) did not change materially as compared to the 

percentage during the period between 1990 to 1999 (22%).68 

John R. Allison et al. (2009) compared the characteristics of the 106 most litigated patents from 2000 to 

2007 with a randomly selected control set of 106 patents that had been litigated only once during the 

same period.69 The most litigated patents accounted for 2,987 infringement suits, or only about 14% of 

all suits during the study period.70 NPEs were responsible for over 80% of suits related to these mostlitigated patents, however, with the bulk of the suits (2,198) initiated by “individual-inventor-started 

compan[ies].”71 Allison et al. note, however, that “companies enforcing patents that cover inventions 

they did not themselves develop” accounted for just 7% of the lawsuits during the study period.72 

Sara Jeruss et al. (2012) studied lawsuits filed by “patent monetization entities” or PMEs.73 Their study 

examined a randomly selected set of 100 patent cases filed each year from 2007 to 2011, which were 

66 JAMES E. BESSEN & MICHAEL J. MEURER, PATENT FAILURE 159 (2008). 

67 Id. 

68 Id. at 160. 

69 Allison et al., supra note 46, at 5. 

70 Id. at 25–26. 

71 Id. The other non-practicing entity class represented in the sample is the licensing company that acquires patents (entity 

class 1). Allison et al. noted that their study sample was skewed by cases filed by Ronald Katz, who owned a large 

percentage of the most litigated patents and was involved in 60% of the suits (1,789). Id. at 26. “Katz is a product of the 

current patent system, and the Katzes of the world should be considered in evaluating the effects of that system.” Id. 

72 Id. at 32. 

73 Jeruss et al., supra note 2, at 361. 

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coded for the types of entities involved in each case.74 Based on their work, Sara Jeruss et al. reported 

that lawsuits filed by PMEs had significantly increased over the five-year study period, from 22% of all 

patent cases in 2007 to 40% of all cases in 2011.75 Additionally, the authors observed that PMEs were 

among the most litigious; of the five parties that filed the most lawsuits during the five-year study 

period, four of them were PMEs.76 

Robin Feldman and Sara Jeruss, along with Tom Ewing, subsequently expanded their study in 2013 to 

look at the entire set of patent cases filed in 2007, 2008, 2011, and 2012.77 In a second paper, they 

reported that the larger data set confirmed that patent cases filed by PMEs had risen dramatically over a 

remarkably short period of time.78 Notably, they found that PME cases accounted for 58.7% of all patent 

infringement lawsuits filed in 2012, compared to only 24.6% in 2007.79 Furthermore, the ten parties 

filing the most lawsuits during the years studied were all PMEs, according to the authors.80 

A question of interest to researchers is whether the September 2011 passage of the Leahy–Smith 

America Invents Act (AIA) has had any impact on the volume or percentage of NPE- or PAE-filed 

lawsuits relative to patent infringement suits overall.81 One of the litigation reforms implemented by the 

AIA prohibits a patent holder from joining multiple accused infringers as co-defendants in a single 

lawsuit unless their liability for infringement is joint and several, or arises out of the same transaction, 

occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences, or there are questions of fact common to all 

74 Id. at 364. The authors shared their coded data with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which had been 

commissioned by Congress to study the consequences of PAE litigation activity pursuant to the Leahy–Smith America 

Invents Act. See Pub. L. No. 112-29, § 34, 125 Stat. 284, 340 (2011). See infra notes 122–123 and accompanying text. 

75 Jeruss et al., supra note 2, at 361. 

76 Id. 

77 Feldman et al., supra note 2. 

78 Id. at 7. 

79 Id. 

80 Id. 

81 Leahy–Smith America Invents Act, Pub. L. No. 112-29, 125 Stat. 284 (2011). 

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defendants that will arise in the lawsuit.82 A PAE that would have joined five accused infringers as 

defendants in a single lawsuit pre-AIA might instead file five separate lawsuits post-AIA because of the 

anti-joinder rule. Or that PAE might still file one lawsuit, but only against a single accused infringer 

because of the new rule. 

Two recent studies have examined whether the AIA has affected the share of patent infringement 

suits filed by NPEs or PAEs. Feldman et al. (2013) considered this possible effect in their analysis of 

patent cases filed in 2012. They reported that the number of defendants sued by PMEs declined 

following passage of the AIA, which, in their view, “may suggest that changes in the [AIA] had at least 

some initial success in encouraging patent monetization entities not to cast their nets so widely.”83 But 

even with the AIA, they noted, patent cases filed by PMEs were still much higher in 2012 than they 

were in 2007 and 2008.84 

Christopher Cotropia, Jay Kesan, and David Schwartz (2014) also studied the effect of the AIA on PAE 

litigation activity.85 They collected 2,520 infringement lawsuits filed in 2010 and 5,185 lawsuits filed in 

2012 and coded each plaintiff into one of eight entity types: operating company, university, individual 

inventor, patent aggregator, technology development company, failed start-up, IP holding subsidiary of 

an operating company, or patent holding company.86 Despite the fact that 2012 saw twice as many 

filed cases as 2010, Cotropia et al. found essentially no change in the number of unique patent holders 

that initiated patent infringement suits (1,667 versus 1,588) or in the number of unique defendants 

(9,419 versus 9,894).87 Consequently, the authors concluded that the increase in the number of filed 

cases could likely be attributed in large part to the AIA’s anti-joinder rule.88 Cotropia et al. found that 

82 Id. § 19(d), 125 Stat. at 332 (codified at 35 U.S.C. § 299). 

83 Feldman et al., supra note 2, at 7. 

84 Id. 

85 Cotropia et al., supra note 2. 

86 Id. at 654. Patent aggregators and patent holding companies filed 448 cases in 2010 and 2,278 cases in 2012. 

87 Id. at 675–76, 678. 

88 Id. at 683 (“One way to consider this is that the AIA has added substantial cost to the system, by increasing the number of 

lawsuits, without decreasing the number of patentees or defendants.”). 

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the entity types that most resemble PAEs (patent aggregators and patent holding companies) accounted 

for 17.8% of cases filed in 2010 and 43.9% of cases in 2012.89 The authors noted that their calculated 

2012 percentage was significantly lower than the 58.7% calculated by Feldman et al.90 

Apart from the studies of NPE and PAE lawsuits, prior literature has attempted to identify and describe 

the potential harms and benefits of patent assertion activity.91 Researchers and commentators generally 

have devoted their attention to the following three categories of potential harms. First, patent assertion 

activity can impose litigation and licensing costs that are not commensurate with the value of the 

patented technology at issue, thereby creating an unwanted tax on innovative products and services.92 

Second, lawsuits can disproportionately affect startups and small firms, thereby hindering or inhibiting 

89 Id. at 694–95. 

90 Id. at 695. 

91 For a historical treatment of NPEs, see Adam Mossoff, Patent Licensing and Secondary Markets in the Nineteenth 

Century, 22 GEO. MASON L. REV. 959 (2015); B. Zorina Khan, Trolls and Other Patent Inventions: Economic History and 

the Patent Controversy in the Twenty-First Century, 21 GEO. MASON L. REV. 825 (2014); Gerard N. Magliocca, Blackberries 

and Barnyards: Patent Trolls and the Perils of Innovation, 82 NOTRE DAME L. REV. 1809 (2007). 

92 See, e.g., Robin Feldman & Mark A. Lemley, Do Patent Licensing Demands Mean Innovation?, 101 IOWA L. REV. 137, 

173 (2015) (“Licensees in our survey are paying for freedom to operate—the right not to be sued for implementing 

technology they developed on their own but which someone has asserted will fit within their patent rights.”); Scott Morton & 

Shapiro, supra note 2, at 494 (“Credible outsized threats act like a “tax” on downstream firms, raising prices, distorting 

innovation markets, and harming competition, contrary to the goals of our antitrust laws.... Patent monetization harms 

consumers and decreases social welfare if the asserted patents do not create substantial value for the target products or 

consumers and if the original innovator does not receive a significant fraction of costs imposed by the PAE on its targets.”); 

Erik Hovenkamp, Predatory Patent Litigation: How Patent Assertion Entities Use Reputation to Monetize Bad Patents 19–20 

(Aug. 5, 2013) (unpublished manuscript), http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2308115 (Predatory patent 

litigation is “unnecessary to monetize strong patents; it creates no heightened incentive to develop inventions that 

legitimately merit legal protection.... Additionally, by its nature, predatory patent litigation typically involves no 

promulgation of new ideas.”); Brian J. Love, An Empirical Study of Patent Litigation Timing: Could a Patent Term 

Reduction Decimate Trolls Without Harming Innovators?, 161 U. PA. L. REV. 1309, 1347 (2013) (“Instead, NPEs appear to 

be engaged in classic troll-like behavior: suing the better part of a well-established industry for infringement of an aging 

patent, generally one covering software or high-tech subject matter, and consistently losing those claims when pushed to 

prove their infringement allegations.”); Tom Ewing & Robin Feldman, The Giants Among Us, 2012 STAN. TECH. L. REV. 1, 

25 (2012) (“[A] tax on production is likely to have the effect of reducing genuine product innovation.”); John R. Allison et 

al., Patent Quality and Settlement Among Repeat Patent Litigants, 99 GEO. L.J. 677, 709 (2011) (suggesting that a payment 

to a patent holder “might represent not the acquisition of real legal rights but a nuisance settlement over a likely invalid 

patent”); James Bessen et al., The Private and Social Costs of Patent Trolls, REGULATION, Winter 2011–12, at 26, 

http://www.cato.org/regulation/winter-2011-2012/private-social-costs-patent-trolls (“To the extent that this litigation 

represents an unavoidable business cost to technology developers, it reduces the profits that these firms make on their 

technology investments.”). See also Mark A. Lemley & Robin Feldman, Patent Licensing, Technology Transfer, and 

Innovation, 106 AM. ECON. REV. 188, 188 (2016) (“Patent law’s focus on the creation of new products is particularly 

important with the emergence of the nonpracticing entity business model.”); Fiona M. Scott Morton & Carl Shapiro, Patent 

Assertions: Are We Closer to Aligning Reward to Contribution?, 16 INNOVATION POLICY AND THE ECONOMY 89, 96–97 (Josh 

Lerner & Scott Stern eds., 2016) (referring to credible outsized threats as a tax on innovation). 

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entrepreneurship and related investments.93 Third, an increase in litigation and licensing activity can 

divert technical talent and other corporate resources away from developing new products and engaging 

in research and development, a result that is socially wasteful and inconsistent with the fundamental 

goals of the patent system.94 

93 See, e.g., Stephen Kiebzak et al., The Effect of Patent Litigation and Patent Assertion Entities on Entrepreneurial Activity, 

45 RES. POL’Y 218, 230 (2016) (“We find evidence that high levels of patent litigation have, in general, a statistically 

negative relation with VC investment, while low levels of patent litigation have a statistically positive relation with VC 

investment.... The concave relationship between patent litigation and venture capital funding appears to be particularly 

pronounced for sectors such as IT, where there are patents with less clearly defined boundaries than other sectors such as 

chemicals or pharmaceuticals.”); Robin Feldman & Evan Frondorf, Patent Demands and Initial Public Offerings, 19 STAN. 

TECH. L. REV. 52, 89 (2015) (“Despite a limited sample, the evidence presented supports the existence of a strategy among 

monetizers to pursue demands against companies during one of the most public and vulnerable periods of their 

development—the completion and aftermath of their IPOs. These patent demands serve to extract settlements and licensing 

fees knowing that companies have insufficient time, funds, and human capital to spend on a thoughtful examination of the 

claims.”); Colleen V. Chien, Startups and Patent Trolls, 17 STAN. TECH. L. REV. 461, 472 (2014) (“The survival of 

entrepreneurial companies depends on their focus and ability to execute against operational milestones. I found that this 

makes them uniquely vulnerable to PAE demands, which can divert scarce money and founder time from the business, 

incense management, and at times, force significant operational changes.”). 

94 See, e.g., Lauren Cohen et al., The Growing Problem of Patent Trolling, 352 SCIENCE 521, 521–22 (2016) (finding that 

after settling with NPEs, firms on average reduce their R&D investment by 25%; causes of reduction are not directly 

identifiable); Feldman & Lemley, Do Patent Licensing Demands Mean Innovation?, supra note 92, at 176 (“Companies are 

increasingly spending significant amounts of time, resources, and creative energy responding to ex post patent assertion both 

inside and outside of litigation. Our results suggest that this vast amount of activity is largely unproductive, no matter who 

initiates it—an NPE, a product company or a university. Ex post licensing may be promoting transactions, but not necessarily 

economically efficient transactions.”); James Bessen & Michael J. Meurer, The Direct Costs from NPE Disputes, 

99 CORNELL L. REV. 387, 423 (2014) (“These findings imply that the recent surge in NPE litigation is a significant social 

problem associated with billions of dollars of socially wasteful expenditure each year, as well as reduced innovation 

incentives for both small and large firms.”); Roger Smeets, Does Patent Litigation Reduce Corporate R&D? An Analysis of 

U.S. Public Firms 28–29 (Apr. 28, 2014) (unpublished manuscript), 

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2443048 (“Patent litigation involvement (as an alleged infringer) reduces 

subsequent R&D intensity, but only in small firms (with less than 500 employees), and only following extensive lawsuits (in 

which many legal documents are filed).... The estimated effects are substantial—ranging from 2.6–4.7%-point reductions in 

R&D intensity—and relatively persistent—occurring during up to three years following the initiation of a patent lawsuit... 

These results suggest that, in some cases, patent litigation creates social waste in terms of reduced innovation (R&D).”); 

Catherine E. Tucker, Patent Trolls and Technology Diffusion: The Case of Medical Imaging 4, 22 (Apr. 14, 2014) 

(unpublished manuscript), http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1976593 (“This last result emphasizes that 

even if patent-assertion entities do not prevail in the courtroom, their actions can have significantly negative consequences 

for incremental innovation while litigation is ongoing.”); Allison et al., supra note 92, at 709 (“Society is spending a large 

chunk of its patent law resources dealing with what are—for whatever reason—the weakest cases. And patent plaintiffs are 

pursuing those cases despite the overwhelming odds against them.”); Bessen et al., supra note 92, at 26 (“We find that NPE 

lawsuits are associated with half a trillion dollars of lost wealth to defendants from 1990 through 2010.... To the extent that 

this litigation represents an unavoidable business cost to technology developers, it reduces the profits that these firms make 

on their technology investments. That is, these lawsuits substantially reduce their incentives to innovate.”). But see David L. 

Schwartz & Jay P. Kesan, Analyzing the Role of Non-Practicing Entities in the Patent System, 99 CORNELL L. REV. 425 

(2014) (critiquing Bessen & Meurer, The Direct Costs from NPE Disputes); Ted M. Sichelman, Are Patent Trolls 

“Opportunistic”? (San Diego Legal Studies Paper No. 14-175, 2014), 

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2520125 (critiquing an earlier version of Lauren Cohen et al., Patent 

Trolls: Evidence from Targeted Firms (Harv. Bus. Sch., Working Paper No. 15-002, 2016), 

http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/15-002_1d86bb91-630b-43b9-949d-16cfa36a5f58.pdf) 

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Other researchers and commentators, however, have devoted their attention to three categories of 

potential benefits of NPEs and PAEs. First, a common justification of the NPE or PAE business model 

is that it enables individual inventors and small patent holders to enforce their property rights more 

effectively and efficiently against accused infringers that otherwise might ignore their demands for 

adequate compensation.95 Second, NPEs and PAEs are sometimes characterized as intermediaries or 

brokers that are better able to present an inventor’s patented technology to those best positioned to 

implement and derive commercial value from it.96 Third, NPEs and PAEs may help to create a stable 

95 See, e.g., Ron D. Katznelson, The $83 Billion Patent Litigation Policy, REGULATION, Spring 2016, at 14, 16, 

http://www.cato.org/regulation/spring-2016/83-billion-patent-litigation-fallacy (“A significant portion of that $4 trillion 

increase—$667 billion per year—must be attributable to the appreciating value of patent rights as a result of successful 

efforts to protect those rights during that period, including efforts by NPEs.”); Ryan T. Holte, Trolls or Great Inventors: Case 

Studies of Patent Assertion Entities, 59 ST. LOUIS U. L.J. 1, 43 (2014) (arguing that cases “support[] the countervailing view 

of PAEs representing the interests of ‘Horatio Alger Inventors’ who tirelessly labor to build bridges of innovation and who 

seek only their fair share”); Anne Layne-Farrar, The Brothers Grimm Book of Business Models: A Survey of Literature and 

Developments in Patent Acquisition and Litigation, 9 J.L. ECON. & POL’Y 29, 56 (2012) (“Patent litigation may indeed have 

social costs, as Bessen et al. argue, but it is difficult to see how we might reduce those costs without killing the many benefits 

associated with enforceable patent rights.”); Michael Risch, Patent Troll Myths, 42 SETON HALL L. REV. 457, 498 (2012) 

(“Individuals may face a significant disadvantage in high-stakes patent litigation unless they allow NPEs to enforce their 

patents. This means that NPE litigation may be the best way for garage inventors to capitalize on their patents if infringers 

refuse to license.”); Bruce L. Beron & Jason E. Kinsella, David v. Goliath Patent Cases: A Search for the Most Practical 

Mechanism of Third Party Litigation Financing for Small Plaintiffs, 38 N. KY. L. REV. 605, 620–21 (2011) (“However, these 

costs and the consequential disparity in access to the justice system are magnified when looked at through the lens of the 

small private entity or individual inventor seeking to protect their patent from a larger adversary, owing to the particularly 

complex nature of intellectual property claims.”); Gwendolyn G. Ball & Jay P. Kesan, Transaction Costs and Trolls: 

Strategic Behavior by Individual Inventors, Small Firms and Entrepreneurs in Patent Litigation 3 (Ill. Pub. Law & Legal 

Theory Paper Series No. 08-21, 2009), http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1337166 (“Thus, the transaction 

costs associated with litigation may have a major impact on the ability of start-ups, entrepreneurs and individual inventors to 

defend their property rights.”). But see Lemley & Feldman, Patent Licensing, Technology Transfer, and Innovation, supra 

note 92, at 189 (“In short, there is little evidence that NPEs contribute either directly or indirectly to the creation of products 

anywhere in the system.”). 

96 See, e.g., Kristen Osenga, Formerly Manufacturing Entities: Piercing the “Patent Troll” Rhetoric, 47 CONN. L. REV. 435, 

466 (2014) (“[T]hrough their earlier manufacturing or retail business models, companies in the formerly manufacturing entity 

category gained valuable knowledge about the nature, value, and commercialization of patented innovation. . . . These 

characteristics suggest that formerly manufacturing entities uniquely have positive effects on core patent policies: 

incentivizing invention and commercialization—a very important insight that is buried underneath the unclear and 

inflammatory “patent troll” rhetoric.”); Andrei Hagiu & David B. Yoffie, The New Patent Intermediaries: Platforms, 

Defensive Aggregators, and Super-Aggregators, 27 J. ECON. PERSP. 45, 61 (2013) (“Given the organizational complexity of 

the new patent intermediaries and the multiplicity of channels through which they affect participants in the patent market, it is 

very difficult to draw clear conclusions about whether they generate net benefits or costs for society. Nevertheless, it is useful 

to point out that intermediation mechanisms that move the imperfect patent system in the direction of enhancing rewards for 

innovation are more likely to be a positive, while mechanisms that move the system in the direction.”); Michael J. Mazzeo et 

al., Do NPEs Matter? Non-Practicing Entities and Patent Litigation Outcomes, 9 J. COMPETITION L. & ECON. 879, 902 

(2013) (“Accordingly, PAEs may have fewer reasons to bear the high costs and risks of patent litigation, and may be more 

likely to approach patent litigation as a means to obtain returns on their patent acquisitions. Settlement may be a more 

rational decision for such PAEs, even when they hold valid and infringed (and valuable) patent rights.”); Julien Pénin, 

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and efficient marketplace for patents to be bought and sold, thereby creating liquidity in patents as 

corporate assets and reallocating litigation risk to parties better able to absorb it.97 

Importantly, most researchers and commentators do not view NPEs and PAEs as categorically harmful 

or beneficial. Instead, the conclusion may depend on the circumstances and context. And then there are 

those who believe NPEs and PAEs are not to blame; they are merely the product of a broken patent 

system that needs reform.98 

Strategic Uses of Patents in Markets for Technology: A Story of Fabless Firms, Brokers and Trolls, 84 J. ECON. BEHAVIOR & 

ORG. 633, 640 (2012) (“We have showed that while patent brokers in their pure form always increase total R&D investments, 

pure patent trolls do not. This work therefore clearly stresses that one must distinguish between different kinds of NPEs. Not 

all are trolls.”); Sannu K. Shrestha, Trolls or Market-Makers? An Empirical Analysis of Nonpracticing Entities, 110 COLUM. 

L. REV. 114, 149 (2010) (“[T]he finding that NPEs own valuable patents also bodes well for supporters who argue that these 

firms serve as valuable intermediaries for independent inventors.... The most we can say based on this analysis is that NPEs 

sometimes enhance innovation by providing capital to the most promising independent inventors and small businesses and 

encouraging further inventive efforts.”). But see Feldman & Lemley, Do Patent Licensing Demands Mean Innovation?, 

supra note 92, at 173 (“Based on our very preliminary evidence, the theory that NPEs facilitate innovation via patent license 

demands either through the creation of new products or by delivering actual technical know-how from inventors to 

implementers does not seem to hold water.... Thus, the study does not support the efficient middleman hypothesis for 

characterizing the role of NPEs.”); Lemley & Feldman, Patent Licensing, Technology Transfer, and Innovation, supra 

note 92, at 189 (addressing the same point). 

97 See, e.g., Michael Risch, Licensing Acquired Patents, 21 GEO. MASON L. REV. 979, 1000 (2014) (“By identifying 

important patents; settling litigation licensing terms that grant some freedom to operate; and allowing manufacturers to 

decide whether and when to pay attention to patents—as opposed to leaving the uncertain outcomes lurking in a context of 

undefended but extant patents—licensing of acquired patents can benefit commercialization through certainty and ordering of 

the market.”); Alberto Galasso et al., Trading and Enforcing Patent Rights, 44 RAND J. ECON. 275, 306 (2013) (“From a 

welfare perspective, our findings imply that the market for innovation reduces litigation by reallocating patents to entities that 

are more effective at resolving disputes over these rights without resorting to the courts, and this represents a source of both 

private benefits and social welfare gains. In short, our analysis characterizes and quantifies the enforcement gains from trade 

from the market for patents, measured in terms of reduction in litigation risk.”); Mark A. Lemley & Nathan Myhrvold, How 

to Make a Patent Market, 36 HOFSTRA L. REV. 257, 258 (2007) (suggesting that liquidity also requires transparency; “[t]he 

solution is straightforward—require publication of patent assignment and license terms.”); James F. McDonough III, The 

Myth of the Patent Troll: An Alternative View of the Function of Patent Dealers in an Idea Economy, 56 EMORY L.J. 189, 

190 (2006) (“Patent trolls provide liquidity, market clearing, and increased efficiency to the patent markets—the same 

benefits securities dealers supply capital markets.”). But see Michael J. Burstein, Patent Markets: A Framework for 

Evaluation, 47 ARIZ. ST. L.J. 507, 512 (2015) (questioning liquidity premise and noting that “[t]here appears to be an 

underlying normative premise to these arguments: that those robust, liquid patent markets would be socially beneficial. That 

premise has, for the most part, gone unexamined.”). 

98 See, e.g., David O. Taylor, Legislative Responses to Patent Assertion Entities, 23 TEX. INTELL. PROP. L.J. 313, 317 (2015) 

(attributing concerns about PAEs to problems of patent quality, litigation, and asymmetry between the litigating parties); 

Lemley & Melamed, supra note 2, at 2170 (“But we believe trolls are a symptom of the real problems, not their cause. Trolls 

are opportunists that exploit flaws in the patent system. The growth of patent trolls, coupled with the costs of practicing entity 

licensing and litigation, suggests systemic problems that are not limited to trolls.”); Timo Fischer & Joachim Henkel, Patent 

Trolls on Markets for Technology – An Empirical Analysis of NPEs’ Patent Acquisitions, 41 RES. POL’Y 1519, 1531 (2012) 

(“The existence of patent-only transactions points to two inefficiencies. The first is an inefficiency in the patent system.... 

The second inefficiency concerns markets for technology.... To the extent that such transactions relate to patents only and are 

caused by inadvertent infringement, they are not indications of efficiency-enhancing technology transfers, but rather of 

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Government Interest in and Response to PAE Activity 

The rise in patent infringement lawsuits brought by PAEs, and more generally by NPEs, has garnered 

the attention of not only the Commission, but other agencies and branches of the federal government as 

well. 

United States Patent and Trademark Office 

The USPTO has addressed public concerns regarding abusive or frivolous litigation through three main 

avenues: improving transparency regarding patent ownership, improving the quality of issued patents, 

and providing information to consumers and retailers regarding the risks and benefits of litigating or 

settling a patent suit.99 

With respect to the first avenue, the USPTO issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in January 2014, 

seeking comments from the public on rules of practice that would provide greater transparency 

concerning the ownership of patents and patent applications.100 The agency proposed to collect 

information from patent applicants and patent holders regarding the “attributable owners” of a patent or 

patent application, which would include not only titleholders but also enforcement entities, and their 

ultimate parent entity, if any.101 The agency expected that reporting of attributable ownership would 

mostly come from PAEs because of their use of complicated corporate structures and licenses, often “to 

hide their true identities from the public.”102 

inefficiencies in both the patent system and in markets for technology. The existence of NPEs in particular, signals such 

inefficiencies.”). 

99 See, e.g., Press Release, The White House, Fact Sheet: Executive Actions: Answering the President’s Call to Strengthen 

Our Patent System and Foster Innovation (Feb. 20, 2014), https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/20/factsheet-executive-actions-answering-president-s-call-strengthen-our-p [hereinafter White House Press Release], see also 

Michelle K. Lee, Director of the USPTO, Remarks at the Consumer Elecs. Show (Jan 18, 2016), 

http://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/remarks-director-michelle-k-lee-consumer-electronics-show (addressing 

USPTO’s focus on Patent Trial and Appeal Board proceedings as a “faster and lower-cost alternative to district court 

litigation to confirm the quality of issued patents”). 

100 U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Changes to Require Identification of Attributable Owner, 79 Fed. Reg. 4105 (proposed 

Jan 24, 2014) (to be codified at 37 C.F.R. pt. 1). 

101 Id. at 4106. 

102 Id. 

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The FTC and the DOJ supported USPTO’s efforts to provide more complete information to the public 

regarding patent ownership,103 and the USPTO held public hearings on ownership transparency in 

Alexandria and San Francisco in March 2014.104 At this time, the USPTO has decided not to issue final 

rules.105 Congress, however, has proposed identification of a patent assignee’s “ultimate parent entity” 

as part of early disclosure requirements in patent infringement actions and as a precondition to a patent 

holder’s claim of willful infringement.106 

The USPTO also has engaged in a comprehensive initiative to increase the quality of granted patents.107 

The initiative focuses on improving three “pillars” of patent quality: excellence in (1) work products; (2) 

measuring patent quality; and (3) customer service. The USPTO has stated that “high quality patents 

permit certainty and clarity of rights,” which in turn can promote innovation and “reduce[] needless 

litigation.”108 The FTC and the DOJ jointly supported the USPTO’s quality improvement efforts in part 

because clearer patent notice can lead to a more efficient marketplace for patents.109 The USPTO also 

has developed training programs for examiners and judges to ensure that “functional claims” are clearly 

drafted and can be consistently enforced.110 

103 Public Comment from U.S. Dep’t of Justice & Fed. Trade Comm’n to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, supra note 23. 

104 U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Notice of Public Hearings and Extension of Comment Period on the Proposed Changes 

To Require Identification of Attributable Owner, 79 Fed. Reg. 9677 (Feb. 20, 2014). 

105 See Attributable Ownership, U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE, http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/attributableownership. Relatedly, the USPTO also held a roundtable on ownership transparency in January 2013. Real Property[sic] in 

Interest Roundtable, U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE, http://www.uspto.gov/about-us/news-updates/real-propertyinterest-roundtable. 

106 See, e.g., Innovation Act, H.R. 9, 114th Cong. (2015) (as reported by H. Comm. on the Judiciary, July 29, 2015); 

PATENT Act, S. 1137, 114th Cong. (2015) (as reported by S. Comm. on the Judiciary, Sept. 8, 2015). 

107 U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Request for Comments on Enhancing Patent Quality, 80 Fed. Reg. 6475 (Feb. 5, 2015). 

The comment period was subsequently extended. U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Extension of the Period for Comments on 

Enhancing Patent Quality, 80 Fed. Reg. 26, 914 (May 11, 2015). 

108 Request for Comments on Enhancing Patent Quality, 80 Fed. Reg. at 6476. 

109 Public Comment from Fed. Trade Comm’n & U.S. Dep’t of Justice to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Request for 

Comments on Enhancing Patent Quality (May 6, 2015), https://www.ftc.gov/policy/policy-actions/advocacyfilings/2015/05/comment-united-states-federal-trade-commission-united. 

110 See White House Press Release, supra note 99; Examination Guidance and Training Materials, U.S. PAT. & TRADEMARK 

OFFICE, http://www.uspto.gov/patent/laws-and-regulations/examination-policy/examination-guidance-and-training-materials. 

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To provide more information to consumers and “Main Street” retailers, the USPTO has developed an 

online toolkit to address common questions regarding demand letters and patent infringement 

litigation.111 The portal centralizes “a wide-ranging, powerful set of patent-relevant tools and 

information, including answers to commonly asked questions about patent-demand letters and a catalog 

of third-party sites that users can access to find out, for example, whether the patent has ever been 

asserted in litigation.”112 

The White House 

In June 2013, the Executive Office of the President issued a report entitled Patent Assertion and U.S. 

Innovation.

113 The report indicated that the number of “suits brought by PAEs had tripled in just the last 

two years, rising from 29 percent of all infringement suits to 62 percent of all infringement suits,” and 

suggested that this activity might have “a negative impact on innovation and economic growth.”114 At 

the same time, however, the report acknowledged that NPEs “can play a useful role in the innovation 

ecosystem.”115 Specifically, “[f]irms that aggregate and manage patents can play an important 

intermediary role, bringing value to society by more efficiently matching inventors to patent users in an 

otherwise illiquid market, and by developing expertise in legitimately protecting patents from 

infringement.”116 

In March 2016, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers released an issue brief that functions as 

an update to the 2013 Patent Assertion report. 117 Citing patent litigation research conducted by others, 

111 Patent Litigation: Been Sued or Gotten a Demand Letter? Answers to Common Questions About Abusive Patent 

Litigation, U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE, http://www.uspto.gov/patents-maintaining-patent/patent-litigation/patentlitigation. 

112 White House Press Release, supra note 99. 

113 EOP PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 2; EOP REPORT ADDENDUM, supra note 2. 

114 EOP PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 2. 

115 Id. at 2. 

116 Id. 

117 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS ISSUE BRIEF, THE PATENT LITIGATION 

LANDSCAPE: RECENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTS (2016), 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/201603_patent_litigation_issue_brief_cea.pdf. 

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the brief observed that the share of infringement cases brought by NPEs has grown over time, from 

below 30% of all cases in 2009 to over 60% in 2014, and that about 89% of NPE cases appear to have 

been filed by PAEs.118 The brief concluded by noting that although lawsuits are an important tool for 

inventors and other patent holders to protect patents from infringement, they “can also be used 

opportunistically when the cost of litigating is higher than the cost of settlement.”119 

United States Congress 

Congress has taken an interest in PAEs. In April 2013, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) 

issued a report about the “patent trolls” debate.120 That report cited a study by James Bessen and 

Michael Meurer estimating that “PAE activity cost defendants and licensees $29 billion in 2011, a 400% 

increase over $7 billion in 2005,” and that “the losses are mostly deadweight, with less than 25% 

flowing to innovation and at least that much going towards legal fees.”121 

In August 2013, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported to Congress that, between 2007 

and 2011, the share of all patent lawsuits accounted for by PAEs rose from 17% to 24% and that 

lawsuits by PAEs involved about twice as many defendants as lawsuits by manufacturing companies.122 

In addition, the GAO worked with Robin Feldman, Tom Ewing, and Sara Jeruss to examine a random 

sample of 100 patent infringement cases filed each year between 2007 and 2011 and found that lawsuits 

118 Id. at 2–3. (citing Cotropia et al., supra note 2; 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2; Lemley & Melamed, supra note 2; 

among others). 

119 Id. at 7. 

120 BRIAN T. YEH, CONG. RESEARCH SERV., R42668, AN OVERVIEW OF THE “PATENT TROLLS” DEBATE (2013). 

121 Id. at 2 & n.10 (citing James Bessen & Michael J. Meurer, The Direct Costs from NPE Disputes (working paper 

subsequently published at 99 CORNELL L. REV. 387 (2014)) but also noting criticism of the study by David L. Schwartz & 

Jay P. Kesan, Analyzing the Role of Non-Practicing Entities in the Patent System (working paper subsequently published at 

99 CORNELL L. REV. 925 (2014))). 

122 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2, at 17–18. See also Colleen V. Chien, Assistant Professor, Santa Clara Univ., Remarks at 

FTC & DOJ Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop: Patent Assertion Entities (Dec. 10, 2012) at 23, 

https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/public_events/patent-assertion-entity-activities-workshop/cchien.pdf 

(finding that PAEs brought 61% of patent lawsuits in the first 11 months of 2012, compared to 45% in 2010, and 19% in 

2006). 

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by patent monetization entities increased from 22% in 2007 to 40% in 2011.123 Congress has consulted 

both the CRS report and the GAO report in introducing bills to address the reported increase in PAE 

litigation activity. 

For example, two patent reform bills reported to the House and the Senate in 2015, H.R. 9 and S. 1137, 

make similar proposals on the following issues:124 

 Greater specificity in demand letters: Both bills include provisions that would require patent 

holders to provide basic information about the nature of the claimed infringement in their 

demand letters.125 These proposals reflect Congress’s concern that PAEs may be sending false or 

misleading demands to goad recipients into entering quick settlements.126 

 Heightened pleading requirements: Both bills include provisions that would require complaints 

alleging patent infringement to contain more details regarding the claimed infringement.127 These 

proposals would essentially codify the use of infringement contentions that some judicial 

districts currently require by local rule from patent infringement plaintiffs as post-filing 

disclosures.128 

123 Jeruss et al., supra note 2, at 361. Feldman et al. later examined all litigation filed in four years, 2007, 2008, 2011, and 

2012, analyzing roughly 13,000 cases and almost 30,000 patents asserted in those cases. Feldman et al., supra note 2, at 6. 

124 Innovation Act, H.R. 9, 114th Cong. (2015) (as reported by H. Comm. on the Judiciary, July 29, 2015); PATENT Act, 

S. 1137, 114th Cong. (2015) (as reported by S. Comm. on the Judiciary, Sept. 8, 2015). 

125 H.R. 9 § 3(f) (proposing to amend 35 U.S.C. § 284 to require that pre-suit notification relied on by a patent holder to 

establish willful infringement must identify with particularity the asserted patent and the accused product or process, and 

explain with particularity how the accused product or process infringes); S. 1137 § 8 (making similar proposal to amend 

35 U.S.C. § 284). 

126 H.R. 9 § 3(e) (“It is the sense of Congress that it is an abuse of the patent system and against public policy for a party to 

send out purposely evasive demand letters to end users alleging patent infringement.”); S. 1137 § 9 (proposing a new section 

of the Patent Act that would make the widespread sending of abusive demand letters an unfair and deceptive act or practice in 

violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act). 

127 H.R. 9 § 3(a) (proposing a new section of the Patent Act that would require patent infringement complaints to contain 

infringement contentions identifying each asserted patent, each allegedly infringed claim, and each accused product, and 

mapping the elements of each claim to the aspects or features of each accused product); S. 1137 § 3(b) (making similar 

proposal). 

128 See, e.g., N.D. CAL. PATENT L.R. 3-1; E.D. TEX. P. R. 3-1; N.D. ILL. L. PATENT R. 2.2. See generally Megan M. La Belle, 

The Local Rules of Patent Procedure, 47 ARIZ. ST. L.J. 63, 113–17 (2015) (suggesting that concerns regarding abusive patent 

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	 Greater transparency of patent ownership: Both bills include provisions requiring the 

identification of assignees of each asserted patent and their “ultimate parent entity,” if any.129 

These proposals address perceived concerns that PAEs bringing litigation may be controlled by 

another entity, whose relationship with the PAE is opaque and who may be judgment-proof. 

	 End-user stay of infringement litigation: Both bills include provisions that enable customer or 

end-user defendants to stay infringement litigation so as to allow the manufacturer or supplier of 

the accused product or technology to intervene in the litigation.130 

	 Limiting discovery costs: Both bills include provisions that would cabin discovery costs by 

staying discovery during the pendency of a motion to dismiss, motion to transfer, or motion to 

sever. 131 The bills also propose that the Judicial Conference of the United States develop rules 

and procedures to implement proposed reforms that address concerns about asymmetries in 

discovery burdens and costs in patent cases.132 

	 Fee-shifting to losing parties: Both bills include fee shifting, which would allow the prevailing 

party in a patent case to obtain fees from the losing party if the litigation position or conduct of 

the losing party was not objectively reasonable or reasonably justified.133 

litigation have created a “policy window” for stakeholders to consider the adoption of a set of national rules governing patent 

procedure). 

129 H.R. 9 § 4(a) (proposing an amendment to 35 U.S.C. § 290); S. 1137 § 10(a) (proposing a new section of the Patent Act). 

As the proposals make clear, the term “ultimate parent entity” is intended to have the same meaning as in the rules 

promulgated by the FTC and DOJ under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, 16 C.F.R. § 801.1(a)(3) 

(2015). 

130 H.R. 9 § 5; S. 1137 § 4. 

131 H.R. 9 § 3(d); S. 1137 § 5. 

132 H.R. 9 § 6; S. 1137 § 6. 

133 H.R. 9 § 3(b) (“[U]nless the court finds that the position and conduct of the nonprevailing party or parties were reasonably 

justified in law and fact”); S. 1137 § 7 (“If the court finds that the position of the non-prevailing party was not objectively 

reasonable in law or fact or that the conduct of the non-prevailing party was not objectively reasonable.”). 

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United States Supreme Court 

Issues surrounding infringement lawsuits brought by PAEs and NPEs have arisen in the Supreme 

Court. Justice Kennedy’s concurrence in eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C. cited the FTC’s 

description of patent assertion firms from its 2003 report.134 In that case, the Supreme Court held 

that the traditional four-factor test for awarding permanent injunctive relief applies in patent 

infringement cases. Justice Kennedy suggested that trial courts, in exercising their equitable discretion 

over injunctions, should bear in mind that some infringement cases nowadays are brought by firms that 

“use patents not as a basis for producing and selling goods but, instead, primarily for obtaining 

licensing fees.”135 

In Commil USA, LLC v. Cisco Systems, Inc., the Court observed in passing that “[s]ome companies may 

use patents as a sword to go after defendants for money, even when their claims are frivolous.”136 

Quoting the FTC’s testimony to Congress, the Court added that frivolous claims of infringement are 

often made through demand letters, which “may be sent very broadly and without prior investigation, 

may assert vague claims of infringement, and may be designed to obtain payments that are based more 

on the costs of defending litigation than on the merit of the patent claims,” and that such behavior can 

impose a “harmful tax on innovation.”137 Recognizing the specter of frivolous claims, the Court 

reaffirmed the responsibility and authority of trial courts to impose appropriate sanctions on frivolous 

claims through the use of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Patent Act’s attorney 

fee statute, 35 U.S.C. § 285.138 

Moreover, the fact that some PAEs may send abusive demand letters to defendant companies calls for 

the careful application of enhanced damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284, to ensure that the statute targets 

134 eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, LLC, 547 U.S. 388 (2006). 

135 Id. at 396 (Kennedy, J., concurring) (citing FTC PROMOTE INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 32, at ch. 3, at 38–39) (noting 

that in such cases, the plaintiffs may be using the threat of an injunction as “a bargaining tool to charge exorbitant fees to 

companies that seek to buy licenses to practice the patent”). 

136 Commil USA, LLC v. Cisco Sys., Inc., 135 S. Ct. 1920, 1930 (2015). 

137 Id. (quoting H.R. __, a Bill to Enhance Federal and State Enforcement of Fraudulent Patent Demand Letters: Hearing 

Before the Subcomm. on Commerce, Mfg. & Trade of the H. Comm. on Energy & Commerce, 113th Cong. 19 (2014) 

(statement of Lois Greisman, Assoc. Dir., Bureau of Consumer Protection, Fed. Trade Comm’n)). 

138 Id. 

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only egregious misconduct, as Justice Breyer observed in his concurrence in Halo Electronics, Inc. v. 

Pulse Electronics, Inc.

139 Unchecked by the courts, the threat of treble damages can cause accused 

infringers to settle, even if their activities do not violate the patent laws.140 

The History of the FTC’s PAE Study 

In September 2014, the Commission began a market study focused on PAE acquisition, litigation, and 

licensing practices. The study aimed to provide a more complete picture of how PAEs are structured and 

organized, how they acquire and assert patents, how they license their patents, and whether they 

facilitate patent monetization for inventors. This report sets forth the results of that study. 

The PAE study was motivated in part by the Commission’s longstanding and significant interest and 

expertise in studying legal and policy issues at the intersection of antitrust and intellectual property. In 

2003, the FTC issued a report focused on improving patent quality to strike an appropriate balance 

between the patent grant’s exclusive rights and the competitive forces that incentivize firms to produce 

new products and services.141 Subsequently, in 2007, the FTC and the DOJ Antitrust Division jointly 

issued a report that addressed the importance of considering the benefits of patent rights in antitrust 

analysis.142 More generally, Commissioners and FTC staff have provided testimony before Congress, 

filed comments with the USPTO and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and filed amicus 

briefs regarding competition aspects of patent policy and enforcement. 

The PAE study also was prompted by the Commission’s developing interest in learning more about PAE 

activity. The Commission discussed the emergence of PAE business models in its 2011 Report, The 

Evolving IP Marketplace: Aligning Patent Notice and Remedies with Competition.

143 There we 

recognized that reported increases in PAE activity in the information technology (IT) industry 

139 Halo Elecs., Inc. v. Pulse Elecs., Inc., 136 S. Ct. 1923, 1936–38 (2016) (Breyer, J., concurring). 

140 Id. at 296. 

141 FTC PROMOTE INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 32. 

142 FTC/DOJ PROMOTING INNOVATION AND COMPETITION REPORT, supra note 32. 

143 FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1. 

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“amplified concerns about the effects of ex post patent transactions on innovation and competition.”144 

We recommended improving the notice function of patents so that it would be easier for implementers 

either to begin licensing discussions before commercialization, or to design around the patented 

technology.145 

On December 10, 2012, the FTC and DOJ jointly sponsored a public workshop to explore the impact of 

PAE activities on innovation and competition, and the implications, if any, for antitrust enforcement and 

146 147 policy. The agencies also solicited and received public comments in connection with the workshop.

Although workshop panelists and commenters identified potential harms and benefits of PAE activity, 

they noted a lack of empirical data in this area, and recommended that the FTC use its statutory 

authority under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act to collect confidential business information on PAE 

acquisition, litigation, and licensing practices.148 Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Daniel 

Lipinski likewise called on the Commission to conduct a Section 6(b) study of PAE activity.149 

144 Id. at 8–9 (“Some argue that PAEs encourage innovation by compensating inventors, but this argument ignores the fact 

that invention is only the first step in a long process of innovation. Even if PAEs arguably encourage invention, they can 

deter innovation by raising costs and risks without making a technological contribution.”). 

145 Id. at 9. 

146 Press Release, Fed. Trade Comm’n, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice to Hold Workshop on Patent 

Assertion Entity Activities (Dec. 7, 2012), https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/12/federal-tradecommission-department-justice-hold-workshop-patent. The workshop was held on December 10, 2012. See Patent Assertion 

Entity Activities Workshop, FED. TRADE COMM’N, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/events-calendar/2012/12/patentassertion-entity-activities-workshop. 

147 Public Workshop: Patent Assertion Entity Activities, U.S. DEPT. OF JUSTICE, https://www.justice.gov/atr/events/publicworkshop-patent-assertion-entity-activities#comments (the workshop webpage contains a list of all 68 public comments). 

148 See Transcript of PAE Activities Workshop, Fed. Trade Comm’n & U.S. Dep’t of Justice, at 33 (Dec. 10, 2012), 

https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/public_events/Patent%20Assertion%20Entity%20Activities%20Workshop 

%20/pae_transcript.pdf (testimony of Prof. Carl Shapiro) (“Now let’s look at, if we’re going to try to figure out, follow the 

money, this is where there’s a good amount of empirical work, and more needs to be done.”); id. at 113 (testimony of Prof. 

Tim Simcoe) (“So, in terms of comments, I liked Adam’s point about the importance of data and empirical evidence in this 

entire debate.”); id. at 117 (testimony of Fiona Scott Morton, Deputy Assistant Attorney Gen., U.S. Dept. of Justice) (“But 

what I’m hearing a little bit here is a call for empirical work. And a couple of points that came up on the panel, I think, were 

asserted without really us having the data to do that.”); id. at 131–32 (testimony of Deputy Dir. Howard Shelanski, Bureau of 

Econ.) (“I’ll reemphasize I think what to me are critical question, which is the empirical data, which will help us understand 

the magnitude of these effects and the value of thinking about these problems holistically, and trying to access the net 

benefits versus costs in a particular competitive context.”); id. at 141 (testimony of Prof. David Schwartz) (“And there are 

few, if any, empirical comparisons, broad comparisons of PAE litigation in general, and other patent litigation.”); id. at 149 

(testimony of Brad Burnham) (“So what I want to do here is say that as we talk about doing all of this research, I really 

believe in empirical evidence, and I really think we should do it.”). See also Jonathan H. Ashtor, Michael J. Mazzeo & 

Samantha Zyontz, Patents at Issue: The Data Behind the Patent Troll Debate, 21 GEO. MASON L. REV. 957, 977 (2014) 

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In September 2013, the Commission began the formal process of obtaining authorization to conduct a 

Section 6(b) study. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act and implementing regulations of the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB),150 the Commission published a Federal Register Notice that 

included, among other things, the Special Orders under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act151 that the 

Commission planned to serve on PAEs, manufacturers, and NPEs. Commenters on the Commission’s 

first Federal Register Notice announcing the study likewise stressed the need for Commission research 

in this area.152 

Based on public comments received in response to the September 2013 Federal Register Notice, the 

FTC amended the information requests that would be attached to the Special Orders. In May 2014, it 

published a second Federal Register Notice requesting public comments, and announced its official 

intention to seek OMB approval.153 On August 8, 2014, the FTC obtained the required approval, and on 

September 15, 2014, it began serving the Special Orders on PAE, NPE, and manufacturer respondents 

selected for inclusion in the study. 

(“This Article does not address settled cases directly, or demand letters and licensing arrangements that do not involve 

litigation, and it is possible that PAEs significantly differ from practicing entities when it comes to out-of-court assertion 

practices.”). 

149 Letter from Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senate, to Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman; Julie Brill, Commissioner; Maureen K. 

Ohlhausen, Commissioner; and Joshua D. Wright, Commissioner, Fed. Trade Comm’n (June 24, 2013), 

http://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/2013/6/klobuchar-calls-on-administration-to-address-concerns-over-patent-trollsthat-stifle-innovation-and-hurt-the-economy; Letter from Representative Daniel Lipinski, U.S. House of Representatives, to 

Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman, Fed. Trade Comm’n (June 25, 2013), http://lipinski.house.gov/uploads/PAE_letter.pdf. 

150 The Commission was required to obtain OMB approval before it could begin the study because the proposed number of 

special orders triggered the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. ch. 35, as amended. 

151 15 U.S.C. § 46(b) (2012); Fed. Trade Comm’n, Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request, 78 Fed. Reg. 61,352 (Oct. 3, 2013). 

152 See List of Public Comments regarding PAE Study, FED. TRADE COMM’N, https://www.ftc.gov/policy/publiccomments/initiative-501. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has also recognized deficiencies in the existing 

record of non-public PAE activity. First, although GAO reported that patent assertions frequently do not result in litigation, it 

could not obtain reliable data on such assertions. Second, GAO could not collect information on litigation costs from court 

records or the sample data, nor obtain information on the settlements that resolve most cases. 2013 GAO REPORT, supra 

note 2, at 23–25. (The GAO used the term “patent monetization entity” (PME) to describe an entity that “buy[s] patents from 

others for the purpose of asserting them for profit.” Id. at 2. This definition is nearly equivalent to the FTC’s definition of a 

PAE). 

153 Fed. Trade Comm’n, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 

79 Fed. Reg. 28,715 (May 19, 2014). 

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Study Scope and Methodology 

The FTC study differs from prior studies in a meaningful way. As described below, the FTC had access 

to new data pertaining to non-public assertion behavior that was not available to other researchers, who 

instead focused on publicly available litigation data. The majority of PAE litigation settles, and 

settlement agreements frequently include non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that prohibit parties from 

disclosing settlement terms to third parties. Licenses negotiated independently of litigation likewise 

commonly contain non-disclosure provisions. NDAs, however, do not prevent legally mandated 

disclosure of information to the government. Consequently, by using its Section 6(b) authority to 

compel information from respondents, the FTC harvested a wealth of non-public settlement, license, and 

business information that other researchers cannot collect. This information allowed the FTC to draw 

new and unique insights regarding PAE business models, assertion behavior, and patent holdings. 

We wanted to study the most economically important PAEs while also including PAEs of different sizes 

to understand how assertion behavior may vary across firm size. To meet both of these goals, the FTC 

designed a sampling algorithm to include the firms that accounted for a larger proportion of assertion 

behavior while also including different sized firms. Because there is no public registry of PAEs, the FTC 

developed a methodology for selecting PAE respondents informed by its own research and meetings 

with academics, businesses, trade associations, and other government representatives.154 

The Commission used two publicly available measures as a proxy for firm size: the estimated number of 

patents held by a PAE and the estimated number of defendants sued by a PAE.155 These two measures 

154 See Fed. Trade Comm’n, Supporting Statement for a Paperwork Reduction Act Submission to OMB, FTC Study of Patent 

Assertion Entities, Part B, REGINFO.GOV, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=47563401 and 

infra, Appendix F (describing the FTC’s selection methodology in more detail). See also Fed. Trade Comm’n, Supporting 

Statement for a Paperwork Reduction Act Submission to OMB, FTC Study of Patent Assertion Entities, Part A, 

REGINFO.GOV, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=47563301 and infra, Appendix E. The 

FTC’s sampling method roughly followed a “cut-off sample” design, commonly used by Federal agencies when studying 

“businesses or other highly skewed populations.” OFF. INF. & REG. AFF, OFF. MANAGEMENT & BUDGET, QUESTIONS & 

ANSWERS WHEN DESIGNING SURVEYS FOR INFORMATION COLLECTIONS 26 (2006), 

www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/inforeg/pmc_survey_guidance_2006.pdf. 

155 While revenue or number of employees is typically used as the measure of firm size, this information was not generally 

publicly available for PAEs. The FTC purchased the measures of estimated patent holdings and the estimated number of 

defendants sued from two commercial data collection firms: Patent Freedom and RPX, which use public sources of 

information to determine if a firm is a PAE. They also estimate the patent holdings and litigation behavior of firms engaged 

in patent litigation. The FTC obtained data from RPX and Patent Freedom prior to RPX’s acquisition of Patent Freedom in 

June 2014. 

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were intended to generate a sample that included both PAEs that litigated frequently but did not hold 

many patents and PAEs that held large patent portfolios but did not rely on litigation to assert their 

patents. The FTC then combined these two estimates for each firm into a score that was a proxy for firm 

size. Using the proxy score, the Commission used stratified and weighted sampling to collect the target 

numbers of PAEs for each of three strata defined by the proxy score values: small, medium, and large. 

The weighted sampling increased the likelihood that the larger PAEs within each size strata, which 

presumably were the most economically significant firms within their strata, would be chosen. After 

the initial selection was complete, FTC staff researched court dockets and state records, among other 

sources, to determine whether each firm on the target list met the FTC’s definition of a PAE. 

Using its selection methodology, the FTC sent information requests to PAEs of different sizes (as 

measured by estimated patent holdings and litigations). The requests sought information on: the 

composition of PAE portfolios (information such as the age and field of patents); whether any patents 

were subject to a licensing commitment to a standard setting organization; and the costs of acquiring 

patents, as well as whether the PAEs share the economic value of their portfolios with other entities. The 

requests also sought information about assertion activity, such as licensing and litigation activity, and 

the costs of assertion.156 The companion Wireless Case Study compared how PAEs, manufacturing 

firms, and NPEs assert their patents in the wireless chipset sector.157 

The FTC served 28 Special Orders to firms that its research indicated operated as PAEs.158 The FTC 

then allowed three pairs of these 28 firms to submit a joint response to their information requests 

because their activities were closely related. In addition, the FTC determined that one respondent was 

not a PAE and that two respondents had wound down their businesses to such an extent that they no 

longer had reportable information. As a result, only 22 firms159 responded to the FTC’s Special Orders; 

the FTC calls this category of responding firms “Responding PAEs.”160 

156 Appendix C: PAE Special Order. 

157 Appendix D: Wireless Case Study Special Order. 

158 See Appendix B: Methodology. 

159 Four of these firms were observed to be Portfolio PAEs and the remaining 18 firms were observed to be Litigation PAEs. 

160 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. 

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With the information requests attached to the Special Orders, the FTC collected data regarding PAE 

organizational structure, including the identity of parents, subsidiaries, and related firms. Specifically, 

Specification B.2 required Responding PAEs to identify “all parents, wholly or partially owned 

subsidiaries, incorporated and unincorporated divisions, affiliates, branches, joint ventures, franchises, 

operations under assumed names, websites, or other Person(s) over which the Firm exercises or has 

exercised supervision or control since January 1, 2009.”161 Responding PAEs identified more than 2,500 

entities in response to this question. Not all of those entities, however, engaged in assertion behavior. Of 

the additional entities identified in response to Specification B.2, 327 sent demands, sued for patent 

infringement, or licensed patents. The FTC refers to these 327 additional firms as “Affiliates.” The FTC 

refers to the combined group of Responding PAEs and their Affiliates as “Study PAEs” because they are 

the PAEs for which this study has collected and presented data relating to assertion behavior. Figure 1.1 

identifies the relationship between the 22 Responding PAEs that received the FTC’s information 

requests and the additional entities that the FTC identified during the study. 

Figure 1.1: Relationships Between Responding PAEs and Additional Identified Firms162 

161 Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification B.2.
 

162 The Report discusses Affiliates in Chapters 2, 3, and 4. It discusses Holding Entities in Chapter 5.
 

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The FTC’s study has two parts. The first part, and the primary focus of the study, consists of a broad 

descriptive examination of PAE business models. The second part is a narrowly focused comparative 

case study of patent assertion activity in the wireless chipset sector by PAEs, Wireless Manufacturers, 

and NPEs. For this Wireless Case Study, the FTC sent Special Orders to ten Wireless Manufacturers 

and six NPEs that were active in the wireless chipset sector. Two Wireless Manufacturers did not have 

sufficient reportable information. The FTC allowed two NPE firms to submit a joint response because 

their activities were closely related. As a result, this report presents data on eight Wireless 

Manufacturers and five NPEs that conducted business in the wireless chipset sector. 

Organization of the Report 

Chapter 2 of the Report addresses PAE organization and structure and describes our key observation of 

two distinct PAE business models for generating revenue through patent assertion: the Portfolio PAE 

model and the Litigation PAE model. Chapter 3 describes PAE assertion behavior, including sending 

demands, filing patent infringement lawsuits, and licensing patents. Chapter 4 presents the Wireless 

Case Study and concludes that Litigation PAE assertion behavior and Wireless Manufacturer assertion 

behavior, in particular, are not alike. Finally, Chapter 5 addresses PAE patent holdings and highlights 

that Study PAEs focused on acquiring and asserting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 

patents. 

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Chapter 2: PAE Organization and Structure 

Introduction 

This chapter describes how Study PAEs acquired and asserted patents. While prior research has focused 

on the harms and efficiencies of the business model, less is known about the PAE activities described in 

this chapter because these activities often are not in public view. The FTC observed far more 

organizational homogeneity among Study PAEs than expected. The FTC’s 2011 report, for example, 

described “many types of actors” and “evolving” business models. 163 Upon close examination of the 

more than 300 Study PAEs that engaged in assertion behavior, however, the FTC found that the 

observed PAE business models were more straightforward and homogeneous than previously thought. 

Using the data collected in this study, the first section of this chapter describes the Portfolio PAE and 

Litigation PAE business models. The second section explains how significant numbers of Responding 

PAEs created shell companies to organize their patent holdings and assertion behavior, and the third 

section addresses transparency issues that arise from PAE business models. 

Two Models of PAE Behavior: Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs 

In conducting business, a PAE generally must acquire patents, compensate the prior patent owners, 

organize patent holdings, retain and compensate lawyers, and generate revenue. Study PAEs performed 

these functions according to two distinct business models: 

	 Portfolio PAEs: Portfolio PAEs negotiated licenses covering large portfolios, often containing 

hundreds or thousands of patents, frequently without first suing the alleged infringer. The value 

of these licenses was typically in the millions of dollars. Although Portfolio PAEs accounted for 

only 9% of the reported licenses in the study, they generated 80% of the reported revenue, or 

approximately $3.2 billion. Portfolio PAEs typically funded their initial patent acquisitions 

through capital raised from investors, including institutional investors or manufacturing firms. 

163 FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1, at 62–63 (citing testimony describing 17 different business 

models). 

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	 Litigation PAEs: Litigation PAEs typically sued potential licensees and settled shortly 

afterward by entering into license agreements with defendants covering small portfolios, often 

containing fewer than ten patents. 164 The licenses typically yielded total royalties of less than 

$300,000. According to one estimate, $300,000 approximates the lower bound of early-stage 

litigation costs of defending a patent infringement suit.165 Given the relatively low dollar 

amounts of the licenses, the behavior of Litigation PAEs is consistent with nuisance litigation.166 

For each separate patent portfolio that they acquired, Litigation PAEs characteristically 

created a new affiliate entity, which often held ten patents or less. They generally operated with 

little or no working capital and relied on agreements to share future revenue with patent sellers to 

fund their businesses. Litigation PAEs filed 96% of the cases in the study and accounted for 91% 

of the reported licenses, but only 20% of the reported revenue, or approximately $800 million. 

164 Sixty-six percent of Litigation PAE cases settled within 12 months. To provide context, one recent study found that, 

between 2010 and 2014, the median time to trial for patent lawsuits was 29 months. PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, 

2015 PATENT LITIGATION STUDY: A CHANGE IN PATENTEE FORTUNES 14 (2015), https://www.pwc.com/us/en/forensicservices/publications/assets/2015-pwc-patent-litigation-study.pdf [hereinafter 2015 PWC PATENT LITIGATION STUDY]. While 

cases that proceed to trial are far fewer than those that settle, the 29-month value provides a benchmark for the approximate 

length of time that a case would take if it did not settle. Note that, as used in this report, “Case” means the unit of observation 

defined as a matter between a particular plaintiff and a particular defendant involving a particular set of asserted patents. See 

Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. 

165 The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), which periodically surveys the costs of patent litigation, 

recently reported that the cost of defending an NPE patent litigation through the end of discovery, which litigation budgets 

typically use as a milestone for filing any summary judgment motions, is between $300,000 and $2,500,000, depending on 

the amount in controversy. AIPLA 2013 REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY, supra note 7, at 35. Although there are more 

recent AIPLA reports, the FTC uses the 2013 survey here because 2013 is the last full year for which it collected data. 

166 William H.J. Hubbard, Sinking Costs to Force or Deter Settlement, 10 J.L. ECON. & ORG. 1093, 1093–94 (2015) (“The 

notion is that the prospect of expensive litigation drives the defendant to pay a settlement despite knowing that, were the case 

to go to trial, the defendant would probably or certainly win.”); David Rosenberg & Steven Shavell, A Solution to the 

Problem of Nuisance Suits: The Option to Have the Court Bar Settlement, 26 INT’L REV. L. & ECON. 42, 42 (2006) (“By a 

nuisance suit we refer to a legal action in which the plaintiff’s case is sufficiently weak that he would be unwilling to pursue 

it to trial.”); David Rosenberg & Steven A. Shavell, A Model in Which Suits Are Brought for Their Nuisance Value, 5 INT’L 

REV. L. & ECON. 3, 3 (1985) (“By a suit brought for its nuisance value, we mean a suit in which the plaintiff is able to obtain 

a positive settlement from the defendant even though the defendant knows the plaintiff's case is sufficiently weak that he 

would be unwilling or unlikely actually to pursue his case to trial.”). 

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To further illustrate the differences in the size of patent license royalties between Litigation and 

Portfolio PAEs, Figure 2.1 shows the relative size of the median patent royalty license revenue per 

license separately for each Responding PAE.167 The smallest median patent royalty earned by a 

Portfolio PAE was 4.5 times larger than the largest median patent royalty earned by a Litigation PAE. 

Figure 2.1: Relative Size of the Median Patent Royalty Per License 

Note: Sample restricted to the 2,364 licenses reporting positive royalty payments. 

Portfolio PAEs accounted for the overwhelming majority of reported license revenue because their 

licenses generated total royalties that were much larger, on average, than those of Litigation PAE 

167 th The median (or 50 percentile of a distribution) is defined as the midpoint of a distribution; that is, 50% of the license 

royalties that a Responding PAE received are greater than the median royalty and 50% are less than the median royalty. To 

anonymize the information from any Responding PAE, Figure 2.1 does not contain labels describing the magnitude of the 

license royalties. 

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licenses. There was little overlap in the royalties generated by Litigation PAE and Portfolio PAE 

licenses. Seventy-seven percent of Litigation PAE licenses generated royalties of less than $300,000 

and 94% of the Litigation PAE licenses generated royalties of less than $1 million. By contrast, 65% of 

Portfolio PAE licenses generated royalties of more than $1 million per license and 10% of Portfolio 

PAE licenses generated royalties of greater than $50 million. 

Portfolio PAEs 

Portfolio PAEs most closely resembled the licensing arms of manufacturing firms; they were highly 

capitalized and often raised money from investors that included both investment funds and 

manufacturing firms. Typically, these investors received a share of the Portfolio PAE’s future revenue 

and a license to the Portfolio PAE’s patents. Figure 2.2 shows the acquisition and assertion model for 

Portfolio PAEs. 

Figure 2.2: Portfolio PAE Business Model 

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Portfolio PAEs typically conducted business in the following manner. First, they acquired portfolios of 

patents. Portfolio PAEs frequently acquired patents from manufacturing firms by making large up-front 

payments to the owner. Some Portfolio PAEs acquired hundreds or thousands of patents in individual 

transactions, often purchasing these patents from manufacturing firms. Other Portfolio PAEs acquired 

smaller numbers of patents per transaction and aggregated them into larger portfolios. Regardless of 

acquisition model, Portfolio PAEs then organized acquired patents into one or more portfolios, each 

containing hundreds if not thousands of patents and offered these portfolios for licensing.168 

Portfolio PAEs generally reached licensing commitments without bringing litigation against a potential 

licensee: they executed 71% of their licenses without litigation. Portfolio PAEs often sent demands to 

initiate these license negotiations.169 They employed dedicated management and licensing executives, 

who frequently had prior licensing experience. When Portfolio PAEs did file suit, 76% of their cases 

involved five to ten patents and 74% of their cases lasted more than a year. Portfolio PAEs typically 

retained counsel paid on an hourly basis, when needed. 

In lieu of litigation, licensing executives hired by Portfolio PAEs typically began negotiations by 

reaching out to a large network of contacts and offering a portfolio license. Portfolio PAE licensing 

executives typically contacted a specific person in their network, with whom they appeared to have had 

an introduction or a preexisting relationship. 

Overall, Portfolio PAE licenses generated high revenues relative to Litigation PAE licenses. Although 

Portfolio PAEs accounted for 9% of all licenses in the study, these licenses generated 80% of all revenue 

reported in the study. Some Portfolio PAEs also sold patents to Litigation PAEs in exchange for a share 

of the revenues that the acquiring Litigation PAE might subsequently obtain through litigation and 

settlement. The Portfolio PAE model may serve as a mechanism for shifting the financial risk of 

assertion activity to individuals or entities more able and willing to bear such risk, which may be more 

attractive to some patent owners than asserting the patents themselves. By raising capital from investors 

and purchasing patents with a large up-front payment, the Portfolio PAE provides the patent seller with 

168 In some instances, the Portfolio PAE created an affiliate entity to hold and assert the portfolio. Thirty Affiliates were 

related to Portfolio PAEs. 

169 Each Portfolio PAE reported sending demands to prospective licensees. 

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guaranteed revenue and zero risk. The investors, who may have greater risk tolerance, then stand to 

enjoy the financial upside of successful assertion activities. In addition, manufacturing firms may 

transfer patents to Portfolio PAEs for assertion because Portfolio PAEs may enjoy lower costs, lack of 

reputational concerns, or licensing experience owing to their specialization in patent assertion. 

Additionally, for manufacturing firms that are potential investors, the Portfolio PAE model also offers 

an extra upside benefit, a chance not only to be an investor but also to avoid becoming a target of 

assertion activity. Several PAEs adopted a practice whereby investors acquired a license to the patents in 

which they invested, in addition to an interest in revenue generated by future assertion against third 

parties. In such cases, investors obtained assurances that the patents would not be asserted against them, 

as well as the opportunity for potential financial gain. 

Litigation PAEs 

The Litigation PAE business model frequently employed one or more affiliate entities, usually set up as 

limited liability companies (LLCs), each created to acquire and assert a small portfolio of patents, 

without bundling or aggregating acquired patents into larger portfolios.170 Some, but not all, Litigation 

PAEs sent demand letters. Regardless of whether they sent demand letters, Litigation PAEs almost 

always sued potential licensees in district court before beginning license negotiations.171 These patent 

infringement suits usually settled quickly, typically with a lump-sum payment of less than $300,000. 

Litigation PAEs tended to be thinly capitalized. Many had between one and three individual owners, 

often with no other employees and no offices outside of their owners’ homes. In fact, several Litigation 

PAEs were simply individual entrepreneurs who relied entirely on outside attorneys and professionals to 

maintain records regarding their assertion activity. Many firms did not have sophisticated recordkeeping. 

Figure 2.3 shows the acquisition and assertion model for Litigation PAEs from the perspective of a 

single portfolio acquisition. 

170 See supra note 168 (discussing Portfolio PAEs and Affiliates). While Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs both created 

and used Affiliates, Portfolio PAEs assigned aggregated portfolios to Affiliates, while as described here Litigation PAEs and 

their Affiliates acquired and asserted small portfolios without aggregation. In all, 297 Affiliates were related to Litigation 

PAEs. 

171 Under the category of Litigation PAEs, more than 40% of Responding PAEs reported that they, or their Affiliates, never 

sent demand letters. 

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Figure 2.3: Litigation PAE Business Model 

Litigation PAEs typically conducted business in the following manner. First, the Litigation PAE 

established an Affiliate, shown here as Affiliate 1, typically a LLC.172 Sometimes the relationship 

between the controlling Litigation PAE and the Affiliate was obvious. More often, however, the 

relationship was not clear from comparing the names of the Responding Litigation PAE and its Affiliate. 

Affiliates were typically the entities most visible to the public. As the legal patent owners, or the 

exclusive licensees, they served as the named plaintiffs in litigation and as the licensors on executed 

licenses. In many cases, their names also were recorded in USPTO records. While these firms existed as 

legally distinct entities, in most cases, they existed only on paper, without any physical office or fulltime employees. Once their role in patent assertion was complete, many Affiliates became inactive. 

After creating an Affiliate, a Litigation PAE would generally acquire a small portfolio of patents, 

shown in Figure 2.3 as Portfolio 1. The Affiliate would hold only the small portfolio of patents acquired 

by the Litigation PAE in that single transaction. Litigation PAEs did not aggregate patents acquired 

through multiple transactions into individual Affiliates. 

With one exception,173 each Litigation PAE reported the use of revenue sharing in at least some of its 

patent acquisition agreements.174 Approximately half of the Litigation PAEs used revenue-sharing 

172 In some cases, one LLC would serve as the patent acquisition vehicle for a PAE and then assign acquired patents to new 

related LLCs, which would in turn hold and assert them. That practice was particularly common with Litigation PAEs that 

comprised many LLCs. 

173 The one exception is a Litigation PAE that reported paying no monetary consideration for its patents, indicating instead 

that its owners obtained the patents in exchange for services they had provided to the patent seller. 

174 The FTC asked for a variety of information regarding both patent acquisition and counsel retention agreements as well as 

revenue sharing. The Responding PAEs accounted for the payments made pursuant to these agreements in a variety of ways. 

Some viewed these agreements as a cost of doing business, others viewed them as revenue sharing, and others identified 

them as a third-party economic interest in their patents. This reflected the variation in arrangements and governance styles 

used by the parties to contract for these inputs. As a result, it was not possible to compare one Responding PAE’s responses 

48 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

agreements exclusively. These agreements kept many patent sellers engaged in the PAEs’ assertion 

activity. In fact, some Litigation PAEs referred to patent sellers as their partners or clients. Under some 

agreements, patent sellers agreed to assist with litigation, such as by making inventors available to 

testify, while in other agreements, the patent sellers retained authority to control certain aspects of the 

litigation or licensing activity. 

Litigation PAEs employed a variety of contractual terms to share future revenue with patent sellers. 

Some agreements shared a percentage of gross proceeds, i.e., the payments received from licensees. 

Many agreements, however, provided a percentage share of net proceeds after deducting costs. These 

costs often included both contingency fee payments to counsel as well as other out-of-pocket litigation 

expenses, such as expert witness fees. 

Of the 18 Litigation PAEs in the study, nine reported that all of their patents were encumbered by some 

form of a third-party economic interest and the remaining nine firms reported that some of their patents 

had such an encumbrance. In addition, six of the Litigation PAEs reported acquiring the rights to some 

patents through an exclusive license; in those cases, the patent owner retained ownership of the patents 

but granted the PAE enough rights to enforce the patents on its own against potential infringers. 

Sometimes, the Litigation PAEs sent demand letters. However, the FTC did not observe Study PAEs 

successfully generating low-revenue licenses from demands alone, i.e., without also suing the target: 

over 90% of the patent licenses granted by Litigation PAEs followed a lawsuit against the licensee. 

Litigation PAEs entered into licenses with defendants in 76% of the reported cases that terminated in 

the study period. Most of these cases settled within a year of filing and 77% of reported Litigation PAE 

licenses were for less than $300,000. 

Litigation PAEs reported retaining outside litigation counsel on a contingency fee basis. Often, these 

attorneys would receive a percentage share of either gross or net proceeds from litigation, including 

proceeds from licenses with defendants. Contingency fee agreements frequently had a sliding scale for 

compensation: counsel would earn a smaller percentage of overall proceeds if the litigation ended in an 

early settlement, and the percentage owed would increase the longer it took before a settlement was 

to others but the agreements produced by the respondents nevertheless reflected the importance of revenue sharing to the 

Litigation PAE business model. 

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reached. Many Litigation PAEs also retained multiple law firms to work on their behalf (i.e., national 

counsel, local counsel, and in some cases specialized attorneys to counsel on licensing negotiations and 

strategy) and, in these cases, the retainer agreements also established the relative priority of each firm’s 

contingency claim.175 

Some Litigation PAEs Comprised Multiple Affiliates 

Some Litigation PAEs consisted of only one legal entity. Several single-LLC Litigation PAEs 

appeared to be organized as investment opportunities for individuals who learned of a patent 

portfolio and acquired it as speculation. Other Litigation PAEs had multiple Affiliates. MultiAffiliate Litigation PAEs organized themselves by creating new Affiliates for each acquired 

portfolio, as shown in Figure 2.4. 

Figure 2.4: Multiple Affiliate Litigation PAE Business Model 

175 Contingency fee agreements also had varied treatment of out-of-pocket costs and whether the law firm would be 

compensated from gross recoveries or recoveries net those costs. While most agreements provided that the law firm would be 

compensated with a share of either judgments or settlement payments, there also was variation regarding whether the law 

firm would also be compensated from licensing of patents held by the Litigation PAE that were not asserted in litigation. In 

addition to agreements with outside counsel, some Responding PAEs reported entering into revenue sharing agreements with 

other consultants or with investors. 

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Larger Litigation PAEs also used the Affiliate model, scaling up by creating more Affiliates to hold 

portfolios as they were acquired, instead of aggregating patents into larger portfolios. This structure may 

reflect how Litigation PAEs paid for the patents they acquired. As noted already, Litigation PAEs 

frequently entered into revenue sharing agreements with patent sellers, agreeing to pay the sellers a 

percentage of the revenues that the PAE would obtain through licensing as consideration for the patents. 

The use of separate LLCs to own and assert patents acquired from separate sellers would make it easier 

for PAEs to segregate revenue for sharing with each patent seller. Several Responding PAEs reported 

tracking their revenue sharing at the level of the Affiliate for this reason. 

For Litigation PAEs, the controlling entity in Figure 2.4 was most frequently itself an LLC. In some 

cases, however, there was no single controlling entity, and the LLCs were instead a loose affiliation of 

firms that did not operate in a parent/subsidiary relationship with each other. They operated 

independently but shared common owners or investors. Controlling entities, if present, sometimes 

performed centralized business functions, including: (1) scouting for new patents to acquire; (2) vetting 

patents to select for acquisition; (3) providing technical assistance during assertion; (4) financing 

acquisition and assertion expenses; and (5) maintaining a public-facing website offering the firm’s 

services to inventors and patent holders.176 

The identity of the controlling entity identified in Figure 2.4, and its relationship to other entities, further 

defined the Litigation PAE business model. In one sub-model, the controlling entity directed the patent 

acquisition and assertion, often operating as a repeat player, finding and contracting with different patent 

owners and asserting patents on their behalf. When an Affiliate was successful in its assertion behavior, 

the Affiliate’s legal owners and shareholders retained significant revenue. Controlling entities using 

this model frequently operated websites advertising their services as patent brokers and intermediaries 

to small companies and lone inventors. In a second sub-model, a patent seller transferred its patents to 

the controlling entity while retaining significant control over how—and against whom—the PAE 

asserted and licensed patents.177 PAEs using this model tended to transfer the majority of their 

176 Some firms noted that patent screening was an important aspect of their business model, and that they declined to acquire 

a majority of the patents that they reviewed. 

177 In this model, the patent seller retained control over assertion behavior through clauses in the patent acquisition or revenue 

sharing agreement. 

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licensing revenues to the patent sellers. In a third sub-model, a revenue sharing agreement with third 

parties appeared to allow those third parties to capture most of an Affiliate’s revenue; in these cases, the 

Affiliate did not retain revenues for itself. Several such agreements provided that an investor or 

consultant to the PAE would receive a large share of revenues. 

Litigation PAEs frequently employed contingency fee counsel. For some Litigation PAEs, the 

contingency fee agreements had the effect of distributing most of the proceeds from assertion to outside 

attorneys. Some Responding PAEs indicated to the FTC that their outside attorneys exercised 

considerable autonomy and discretion in identifying defendants and negotiating licenses. Alternatively, 

some Litigation PAEs had similar relationships with other types of outside consultants or advisors who 

received the majority of their proceeds in return for their services. In these cases, the Litigation PAE 

itself had little effective control over its own patent assertion activity. The residual proceeds retained by 

the PAE in such cases were often nominal, and the listed managers of the PAE had only a nominal role 

in the management of patent acquisition or assertion. 

Transparency Issues with Multi-Affiliate Structures 

As described above, the FTC observed significant variation in how multi-Affiliate Litigation PAEs 

organized their firms. Some multi-Affiliate Litigation PAEs adopted traditional parent-subsidiary 

relationships between a single controlling entity and multiple affiliates. Other multi-Affiliate Litigation 

PAEs simply had common owners or investors that controlled each of the Affiliates. For the latter 

arrangements, there was no formal relationship between any of the LLCs; they all operated 

independently but happened to share common owners. This type of organizational structure would be 

less likely to be observed from publicly available data. 

The multi-Affiliate model introduces two transparency issues. First, some PAEs may obscure the 

identity of related LLCs when negotiating with a prospective licensee. In other words, the licensor may 

not disclose the identity of the controlling entity and other related Affiliates. This may create a problem 

if the prospective licensee already has a license to the Affiliate’s patents through an earlier license from 

a related entity, or desires a license that extends to the patents held by related Affiliates. Second, some 

PAEs may obscure the identity of the individuals and entities that share in their licensing proceeds. 

When there are loose affiliations between related entities, it may be difficult for the prospective licensee 

to identify the beneficial party or true party-in-interest, which will frustrate the licensee’s ability to 

52 
 

determine whether it has already licensed the claimed technology through a cross-license or other 

arrangement with another party. 

The multi-Affiliate model may benefit PAEs focused on litigation. For example, the use of Affiliates 

may allow one business to wind down upon completion of a litigation campaign, while others remain 

active, or to protect affiliated business interests from countersuit, creditors, or other claims, if one 

entity should fail. Because ownership structure has minimal impact on infringement, validity, or 

damages analyses, it would not create significant downside for a controlling PAE or its Affiliates. 

However, it could create challenges for the defendant. 

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Chapter 3: Patent Assertion 

Introduction 

Patents are a PAE’s primary asset. PAEs generate revenue by licensing patents or, more rarely, 

obtaining court-awarded damages for infringement.178 In general, there are two ways that a PAE, or 

other patent holder, can begin licensing negotiations. The PAE can reach out to a potential licensee by 

sending a written demand or other communication, or the PAE can file suit alleging patent infringement. 

From the PAE’s perspective, the goal of any assertion—be it a demand or an infringement suit—is to 

obtain the largest possible royalty or other payment. 

Although a number of studies have analyzed PAE litigation, litigation is not the only assertion strategy 

available to PAEs to generate revenue.179 Some commenters have speculated that litigation merely 

represents the “tip of the iceberg” of total PAE assertion activity.180 Few studies, however, have had 

access to data on either PAE demands or patent licenses, which has hampered efforts to quantify the 

economic impact of PAE activity. The FTC’s collection and analysis of non-public demand and license 

data thus provide the first broad description of these critical elements of PAE assertion activity beyond 

litigation behavior. 

This chapter describes Study PAEs’ patent assertion behavior, including sending demands and bringing 

patent infringement suits, and examines Study PAE licensing outcomes.181 The 22 Responding PAEs 

reported 2,274 demands, 3,895 cases of alleged infringement, 2,715 license agreements, and 

approximately four billion dollars in licensing revenue across the nearly six-year study period. In 

addition to presenting demand and licensing data not available previously, the study’s litigation data 

represent a significant fraction of all patent lawsuits filed in the United States during the study period. 

Between January 1, 2009 and September 15, 2014, Study PAEs filed 2,452 patent infringement lawsuits, 

178 Some Study PAEs also reported revenues associated with patent transfers. None of the Responding PAEs reported 

obtaining a permanent injunction, exclusion order, or cease and desist order in any reported case in the study. 

179 See, e.g., Tim Pohlman & Marieke Opitz, Typology of the Patent Troll Business, 43 R&D MGMT. 103 (2013). 

180 Ewing & Feldman, supra note 92, at 37; Scott Morton & Shapiro, supra note 2, at 469. 

181 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. 

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represented as unique docket numbers.182 The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reported that 

27,932 patent lawsuits were filed between 2009 and 2014.183 Consequently, the FTC estimates that the 

litigation reported in this study represents at least 8.8% of all patent suits filed in the U.S. during the 

study period.184 

Findings from recent research similarly suggest that the FTC study describes a substantial fraction of 

PAE litigation taking place during the study period. The United States Government Accountability 

Office estimated that patent monetization entities brought 19% of all patent litigation between 2007 and 

2011.185 The Executive Office of the President reported in June 2013 that “suits brought by PAEs have 

tripled in just the last two years, rising from 29 percent of all infringement suits to 62 percent of all 

infringement suits.”186 Based on these estimates, the FTC calculates that its sample accounts for between 

14% and 46% of PAE lawsuits brought during the study period.187 

182 The FTC asked Responding PAEs to identify all patent infringement suits that they or their Affiliates brought during the 

study period, January 1, 2009 through September 15, 2014, in U.S. district court or before the ITC. See Appendix C: PAE 

Special Order, Specification H.2. The 2,452 figure represents the number of docketed litigations that Study PAEs reported to 

the FTC. Throughout the remainder of the report, the FTC will use the number of discrete “cases,” instead of docketed 

litigations, to report its litigation findings. The FTC uses the term “case” to refer to a unique collection of a plaintiff, 

defendant, and patents. One docketed litigation may correspond to several discrete cases; often this is due to the Study PAE 

naming multiple defendants in the same lawsuit. Conversely, multiple docketed litigations may correspond to a single case; 

for example inter-district transfers. The FTC observed 2,452 docketed litigations which correspond to 3,895 unique cases. 

See Appendix B: Methodology (providing a more detailed description of how the FTC operationalized its definition of a 

patent case). 

183 Statistical Tables for the Federal Judiciary, ADMIN. OFFICE OF THE U.S. COURTS, http://www.uscourts.gov/statisticsreports/analysis-reports/statistical-tables-federal-judiciary (defining a patent lawsuit by a unique docket number which may 

represent multiple parties). 

184 This figure underrepresents the percentage of U.S. patent suits captured by the FTC’s study. The Administrative Office of 

the U.S. Courts presents data on a calendar year basis; 27,932 represents the number of cases filed over a six year period. The 

FTC’s study period ended in September 2014, and is therefore slightly less than six years long. 

185 See 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2, at 17. The GAO used the term “patent monetization entity” (PME) to describe an 

entity that “buy[s] patents from others for the purpose of asserting them for profit.” Id. at 2. This definition is nearly 

equivalent to the FTC’s definition of a PAE. 

186 EOP PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 2, at 1. 

187 Using the GAO’s estimate of the share of total litigation patent monetization entities brought (19%) as the lower bound on 

the share of total litigation PAEs brought during the study period yields 5,307 PAE lawsuits during the study period (19% of 

the 27,932 lawsuits reported by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts). Using the EOP’s estimate of the share of total 

litigation PAEs brought in 2013 (62%) as the upper bound on the share of total litigation PAEs brought during the study 

period yields 17,317 PAE lawsuits during the study period (62% of the 27,932 lawsuits reported by the Administrative Office 

of the U.S. Courts). Therefore, the range of the estimated number of PAE lawsuits during the study period is 5,307-17,317. 

55 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The FTC found that patent assertion behavior differed dramatically depending on whether the Study 

PAE employed the Portfolio PAE or Litigation PAE business model. All Portfolio PAEs in the FTC’s 

study sent demands to initiate patent licensing negotiations with potential licensees, and Portfolio PAEs 

typically executed patent licenses without suing the licensee (only 29% of Portfolio PAE licenses related 

to settled litigation). By contrast, only ten of the 18 Litigation PAEs or their Affiliates sent demands, 

and 93% of Litigation PAE licenses followed a patent infringement lawsuit against the licensee. 

Portfolio PAE and Litigation PAE litigation behavior was also very different. Less than 1% of Portfolio 

PAE cases involved only a single patent while nearly 60% of their cases involved between five and ten 

patents. By contrast, 61% of Litigation PAE cases involved only a single patent and 77% involved two 

or fewer patents. Portfolio PAE cases also took much longer to settle than Litigation PAE cases: 66% of 

Litigation PAE cases that settled during the study period settled within a year while only 26% of 

Portfolio PAE cases that settled during the study period settled within a year. Further, while all of the 

Portfolio PAE cases that terminated during the study period generated a patent license, only 76% of 

terminated Litigation PAE cases generated a patent license. 

The vast majority of Portfolio PAE patent licenses included many more patents and generated much 

more revenue than those of Litigation PAEs. Seventy-five percent of Portfolio PAE licenses included 

more than 1,000 patents while 90% of Litigation PAE licenses included fewer than ten patents. The 

royalties associated with patent licenses were similarly skewed. For example, 77% of the Litigation PAE 

licenses generated royalties of less than $300,000 while 65% of Portfolio PAE licenses generated more 

than $1 million in royalties. Overall, in the study, Litigation PAEs accounted for 91% of the reported 

licenses, but only 20% of the reported revenue, or approximately $800 million, while Portfolio PAE 

licenses, which accounted for 9% of the study total, constituted 80% of the reported revenue, or 

approximately $3.2 billion. Portfolio PAE patent licenses tended to be more complex than those of 

Litigation PAEs. For example, more than 70% of Portfolio PAE licenses contained field-of-use 

restrictions while fewer than 2% of Litigation PAE licenses did. 

The FTC’s sample of 2,452 Study PAE lawsuits accounts for between 14% (based on 17,317 estimated PAE lawsuits) and 

46% (based on 5,307 estimated PAE lawsuits) of PAE lawsuits brought during the study period. 

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Prior to initiating the study, the FTC was aware of concerns regarding PAEs’ use of affiliates or shell 

companies.188 Chapter 2 explained how some Responding PAEs created Affiliates as part of their 

business model. This chapter describes how those Affiliates asserted patents. Nine of the 14 Responding 

PAEs that reported demands did not send any demands in their own names but instead identified 57 

Affiliates that sent demands. Similarly, a subset of Responding PAEs frequently used Affiliates when 

engaging in patent infringement litigation. Overall, the 22 Responding PAEs brought patent 

infringement cases with 256 unique plaintiffs. Seven of the Responding PAEs litigated through a single 

entity, 11 Responding PAEs identified cases brought by between two and ten Affiliates, and the 

remaining four Responding PAEs identified cases brought by more than ten of their Affiliates. 

The FTC found that the majority of firms that were subject to patent assertion by a Study PAE had only 

one interaction with any Study PAE during the study period: 75% of firms receiving a demand from any 

Study PAE received only one demand, 73% of firms named as a defendant were a defendant in only one 

case with any Study PAE, and more than 70% of patent licensees had only one patent license with any 

Study PAE. A subset of firms, however, had many interactions with Study PAEs. For instance, the FTC 

found that 2.6% of the defendants in the study had been named as a defendant in more than ten cases 

initiated by Study PAEs. Similarly, a relatively small number of licensees paid a large share of the 

license royalties that Study PAEs obtained: the 25 firms that paid the largest total license royalties to 

Study PAEs accounted for 69% of the license royalties observed in the study. More than half of these 25 

firms were in the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry. 

As Chapter 5 will show, the vast majority of patents held by Study PAEs were Information and 

Communications Technology (ICT) patents: 88% were in the Computers & Communications or Other 

Electrical & Electronic technology categories, and more than 75% of the Study PAEs’ overall holdings 

were categorized as software-related patents.189 As a result, it was not surprising that firms operating in 

“Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industries were among the most frequent subjects of 

188 See, e.g., EOP PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION REPORT, supra note 2, at 4 (“The PAE business model is 

generally seen as combining characteristics such as . . . hid[ing] their identity by creating numerous shell companies and 

requiring those who settle to sign non-disclosure agreements, making it difficult for defendants to form common defensive 

strategies.”). 

189 See generally Chapter 5 (providing a detailed description of how the FTC determined the technologies to which Study 

PAE patents correspond). 

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assertion by Study PAEs. Firms in those industries frequently manufacture products that use ICT 

technologies. For example, the FTC observed that 24% of Study PAE demand recipients, 29% of Study 

PAE defendants, and 29% of Study PAE licensees were manufacturers of computer and electronic 

products. However, the FTC also observed that Study PAEs frequently asserted patents against firms 

operating in a broad range of industries that are unlikely to manufacture products that infringe ICT 

patents, including retailers. More than 17% of Study PAE demand recipients, 10% of Study PAE 

defendants, and 13% of Study PAE licensees operated in the retailing industry, which includes both 

brick-and-mortar retailers and non-store retailers, such as Internet merchants. 

The remainder of this chapter provides a detailed description of Study PAEs assertion behavior. The first 

section of this chapter describes Study PAEs’ use of demands in initiating patent licensing negotiations. 

The second section describes how Study PAEs litigated their patent holdings. The third section 

examines Study PAE licenses. In each section, the Commission identifies the industries in which Study 

PAEs most frequently asserted patents. 

PAE Demand Behavior 

The FTC asked Responding PAEs to provide the first demand sent to each recipient, by themselves or 

by their Affiliates, during the study period.190 These demands varied widely from letters that identified 

patents and accused products, at one end of the spectrum, to letters that simply requested a nondisclosure agreement before beginning licensing negotiations, at the other end of the spectrum. Some 

demands provided detailed claim charts demonstrating that the sender had closely examined the 

recipient’s business and products. Others were much vaguer, alleging that the recipient was probably 

using the patentee’s technology simply because the patented technology was purportedly ubiquitous and 

likely employed in the recipient’s business. Although only a few Study PAEs sent demands requesting 

specific dollar amounts for a license, firms that included this valuation information did so consistently. 

The FTC also asked Responding PAEs to describe the demands that they or their Affiliates sent during 

the study period, including the identity of the firm to whom they sent the demand and the name of the 

Study PAE sending the demand (often Affiliates of the Responding PAE). Using this information, the 

190 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.1. 

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FTC examined the frequency with which Study PAEs sent demands, and the industries that most 

frequently received demands. 

Affiliates Sent Demand Communications 

Study PAEs did not always begin licensing negotiations by sending demands to potential licensees.191 

While all four Responding Portfolio PAEs reported that they or their Affiliates sent demands, only ten of 

the 18 Responding Litigation PAEs reported that they or their Affiliates sent demands during the study 

period.192 

The Study PAEs that engaged in demand communication sent 2,274 total demands during the study 

period, January 1, 2009 through September 15, 2014. Although Litigation PAEs as a group sent more 

demands overall, Portfolio PAEs sent a larger number of demands per Responding PAE. A relatively 

small number of the Responding PAEs were responsible for most of the demands: three of the 

Responding PAEs and their Affiliates sent more than half of the demands in the study.193 Finally, the 

Litigation PAEs were collectively responsible for sending just over two-thirds of all demands in the 

study. 

In measuring how the Responding PAEs or their Affiliates sent demands, the FTC found that 

Responding PAEs varied in their use of Affiliates. Two Responding PAEs reported sending demands 

only in their own names. Another three Responding PAEs each reported that both they and their 

Affiliates sent demands. The remaining nine Responding PAEs reported that 57 total Affiliates sent 

demands and that they did not send any demands in their own names. 

Overall, 68 Study PAEs sent demands. For the average Responding PAE that reported demands, 

approximately five Affiliates sent demands, while the maximum number of Affiliates that sent demands 

191 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “Demand” means the first effort since January 1, 2009 to License 

any Patent, in whole or in part, and any other attempt to generate revenue by authorizing a Person outside the Firm to practice 

an invention claimed in a Patent. Demand does not include complaints or pleadings filed with a United States district court or 

the United States International Trade Commission. Id. 

192 Responding Portfolio PAEs are those Responding PAEs that followed the Portfolio PAE business model. Likewise, 

Responding Litigation PAEs are those Responding PAEs that followed the Litigation PAE business model. See Table A.1. 

193 The largest number of demands sent by a single Responding PAE and its Affiliates was 541. 

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related to a single Responding PAE was 20. Responding Litigation PAEs were more likely than 

Responding Portfolio PAEs to report Affiliates that sent demands; the average Litigation PAE identified 

about six different demand-sending Affiliates while the average Portfolio PAE identified about two 

different demand-sending Affiliates. 

Figure 3.1: Demand Letters Sent By Study PAEs 

Note: Sample corresponds to 47 Study PAEs and is restricted to demand-sending Study PAEs that sent 

their first demand at least 12 months prior to the end of the study. 

Figure 3.1 presents a frequency distribution of the number of demands sent by individual Study PAEs.194 

Study PAEs’ demand campaigns varied considerably in the number of demands sent. However, most 

194 Figure 3.1 is limited to Study PAEs (typically Affiliates) that sent their first demand at least one year before the study 

period ended. Including Study PAEs that sent their first demand in the last year of the study period might have biased the 

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Study PAEs sent demands to relatively few recipients. Approximately 30% of Study PAEs sent no more 

than five demands and about 10% of Study PAEs sent six to ten demands. Individual Study PAEs rarely 

sent a large number of demands.195 Only 10% of the Study PAEs sent more than 100 demands, and the 

most active Study PAE in the data set sent fewer than 500 total demands during the study period. 

Demand Recipients 

Most Demand Recipients Received Only One Demand from Any Study PAE during the 

Study Period 

Approximately 1,600 different firms received demands from Study PAEs during the study period.196 

Figure 3.2 shows the frequency distribution of the number of demands received by each of the firms 

receiving demands from Study PAEs during the study period. 

FTC’s estimate of the number of firms contacted by a Study PAE downward as these Study PAEs may not have concluded
 

their assertion campaign prior to the end of the study period.
 

195 Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs sent an average of 68 and 27 demands, per Study PAE, respectively.
 

196 See Appendix B: Methodology (describing how the FTC identified the unique firms subject to assertion).
 

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Figure 3.2: Number of Demands Received by a Recipient 

Note: Figure represents 1,598 firms that received demand letters. 

Over 80% of firms received only one demand from any Study PAE. Only a few firms received several 

demands. Thirty-three firms received more than five demands and the most demands received by any 

one firm was 17. Firms that received multiple demands may have received those demands from 

unrelated Study PAEs, different Affiliates of the same Responding PAE, or both. 

Several PAEs, under the control of a common parent entity, could send multiple demands involving 

different patents to the same technology user. Given the opacity of certain PAE ownership structures, 

some prospective licensees worry that taking a license might invite another demand or lawsuit from 

unknown PAEs within the same family.197 Commenters suggest that knowing whether demands initiated 

197 See Public Comment from Microsoft Corp. to the FTC & DOJ Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop 3 (Apr. 5, 

2013), https://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/pae/comments/paew-0042.pdf (“[I]f a potential licensee is unable to 

determine what patents are owned by a particular licensor’s subsidiaries . . . the licensor can negotiate a license to a narrow 

sliver of its portfolio while secretly holding back other patents for future assertion against the licensee.”). 

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from related PAEs may help them negotiate licenses efficiently and avoid serial assertion by related 

PAEs. Although knowing a PAE’s ownership structure may influence an accused infringer’s decision to 

settle and for how much, it is uncertain, however, whether a PAE would agree to a single resolution, 

even if licensees knew the relationship between its Affiliates. More clarity about the relationships 

between entities sending demands may also help demand recipients determine whether they may already 

have a license to the patents they are alleged to infringe, particularly if the license or later-demand does 

not identify the specific patents at issue. For example, a licensee may have rights to future patents 

acquired by the licensor or its parent or subsidiary. If a licensee later receives a demand asserting these 

patents, but it does not know that the party sending the demand is related to its licensor, it will not know 

that it already has licensed the asserted patents. 

To understand better whether Study PAE demand activity reflected this concern, the FTC examined 

whether firms that received multiple demands generally received demands from more than one Affiliate 

of the same Responding PAE. The FTC found that this was not a common occurrence. Only 5% of the 

demand recipients received demands from multiple Affiliates of a common Responding PAE. Portfolio 

PAEs identified no more than two different Affiliates that sent demands to the same firm, while 

Litigation PAEs identified as many as nine Affiliates that sent demands to the same firm. 

Demand Recipients Operated in a Range of Industries 

To identify whether Study PAE demand activity focused on end-users, the FTC examined the 

industries to which Study PAEs most frequently sent demands by matching the demand recipient to 

its primary industry.198 Figure 3.3 shows the results of this analysis for both Litigation PAEs and 

Portfolio PAEs. 

198 The FTC assigned a single industry designation to each of approximately 4,950 firms that received a demand, were a 

defendant in patent litigation, or were a licensee of one (or more) of the Responding PAEs. The FTC adopted the U.S. 

Census’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to make this assignment. The FTC defined a firm’s 

industry as the industry that it “primarily” operated in; that is, the industry that accounted for most of its activity, and used 

LexisNexis’s Corporate Affiliations business database to build the correspondence between the firms that were subject to 

assertion in the FTC’s data and their primary industry. In those instances where the LexisNexis’s Corporate Affiliations 

business did not identify an industry for a firm, the FTC conducted an Internet search to determine the firm’s primary 

industry using the industry definitions provided by the NAICS. Using these methods, the FTC matched 96% of the firms that 

were subject to assertion to a primary industry. The industries that were most subject to patent assertion by Study PAEs were: 

“Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing,” “Manufacturing, all other” (that is, not including “Computer & Electronic 

Product Manufacturing”), “Retail Trade,” “Finance and Insurance,” “Telecommunications and Broadcasting,” and 

“Information, all other” (which includes Information industries other than Telecommunications and Broadcasting such as 

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Figure 3.3: Industry of Demand Recipient 

Note: See the Methodology Appendix for a description of how firms are assigned to industries. The 

“Information, all other” industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as Software Publishers, Motion 

Picture and Sound Recording firms, and Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals 

firms. Figure depicts 728 Portfolio PAE demands and 1,516 Litigation PAE demands. 

While both Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs sent more demands to firms operating in manufacturing 

industries than any other industry, they sent the majority of their demands to firms that did not operate in 

these industries. Litigation PAEs sent 33% of their demands to firms in manufacturing industries (with 

20% of their demands sent to firms in the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry) 

compared to 44% for Portfolio PAEs (with 31% of their demands sent to firms in the “Computer & 

software publishers, movie production, and Internet portals). See Appendix B: Methodology (providing a detailed description 

of the technique used to match firms to industries). 

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Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry).199 Outside of manufacturing industries, Figure 3.3 shows 

that Portfolio and Litigation PAEs focused their demands on different industries. Litigation PAEs 

focused on firms operating in the “Retail Trade” and “Information, all other” industries. Portfolio 

PAEs, by contrast, focused much more on sending demands to firms operating in the “Finance and 

Insurance” industry. 

Firms engaged in “Retail Trade” generally do not manufacture products themselves. The North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classification for “Retail Trade” includes 

“establishments engaged in retailing merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering 

services incidental to the sale of merchandise.”200 This definition includes both brick-and-mortar 

retailers and non-store retailers, such as Internet retailers. Because they generally do not produce 

products themselves, it is likely that the vast majority of firms in the “Retail Trade” industry received 

demands related to third-party products or services that they acquired either as resellers or as endusers. 201 In any event, such firms lie downstream in the distribution chain (as resellers, end-users, or 

customers) of the firms that developed the allegedly infringing products or technology and therefore 

may not possess technical information regarding their functionality. 

Materials provided by Responding PAEs to the FTC indicated that some demands sent to firms in the 

“Retail Trade” industry did relate to products produced by the Retail Trade firms, such as private label 

199 Manufacturing industries includes both “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” and “Manufacturing, all other.” 

200 See 2012 NAICS, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, https://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/sssd/naics/naicsrch?chart=2012 (click the link 

“44-45” for “Retail Trade”, then click the link “44-45” again for “Retail Trade”) (emphasis added). The NAICS definition 

further notes that “the buying of goods for resale is a characteristic of retail trade establishments that particularly 

distinguishes them from establishments in ... manufacturing,” and that “establishments that both manufacture and sell their 

products to the general public are not classified in retail, but rather in manufacturing.” Id. (emphasis added). 

201 It is possible, however, that some “Retail Trade” firms may develop and utilize proprietary technology related to their 

retail activity, and that this technology may be the subject of the demand (e.g., a shopping website with customized search 

and payment features). In this way the NAICS code industry categorization may overcount the number of end-users subject 

to patent assertion by Study PAEs. Similarly, the NAICS code industry categorization may also undercount the number of 

end-users subject to patent assertion by Study PAEs as some manufacturers may be end-users of technology (e.g., automobile 

manufacturers incorporating wireless communication modules into their vehicles). 

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products.202 However—in the cases where it could be determined from these materials—the vast 

majority of the demands related to technologies that the letter recipient used, but did not produce.203 

Comparison with Prior FTC Enforcement Regarding PAE Demand Letters 

The FTC has brought one enforcement action against a PAE. In 2014, the FTC settled charges that 

MPHJ Technology Investments, LLC (“MPHJ”) used deceptive claims and false legal threats in letters 

sent to thousands of small businesses around the United States in an attempt to sell licenses to its 

patents. In particular, the FTC complaint alleged that in more than 9,000 letters sent under the names of 

numerous MPHJ subsidiaries, MPHJ falsely represented that many other companies had already agreed 

to pay thousands of dollars for licenses. The complaint also alleged that subsequent letters warned that 

MPHJ’s law firm would file a patent infringement lawsuit against the recipient if it did not respond to 

the letter, and that this suit would be filed imminently. In reality, the complaint alleged, the senders had 

no intention—and did not prepare—to initiate lawsuits against the small businesses that did not respond 

to their letters. MPHJ never filed any such lawsuits. The FTC settlement barred MPHJ and its law firm 

from making similar deceptive representations when asserting patent rights.204 

Although the FTC brought its action against MPHJ because of its allegedly deceptive behavior, other 

commenters have suggested that large-scale demand letter campaigns for low-revenue licenses may be 

common among PAEs, with or without deceptive demand letters.205 The FTC did not observe Study 

PAEs engaging in this pattern of behavior, however. Many Litigation PAEs did not send demand letters, 

and those that did sent relatively few demands during the study period. In addition, Litigation PAEs 

202 For demands sent to firms in the “Retail Trade” industry, the FTC reviewed the Study PAEs’ responses to Request H.1.h 

(“State all accused product(s) relating to the Demand”), the demands produced by the Study PAEs, and the patents identified 

in connection with those letters. 

203 This included technology related to websites, call centers, inventory control and point-of-sale systems. 

204 See MPHJ Tech. Invs., LLC., 159 F.T.C. 1004 (2015). 

205 See, e.g., Update: Patent Demand Letter Practices and Solutions: Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Commerce, Mfg., & 

Trade of the H. Comm. on Energy & Commerce, 114th Cong. 3 (2015) (statement of Rep. Michael C. Burgess, Chairman, 

Subcomm. on Commerce, Mfg., & Trade) (“Patent trolls continue to send demand letters in bulk to induce victims to pay 

unjustified license fees rather than fight back.”); id. at 8 (statement of Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Member, Subcomm. on 

Commerce, Mfg., & Trade) (“Patent assertion entities typically purchase patents and then assert that those patents have been 

infringed, sending vague and threatening letters to hundreds or even thousands of end users, typically, small businesses or 

entrepreneurs.”). See also id. at 14 (statement of Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Member, Subcomm. on Commerce, Mfg., & Trade) 

(noting FTC’s MPHJ consent order). 

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rarely generated license agreements without resorting to litigation: 93% of Litigation PAE patent 

licenses resulted from a litigation settlement. Portfolio PAEs frequently sent demands that resulted in 

patent licenses without the use of litigation. Portfolio PAE licensing behavior, however, did not reflect a 

business model directed towards generating low-revenue settlements from large-scale demand 

campaigns. Instead, Portfolio PAEs’ licenses involved sophisticated licensees and generated relatively 

large revenues. 

The absence of large-scale demand letter campaigns for low-revenue licenses among the Study PAEs 

suggests that this strategy is likely rare among PAEs that adopt either the Portfolio or Litigation PAE 

business model. However, the Commission cannot rule out the existence of other PAEs that rely on 

sending demands, rather than litigation, to generate low-revenue patent licenses. The FTC’s sampling 

metrics (i.e., patent holdings and litigation) were less likely to select into the study sample a PAE that 

relied on demand letter campaigns to generate low-revenue licenses, but held few patents.206 Although 

we did not observe MPHJ-style assertion behavior in its sample of PAEs, we remain interested in 

hearing about public experience with PAEs that engage in potential deception through demand letter 

campaigns. 

PAE Litigation Behavior 

This section describes how Study PAEs asserted their patents in litigation.207 The analyses included in 

this section rely on a variety of documentary and quantitative materials provided by Responding PAEs. 

In particular, Responding PAEs provided documents describing all of their patent litigation in either 

federal court or at the ITC during the study period, including litigation settlement information. In 

addition, each Responding PAE had to describe each patent lawsuit brought by itself or its Affiliates 

206 The sampling algorithm for selecting subjects for the FTC’s study made use of two measures of a PAE’s size: the number 

of defendants sued in patent infringement litigation and the number of patents held. While the FTC study included firms of 

different sizes (i.e., small, medium, and large firms based on estimated patent holdings and litigation), PAEs were more likely 

to be selected into the FTC’s sample if they had either larger patent holdings or more litigation. The FTC did not identify a 

data source that would allow it to identify firms based on the number of demands sent, as opposed to the number of patents 

held or litigations filed, because this information is not generally publicly disclosed. Based on the findings of the study and 

conversations with market participants, the FTC suspects that relatively few PAEs specialize in sending demands to generate 

low-value patent licenses without the use of litigation. See also Appendix B: Methodology (providing a detailed description 

of the sampling algorithm). 

207 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “Litigation” means any civil action commenced in a United States 

district court or with the United States International Trade Commission. Id. 

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during the study period. This included all jurisdictions and docket numbers associated with all patent 

lawsuits; the plaintiffs, the defendants, and all patents named in the lawsuit; the resolution of the lawsuit; 

and whether the lawsuit involved wireless patents. 

Using this information, the FTC measured: the number of cases initiated by Study PAEs, the number of 

Affiliates identified as plaintiffs, the technology categories to which the litigated patents corresponded, 

the number of patents asserted in litigation, the defendants’ primary industry, the fraction of cases that 

settled, the duration of settled cases, the choice of jurisdiction by the plaintiff, the actions taken by a 

court on the case, and the use of contingency fee counsel. The Commission also measured the frequency 

with which a unique defendant was sued by any Study PAE and, if sued multiple times by the same 

Responding PAE, whether any of the suits were brought by multiple Affiliates. 

For purposes of this study, the FTC defined a patent case as dispute between a plaintiff and defendant on 

a set of patents, where a set may comprise just one patent. Thus, under this definition, a single litigation 

(defined by a docket number) that lists multiple defendants counts as multiple cases. On the other hand, 

litigation between a plaintiff and defendant related to the same patent or patents counts as a single case 

even if multiple dockets were associated with that case (such as inter-district transfers).208 Using this 

definition, the FTC identified 3,895 cases that were initiated in U.S. district court by 256 unique 

plaintiffs against 1,956 unique defendants between January 1, 2009 and September 15, 2014.209 

208 See Ball & Kesan, supra note 95 (adopting a similar approach to the FTC’s methodology); see also Jay P. Kesan & 

Gwendolyn G. Ball, How Are Patent Cases Resolved? An Empirical Examination of the Adjudication and Settlement of 

Patent Disputes, 84 WASH. U. L. REV. 237 (2006). The FTC’s study period spans the implementation of the America Invents 

Act (AIA), which limited the circumstances in which multiple defendants can be joined in one action. Leahy–Smith America 

Invents Act, Pub. L. No. 112-29, § 19(d)(1), 125 Stat. 284, 332 (2011) (codified at 35 U.S.C. § 299). Separating litigations 

that have multiple defendants into separate cases resolves the issues associated with comparisons of litigation before and after 

the AIA’s implementation. 

209 In the submitted data, Responding PAEs sometimes reported multiple patent infringement lawsuits (with different docket 

numbers) corresponding to litigation brought by a Responding PAE (or its Affiliate) against a single defendant where each 

litigation referenced identical patents. The most common cause of these multiple lawsuits corresponding to a single dispute 

was when a court either consolidated a number of related lawsuits or transferred a lawsuit to another district court. In 

addition, in some instances a plaintiff added or subtracted patents from the set of patents identified in the original complaint, 

sometimes by filing additional complaints and receiving additional docket numbers. In this study, we treated the multiple 

records corresponding to what was, in essence, a single patent infringement dispute by capturing the relevant information 

describing the patent dispute from the multiple docket entries contained in the submitted data and reducing the multiple 

dockets to a single case observation. Thus, our analysis determined that the 2,452 lawsuits (unique docket numbers) reported 

by the Responding PAEs corresponded to the 3,895 patent cases analyzed in this section of the report. See also Appendix B: 

Methodology (providing a detailed explanation of how the case observation was created). 

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In addition, four Responding PAEs and their Affiliates filed complaints leading to 58 ITC investigations. 

All but one of the ITC investigations had a counterpart case in district court. The FTC therefore limited 

its analysis in the remainder of this section to those cases initiated in U.S. district court and captured the 

results of the ITC investigations via their counterpart district court cases.210 

The Special Order required Responding PAEs to identify, on a per-defendant basis, whether each 

litigation was pending and, if not, whether the litigation terminated pursuant to a settlement, and, if the 

litigation settled, whether the PAE granted the defendant a patent license.211 In the study data, 87% of 

the cases initiated within the study period terminated by the end of the study period. Those cases that 

were pending at the end of the study period, September 15, 2014, were predominantly associated with 

complaints filed late in the study period.212 Seventy-seven percent of these terminated cases settled 

whereas the remainder ended without a settlement.213 None of the Responding PAEs reported obtaining 

a permanent injunction, exclusion order, or cease and desist order in any reported case in the study. 

Study PAEs were awarded damages in three reported instances.214 

210 Fifty-seven of the 58 ITC investigations were terminated during the study period, and settlements were reported for 55 of 

the 57 terminated investigations. The same outcomes were reported in the counterpart district court cases. 

211 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.2.k. A settlement is a payment made in consideration of damages for 

infringement in the time period prior to the lawsuit, whereas a license is a grant of a right to practice the patent in the time 

period after the agreement is entered. See, e.g., Schering Corp. v. Roussel-UCLAF SA, 104 F.3d 341, 345 (Fed. Cir. 1997). 

While most agreements ending litigation contain both settlement and license provisions, the Special Order asked parties to 

identify the two separately in order to encompass litigation settlements that did not include prospective licenses. 

212 The FTC categorized all cases in the study as either pending or terminated. Under this categorization, a case terminated 

when a plaintiff sought dismissal of the case, the court dismissed the case, the parties reached a settlement, or the court 

rendered a final verdict. 

213 The Special Order required the Responding PAEs to identify (on a per-defendant basis) whether each litigation 

terminated, whether the litigation terminated pursuant to a settlement, and if the litigation settled, whether the settlement 

included a license agreement. The vast majority of cases in the study settled. That is, the plaintiff and defendant reached 

agreement resolving their dispute; the defendant typically made a payment to the plaintiff and, in consideration thereof, the 

plaintiff requested that the court terminate the case. We separately asked whether the settlement coincided with a license 

agreement; that is, rather than simply agreeing to withdraw the case, the plaintiff also granted the defendant a patent license 

to avoid future infringement. Upon considering each of the responses to the Special Order and reviewing a number of the 

settlement agreements produced, the Commission concluded that—in almost all cases—Study PAEs settled cases with a 

grant of a license. In many cases, this was expressed as a non-exclusive patent license. In other cases, it was expressed as a 

covenant not-to-sue. Either contract provision had the same effect: the plaintiff agreed both to withdraw the current litigation 

and not to pursue additional claims on the same patents against the defendant. As a result, we treated each settlement as a 

license. 

214 Independent review of the dockets in these lawsuits also identified two instances of a Responding PAE obtaining a default 

judgment. 

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For the 23% of cases that terminated without a settlement, termination was generally due to the grant of 

a dispositive motion in favor of the defendant or voluntary withdrawal by the plaintiff. One Responding 

PAE reported that one of its Affiliates was sanctioned under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure in multiple proceedings before the same court involving the same asserted patent.215 

Responding PAEs reported no instances during the study period in which courts awarded fees pursuant 

to 35 U.S.C. § 285, which allows the district court, in exceptional cases, to grant reasonable attorney 

fees to the prevailing party. The FTC, however, reviewed the dockets of lawsuits pending at the close of 

the study period and found several cases in which Study PAEs were assessed fees pursuant to Section 

285 after the study ended. 

In April 2014, five months before the FTC’s study period ended, the Supreme Court issued two 

decisions that lowered the standard for a successful litigant to obtain fees pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 285.216 

Under the old standard, a case was exceptional under § 285 only when there was “material inappropriate 

conduct,” or when it was both “brought in subjective bad faith,” and “objectively baseless.”217 In Octane 

Fitness, LLC, however, the Court held that an exceptional case is “simply one that stands out from 

others with respect to the substantive strength of a party’s litigating position (considering both the 

governing law and the facts of the case) or the unreasonable manner in which the case was litigated.”218 

Because Highmark and Octane Fitness lowered the standard for a successful litigant to obtain fees, the 

FTC might have observed more fee awards under § 285 if the entire study period had occurred after 

these decisions. 

215 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 allows a court to sanction an attorney or its client for filings that lack factual 

investigation, or are frivolous or harassing. FED. R. CIV. P. 11. See, e.g., Advanced Video Techs. LLC v. HTC Corp., No. 11 

Civ. 06604 (CM), 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 122423, at *35–43 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 25, 2015) (considering but rejecting Rule 11 

sanctions). 

216 Highmark Inc. v. Allcare Health Mgmt. Sys., 134 S. Ct. 1744 (2014); Octane Fitness, LLC v. ICON Health & Fitness, 

Inc., 134 S. Ct. 1749 (2014). 

217 Highmark, 134 S. Ct. at 1746 (quoting Brooks Furniture Mfg., Inc. v. Dutailier Int’l, Inc., 383 F.3d 1378 (Fed. Cir. 2005)). 

218 Octane Fitness, 134 S. Ct. at 1751; see also id. at 1756 (holding that litigants establish their entitlement to fees under 

section 285 by a preponderance of the evidence); Highmark, 134 S.Ct. at 1748 (“Because § 285 commits the determination 

whether a case is ‘exceptional’ to the discretion of the district court, that decision is to be reviewed on appeal for abuse of 

discretion.”). 

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Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs Litigated Differently 

Litigation PAEs initiated 96% of the patent infringement cases in the FTC’s data. There was substantial 

variation within Litigation PAEs in the number of cases reported. Collectively, the five Responding 

Litigation PAEs that brought the most cases in the study accounted for 76% of the cases initiated by 

Responding Litigation PAEs, while the ten Responding Litigation PAEs that brought the fewest number 

of cases in the study collectively accounted for 14% of Responding Litigation PAE cases. 

Figure 3.4: Frequency Distribution of the Number of Patents Included in a Case 

Note: Number of Portfolio PAE cases is 152 and the number of Litigation PAE cases is 3,743. 

Study PAEs tended to assert a relatively small share of the patents that they held. Litigation PAEs 

litigated a greater percentage of their overall holdings than Portfolio PAEs. Portfolio PAEs, which held 

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portfolios containing hundreds or thousands of patents, identified, on average, only 0.9% of their patent 

holdings as litigated in the reported cases.219 Even Litigation PAEs that held smaller portfolios and 

relied heavily on litigation to negotiate licenses, litigated on average only 19% of the patents in their 

portfolios. When they did litigate, Portfolio PAEs tended to include many more patents per case than did 

Litigation PAEs. Figure 3.4 shows that 61% of Litigation PAEs cases involved a single patent and 77% 

involved two or fewer patents. In contrast, less than 1% of Portfolio PAE cases involved only a single 

patent, whereas nearly 76% of Portfolio PAE cases involved between five and ten patents. 

While 87% of the cases initiated by Litigation PAEs terminated within the study period, only 51% of the 

cases initiated by Portfolio PAEs terminated within the study period. The FTC identified two aspects of 

the study data that may have caused this difference. First, a larger fraction of Portfolio PAE cases were 

initiated late in the study period: 40% were initiated in 2013 and 2014 versus 30% of Litigation PAE 

cases. Second, as discussed below, Litigation PAE cases tended to terminate much more quickly than 

Portfolio PAE cases. 

Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs differed in both the degree to which their terminated cases settled 

and the duration of the cases that settled.220 Whereas all Portfolio PAE cases that terminated within the 

study period settled, only 76% of terminated Litigation PAE cases did so. There was also significant 

variation in the settlement rate across Litigation PAEs; several Litigation PAEs reported settlements for 

all of their cases but one settled only 52% of its cases. 

219 This figure reflects the patents asserted in each case identified by the Study PAEs. In contrast, Chapter 5 presents similar 

figures derived from the Study PAEs’ responses regarding whether each patent that they held was asserted in litigation. The 

figure in Chapter 5 may capture patents asserted in litigations that did not commence during the study period, in contrast to 

this number. 

220 The FTC computed case pendency only for cases that settled. This is because the FTC found that Study PAEs’ selfreported termination dates did not always accurately convey the date of conclusion of a litigation. Some cases had long 

periods of inactivity before the Court closed the docket. 

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Table 3.1 provides the distributions of the duration for cases initiated by Litigation PAEs and Portfolio 

PAEs.221 The results from the table show that Litigation PAE cases settled much more quickly than 

Portfolio PAE cases. For example, two-thirds of settled Litigation PAE cases were settled within a year 

whereas half of settled Portfolio PAE cases took more than two years to settle. 222 

Table 3.1: Distribution of the Duration of PAE Cases 

Percentage of Cases that Settle 

Within 6 

Months 

Within 12 

Months 

Within 18 

Months 

Within 24 

Months 

Portfolio PAEs 11% 26% 36% 52% 

Litigation PAEs 34% 66% 83% 92% 

Note: Table depicts only cases that settle and for which duration is reported. Portfolio PAEs row reflects 61 

cases, and Litigation PAEs row reflects 2,024. 

221 For the cases that Study PAEs settled, the FTC defined the duration of a case as the interval between the date associated 

with the first complaint filed against a defendant on a given set of patents in any district and the date of the license associated 

with settlement of that case. 

222 As a point of comparison with the FTC’s findings, the Federal Judicial Center issued in April 2016 an interim five-year 

report on the Patent Pilot Program (PPP), a ten-year program created by Congress to encourage enhancement of expertise in 

patent cases among judges in certain United States district courts. MARGARET S. WILLIAMS ET AL., FED. JUDICIAL CTR., 

PATENT PILOT PROGRAM: FIVE-YEAR REPORT (2016), http://www.fjc.gov/public/pdf.nsf/lookup/Patent-Pilot-Program-FiveYear-Report-2016.pdf/$file/Patent-Pilot-Program-Five-Year-Report-2016.pdf [hereinafter PATENT PILOT PROGRAM REPORT]. 

See Act of Jan. 4, 2011, Pub. L No. 111-349, 124 Stat. 3674 (2011) (establishing a pilot program for the assignment of patent 

cases to “designated judges” in certain U.S. district courts). Among the report’s findings are statistics on the average duration 

of patent cases in the pilot courts filed by “serial filers,” compared to those filed by other plaintiffs. The authors found that 

“[c]ases not involving a serial filer generally take more time, on average, than those with a serial filer.” PATENT PILOT 

PROGRAM REPORT, supra, at 31. “These differences are statistically significant across pending, terminated, and all cases.” Id. 

(reporting 375 days for pending cases not involving serial filers compared to 260 days for those involving serial filers; 

278 days for terminated cases not involving serial filers compared to 241 days for those involving serial filers; 299 days for 

all cases not involving serial filers compared to 245 days for those involving serial filers). 

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The Relationship Between Litigated Patents and Defendant Industries 

As discussed earlier, some commenters have expressed concerns that PAEs frequently assert patents 

against the end-users of allegedly infringing products rather than the manufacturers of these products. 

The Patent Act allows a patent holder to sue anyone who “uses” the patented invention to attempt to 

recover damages for infringement, including end-users of a technology. Nevertheless, because end-users 

did not produce the allegedly infringing product, they likely have little information about how the 

product may infringe and, therefore, may be less well positioned to defend an infringement complaint 

than the product’s manufacturer. To understand better whether Study PAE litigation activity reflected 

this concern, the FTC examined the technology categories of the Study PAE patents that were asserted 

in litigation and the industries in which defendants operated. Using this information, the FTC analyzed 

how frequently Study PAEs asserted against defendants that likely manufactured potentially infringing 

products and how frequently they asserted against those that were likely end-users of these products. 

To undertake this analysis, the FTC first determined the technologies of the patents asserted in litigation. 

Responding PAEs had to identify all patents asserted in each of their cases. The FTC used the National 

Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) patent technology categories to determine the technologies for 

each of the litigated patents in these cases.223 For 96% of cases in the study, all of the patents at issue in 

each case fell within a single technology category while for 4% of cases in the study, the patents at issue 

in each case fell within different technology categories.224 

223 The FTC used the NBER patent technology categories developed by Bronwyn Hall, Adam Jaffe, and Manuel Trajtenberg 

to determine the technologies to which Study PAE patents corresponded. Hall et al., supra note 9; see also Chapter 5 

(providing a detailed discussion of Study PAE patent holdings, and how the FTC categorized Study PAE patents). 

224 The FTC combined the 4% of cases that included patents in different categories into two new groups. The Computers & 

Communications and Electronics group contains cases where at least one patent was in the Computers & Communications 

category and at least one patent was in the Other Electrical & Electronic category and none of the patents were outside of 

these two categories. The Other group contains two types of cases. The first set of cases is those that had patents in more than 

one technology category (except those cases in the Computers & Communications and Electronics group). The second set of 

cases is those where all of the patents were in the NBER’s Other technology category. 

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Figure 3.5a: Technology Category of Patents at Issue in Litigation 

Note: “Computers & Communications and Electronics” includes cases that have patents in both “Computers 

& Communications” and “Other Electrical & Electronic.” Figure depicts 152 Portfolio PAE cases and 3,743 

Litigation PAE cases. 

Figure 3.5a presents a frequency distribution of Litigation PAE and Portfolio PAE cases by technology 

category. Figure 3.5a shows that approximately 75% of cases solely involved Computers & 

Communications patents. Only 7% of Portfolio PAE cases involved patents outside of the Computers & 

Communications or Other Electrical & Electronic categories. In contrast to Portfolio PAEs, Litigation 

PAEs reported litigating patents corresponding to a wider variety of technology categories including the 

Drugs & Medical and Chemical categories.225 However, the fraction of cases involving patents in these 

225 All of the Drugs & Medical patents involved medical devices. 

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other technology categories was small: fewer than 15% of Litigation PAE cases involved patents outside 

of the Other Electrical & Electronic category and the Computers & Communications category. 

Figure 3.5b: Industry of Case Defendant 

Note: See the Methodology Appendix for a description of how defendants are assigned to industries. The 

“Information, all other” industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as Software Publishers, Motion 

Picture and Sound Recording firms, and Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals 

firms. Figure depicts 152 Portfolio PAE cases and 3,661 Litigation PAE cases. 

Next, the FTC determined the industries in which defendants operated using the same methodology used 

to determine the industry of demand recipients.226 Figure 3.5b shows the results of this analysis for both 

Litigation and Portfolio PAEs. Portfolio PAEs and, to a lesser extent, Litigation PAEs focused much of 

their litigation activity on firms operating in manufacturing industries. Fifty-nine percent of Portfolio 

226 See Appendix B: Methodology (providing a detailed description of the technique used to match defendants to industries). 

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PAE cases and 44% of Litigation PAE cases involved defendants in manufacturing industries 

(“Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” and “Manufacturing, all other”). Litigation PAEs 

sued a more diverse set of defendants overall than did Portfolio PAEs. Approximately 26% of Litigation 

PAE defendants operated in the “Retail Trade” and the “Information, all other” industries. By contrast, 

only 12% of Portfolio PAE defendants operated in these industries. 

Figure 3.5c: Industry of Case Defendant for Cases Involving Only 

“Computers & Communications” Patents 

Note: Conditional distribution depicts 2,823 Litigation PAE cases and 113 Portfolio PAE cases whose 

patents are exclusively in the technology category “Computers & Communications.” These cases account 

for 77% of cases in the study. 

Finally, the FTC examined the correspondence between the technology categories of litigated patents 

and the industries in which defendants operated. Because approximately 75% of cases involved only 

patents in the Computer & Communications category, Figure 3.5c focuses on the distribution of 

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defendants’ industries for cases relating solely to patents in the Computer & Communications category. 

This distribution of industries is broadly similar to the overall distribution of industries subject to any 

patent infringement litigation (as shown in Figure 3.5b). Study PAEs initiated Computers & 

Communications patent cases both against firms likely to manufacture products that could infringe those 

patents (i.e., manufacturers) and against firms that were likely the end-users of allegedly infringing 

products (e.g., retailers and financial service firms). Approximately 39% of Litigation PAE cases and 

54% of Portfolio PAE cases solely related to patents in the Computers & Communications category 

were directed against defendants operating in a manufacturing industry. Except for the 

“Telecommunications and Broadcasting” industry, Litigation PAEs were more likely to assert these 

patents against firms operating in non-manufacturing industries than Portfolio PAEs. Taken together, 

these three examinations indicate that Study PAEs frequently asserted patents against likely end-users of 

allegedly infringing products. 

Affiliates Filed Patent Infringement Suits 

Corporate relationships, or other connections, between PAEs and Affiliate entities are not always clear 

from their names. To explore how often plaintiffs have a relationship with a party not named in the case, 

the FTC reviewed the study data to identify how often Responding PAEs sued in their own name, 

compared with how often their Affiliates sued. Twenty-two Responding PAEs identified cases brought 

by 256 unique plaintiffs. As shown in Figure 3.6, seven Responding PAEs litigated exclusively through 

a single entity, 11 Responding PAEs used between two and ten Affiliates to bring cases, and the 

remaining four Responding PAEs used more than ten Affiliates to bring cases. 

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Figure 3.6: Frequency Distribution of the Number of 

Study PAE Plaintiffs Used by Responding PAEs
 

Note: Figure depicts 256 Study PAEs. 

The relationship between certain Responding PAEs and their Affiliates was clear from the names of the 

Affiliates (e.g., “Responding PAE subsidiary 1,” “Responding PAE subsidiary 2,” etc.). However, ten of 

the 18 Responding Litigation PAEs identified cases brought by their Affiliates for which the name of the 

Affiliate did not bear a clear relationship to its corresponding Responding PAE. Additionally, nine of 

these ten Responding Litigation PAEs sued the same defendant multiple times with different Affiliates 

as plaintiff. 

Sixty-eight percent of reported cases involved the only interaction between a Responding PAE or one of 

its Affiliates and an individual defendant. However, a significant fraction of defendants were sued 

multiple times by a Responding PAE or its Affiliates. In 12% of cases, the defendant was named in two 

different cases involving plaintiffs affiliated with the same Responding PAE. In the study data, 5% of 

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cases involved a single defendant as a party to ten or more cases brought by plaintiffs affiliated with a 

single Responding PAE. 

Study PAEs Initiated the Greatest Number of Cases in the Eastern District 

of Texas and the District of Delaware 

Study PAEs initiated cases in more than 50 different federal judicial districts and also filed complaints 

leading to investigations before the ITC. Figure 3.7 shows the districts in which Study PAEs initiated 

cases. The Eastern District of Texas and the District of Delaware accounted for the largest share of cases 

in the study (53% and 22%, respectively).227 The five next most popular courts (Northern District of 

Illinois; Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California; and Northern District of Texas) together 

accounted for 14% of the cases in the study. The remaining 45 districts combined accounted for the 

remaining 11% of cases. This is consistent with earlier research.228 

227 The District of Delaware and the Eastern District of Texas were leading jurisdictions of choice for both Portfolio PAEs 

and Litigation PAEs. 

228 See 2015 PWC PATENT LITIGATION STUDY, supra note 6, at 15 (finding that among patent holders generally, the Eastern 

District of Virginia, the District of Delaware, and the Eastern District of Texas were the most active districts between 1995– 

2014); Press Release, Admin. Office of the U.S. Courts, Patent Cases Rise, With Two Courts Leading the Nation (Apr. 21, 

2014), http://www.uscourts.gov/news/2014/04/21/patent-cases-rise-two-courts-leading-nation (finding that “while many 

districts show a double-digit increase in the number of patent filings in 2012–2013, the District of Delaware and the Eastern 

District of Texas saw the largest growth in patent cases, respectively, at 364 and 275 filings,” and that in 2013, patent cases 

“made up 63 percent of the [District of Delaware’s] civil caseload.”); 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2, at 24 (finding that 

between 2007 to 2011, PMEs “filed more lawsuits in the Eastern District of Texas than other types of plaintiffs”); id. at 2 

(noting that a patent monetization entity (PME) is an entity that “buy[s] patents from others for the purpose of asserting them 

for profit.” This definition is nearly equivalent to the FTC’s definition of a PAE). 

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Figure 3.7: Proportion of Study PAE Cases by Judicial District of Initial Complaint 

Note: Alaska & Hawaii have no PAE cases, and Puerto Rico and the US Court of Federal Claims have less 

than 1%. Total PAE cases represented is 3,895. Boundaries of districts from: Hansen, M. E., Chen, J., & 

Davis, M., United States District Court Boundary Shapefiles (1900–2000), INTER-UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM OF 

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH (2015), 

https://www.openicpsr.org/openicpsr/project/100069/version/V1/view. 

Portfolio PAEs initiated cases in 16 districts. The District of Delaware was the most popular jurisdiction 

for Portfolio PAEs, accounting for 44% of cases, followed by the Eastern District of Texas and the 

Western District of Washington, which accounted for an additional 32% and 9% of cases, respectively. 

Litigation PAEs initiated cases in 49 different districts with the Eastern District of Texas accounting for 

54% of cases followed by the District of Delaware with 21%. No other district accounted for more than 

5% of Litigation PAE cases. 

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PAE Licensing Behavior 

This section describes Study PAE licensing behavior.229 Patent licenses are generally non-public and 

often subject to non-disclosure agreements. This study builds upon existing empirical research into PAE 

activity by examining the contents of PAE patent licenses. The Special Order required Responding 

PAEs to provide all licenses that they or their Affiliates executed during the study period and to describe 

the licenses.230 This study makes a major contribution in providing insight into the relative frequency 

and nature of patent licensing by PAEs that occurs outside of litigation. In addition, this study evaluates 

certain characteristics of PAE patent licenses including monetary terms, such as the amount paid and 

whether payments are lump-sum or directly related to a product’s sales, and geographic and field-of-use 

limitations. This section is particularly important in terms of understanding PAE revenue generation 

because all Study PAEs predominately earned their revenue through negotiated patent licenses or 

settlement agreements. The firms reported only three instances of receiving court-awarded damages. 

Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs Adopted Different Licensing Strategies 

The FTC asked Responding PAEs to describe and produce all patent licenses to which they, or their 

231 232 Affiliates, entered into during the study period. Responding PAEs disclosed 2,715 distinct licenses.

Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs demonstrated different approaches to patent licensing. Portfolio 

PAE behavior was marked by (1) licensing without the use of litigation and (2) licensing large numbers 

of patents in each agreement. Portfolio PAEs tended to enter into agreements for broader and larger 

229 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “License” means authorization by the Patent holder to practice the 

claimed invention, including, but not limited to, a covenant not-to-sue and a covenant not-to-assert. Id. 

230 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.3. Responding PAEs were directed to describe: the identity of the 

licensee and licensor, patent royalties, how royalties were determined (lump sum or running royalties), whether the license 

included a cross-license, field-of-use restriction, geographic restriction, whether the proceeds of the patent were shared with 

the inventor or the employer of the named inventor, and the patents licensed. 

231 See id. 

232 Responding PAEs submitted 2,346 spreadsheet entries describing licenses, some of which corresponded to multiple 

licensees. The FTC transformed the data so that each observation corresponded to a distinct licensee/licensor pair licensing a 

specific set of patents. This transformation resulted in 2,715 distinct licenses. See Appendix B: Methodology (providing a 

detailed description of the transformation). 

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portfolios of patents, which typically generated royalty payments well in excess of $1 million. The 

typical Portfolio PAE license covered a portfolio that included more than one thousand patents.233 

Many Portfolio PAEs possessed resources devoted to patent licensing outside of litigation. They 

frequently employed licensing executives and specialists, who often held similar roles in manufacturing 

firms prior to joining the Portfolio PAE. Portfolio PAEs negotiated 71% of their licenses without filing 

suit against the licensee. 

As noted, Litigation PAEs frequently sued before obtaining a license. Ninety-three percent of Litigation 

PAE licenses followed settlement of ongoing patent litigation.234 This finding matters for two reasons. 

First, it suggests one could use publicly observable litigation data to estimate how many patent licenses 

Litigation PAEs executed. That rough estimate, however, would not address settlement values or nonprice license terms. Second, Litigation PAEs’ predominant use of litigation suggests that suing was a 

necessary component of their licensing strategy. 

Unlike Portfolio PAEs, Litigation PAEs typically delegated the negotiation of the patent licenses to 

outside attorneys and did not employ full-time staff for that task. This is consistent with a business 

model that relies on thin capitalization and reducing up-front costs. Litigation PAE licenses typically 

included far fewer patents than those negotiated by Portfolio PAEs. In part, that is because Litigation 

PAEs used Affiliates that frequently held fewer than ten patents, compared with the hundreds or 

thousands of patents held in Portfolio PAE portfolios. Figure 3.8 shows the distribution of Litigation 

PAE licenses based upon the number of patents licensed per agreement. As shown in Figure 3.8, more 

than 75% of Litigation PAE licenses included between one and five patents, and more than 90% 

included fewer than ten patents. 

233 Seventy-five percent of Portfolio PAE patent licenses contained more than 1,000 patents. 

234 By contrast, only 29% of Portfolio PAE licenses followed litigation. 

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Figure 3.8: Frequency Distribution of the Number of Patents 

Included in Litigation PAE Licenses
 

Note: Figure depicts 2,270 licenses from Litigation PAEs. 

Affiliates Executed Patent Licenses 

When Responding PAEs had multiple Affiliates, typically an Affiliate—and not the Responding PAE— 

held the patents in question and entered into the patent license with the licensee. Most often, the license 

was therefore only between that Affiliate patent holder and the licensee and extended only to patents 

held by the Affiliate; it did not extend to patents held by other Affiliates of the same Responding PAE. 

In a minority of cases, however, other Affiliates or the Responding PAE were also licensors. In these 

cases, the other Affiliates would often grant licenses to all patents that they held, or the Responding PAE 

would grant a license on behalf of itself or some of its Affiliates. There was considerable variation in the 

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manner and extent to which Responding PAEs did this across their licenses, suggesting that the scope of 

the license generally resulted from negotiation with licensees.235 

License Term Characteristics Were Relatively Homogeneous 

The Special Order directed Responding PAEs to answer several questions regarding the terms and scope 

of the licenses executed by themselves and their Affiliates.236 Reviewing this information, the FTC 

observed that the vast majority of patent licenses executed by Study PAEs were (1) non-exclusive, (2) 

lump-sum, and (3) for the life of the licensed patents.237 

Reported Licenses Were Non-Exclusive 

Reported data did not indicate that Study PAEs granted exclusive licenses to their patents; instead, Study 

PAE licenses generally granted non-exclusive rights.238 An exclusive license “prevents the patent owner 

(or any other party to whom the patent owner might wish to sell a license) from competing with the 

exclusive licensee, as to the geographic region, the length of time, and/or the field of use, set forth in the 

license agreement.”239 If a PAE granted an exclusive license, it would forgo the exclusive opportunity to 

235 Frequently, Responding PAEs did not apportion lump sum payments across multiple Affiliate licensors in their responses. 

If several Affiliates were party to a license with a lump sum payment, often each Affiliate would report the license separately, 

but only some of the Affiliates would report the lump sum payment while others would report no revenue. See Appendix B: 

Methodology (providing a more detailed description of why some Study PAE licenses had no reported revenue). 

236 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.3. Responding PAEs were directed to include: the identity of the 

licensee and licensor, patent royalties, a description of how royalties were determined (lump sum or running royalties), 

whether the license included a cross-license, field-of-use restriction, geographic restriction, whether the proceeds of the 

patent were shared with the inventor or the employer of the named inventor, and the patents licensed. Id. 

237 The information request asked the Responding PAEs to indicate the sector to which any field-of-use restriction applied. 

Because virtually none of the Litigation PAE licenses included field-of-use restrictions, the FTC does not report the sector(s) 

to which the average restriction corresponded. A significant fraction of Portfolio PAE licenses did have field-of-use 

restrictions; most of these licenses reported that the licensed technology was limited to use in either the Computers & 

Communications or the Semiconductor sectors. 

238 This was observed both by reviewing the license terms and by the fact that parties reported multiple licensees for the same 

patent. An exclusive license grants all rights to the licensee, including the right to sue to enforce the patent. See Rite-Hite 

Corp. v. Kelley Co., Inc., 56 F.3d 1538, 1552 (Fed. Cir. 1995) (en banc) (“To be an exclusive licensee for standing purposes, 

a party must have received, not only the right to practice the invention within a given territory, but also the patentee’s express 

or implied promise that others shall be excluded from practicing the invention within that territory as well.”). 

239 See, e.g., USPTO, MANUAL OF PATENT EXAMINING PROCEDURE § 301 (Nov. 2015), 

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s301.html; Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research v. Cochlear 

Corp., 604 F.3d 1354 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (holding that if the patent holder grants an exclusive license, but does not transfer “all 

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assert the patents against others and write additional licenses. A non-exclusive license, by contrast, 

merely grants the licensee the freedom to practice the claims of the licensed patents.240 Granting nonexclusive rights allows the PAE to assert the licensed patents against more than one target and thereby 

obtain multiple licenses. 

Reported Licenses Overwhelmingly Included Lump-Sum Payments 

Patent licenses frequently include a payment structure comprising lump-sum payments, running 

royalties, or a combination of the two. Lump-sum payments are money payments with a contractually 

fixed amount. Often, a license will provide for one lump-sum payment but it is not uncommon to see 

agreements that provide for several lump-sum payments paid over time. By fixing compensation at a 

negotiated amount, lump-sum payments eliminate the need for ongoing monitoring and measurement of 

the royalty amount. Lump-sum payments also provide certainty to both parties regarding the amount of 

compensation to be paid, eliminating some risk of subsequent changes in the product market. 

Running royalties are payments that are determined by the licensee’s sale or use of the licensed product. 

Often, these royalties are computed as a percentage of sales revenues or, alternatively, on a per-unit 

basis for licensed products that are sold. Because they are paid periodically, the use of running royalty 

payments also spread the payment period over time. The continued computation of running royalties 

imposes monitoring costs on the parties, however. On the other hand, the use of a running royalty can 

reduce the risk that a party is undercompensated or overcompensated if the actual profitability or 

popularity of the licensed product differs from the parties’ projections at the time of contracting. 

The reported licenses were predominately lump sum; however, there was significant variation by PAE 

type in the form of royalty received. As shown in Table 3.2, more than 99% of the royalties in licenses 

written by Litigation PAEs were lump sum. This is consistent with the Litigation PAE model because 

when royalties are paid as a lump sum, the PAE does not need to hire professionals to monitor or 

enforce the payment of royalties, and they can pass the proceeds along to the controlling entity, if any, 

substantial rights,” then the patent holder and the exclusive licensee both have standing to sue.), See also Vaupel 

Textilmaschinen KG v. Meccanica Euro Italia SpA, 944 F.2d 870, 873–74 (Fed. Cir. 1991). 

240 See U.S. Philips Corp. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 424 F.3d 1179, 1189 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (“A nonexclusive patent license is 

simply a promise not to sue for infringement.”). 

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as quickly as possible. For Portfolio PAEs, 83.7% of licensees included only a lump-sum payment, 

13.5% had only a running royalty, and 2.8% included both a running royalty and lump-sum component. 

Table 3.2: Percentage of Patent Licensing Agreements with Given Characteristics 

Contract Terms Payment Terms 

Cross 

License 

Field of 

Use 

Restriction 

Geographic 

Restriction 

Lump 

Sum 

Only 

Running 

Royalty 

Only 

Both Lump 

Sum and 

Running 

Royalty 

Components 

Portfolio 

PAEs 4.4% 71.8% 6.0% 83.7% 13.5% 2.8% 

Litigation 

PAEs 0.0% 1.9% 1.9% 99.2% 0.3% 0.5% 

Note: Total Portfolio PAE licenses reflected in the table is 252 for contract terms and 215 for payment terms 

(payment terms were calculated only using data for licenses reporting positive revenues). Total Litigation 

PAE licenses reflected in the table is 2,463 for contract terms and 2,149 for payment terms. 

License Terms Typically Extended Until the Licensed Patents Expired 

Responding PAEs had to report the dates of termination of all licenses identified on behalf of themselves 

and their Affiliates.241 Most Responding PAEs indicated that their licenses terminated when the licensed 

patents expired. The prevalence of this contact term was likely due to settled law holding that a patent 

license that extends beyond the expiration of the licensed patent is unenforceable.242 When the effective 

date of the license extended beyond patent expiry, it typically extended six years beyond the expiration 

of the last patent to expire, presumably to address the six-year window for recovering patent damages.243 

241 Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.3.l (“State the duration of the License agreement?”). 

242 See Brulotte v. Thys Co., 379 U.S. 29, 32 (1964) (holding that a patent holder cannot charge royalties for the use of his 

invention after its patent term has expired); see also Kimble v. Marvel Ent’t Co., 135 S. Ct. 2401, 2405 (2015) (holding 

same). 

243 35 U.S.C. § 286 (2012) (“Except as otherwise provided by law, no recovery shall be had for any infringement committed 

more than six years prior to the filing of the complaint or counterclaim for infringement in the action.”). 

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Portfolio PAE Licenses Included More Complicated Terms than Litigation PAE Licenses 

Responding PAEs also identified the scope of licenses that they and their Affiliates executed.244 The 

contract provisions limiting the scope of the licenses written by Portfolio PAEs and Litigation PAEs 

differed significantly. Litigation PAEs entered into simple licenses. As shown in Table 3.2, only 1.9% of 

these license agreements contained any limitations on either the field-of-use or the geographic regions 

where the licensee could sell the licensed products. By contrast, Portfolio PAEs frequently included 

limitations on their licenses: 71.8% of licenses contained a field-of-use restriction and 6% of licenses 

included a geographic restriction. In addition, 4.4% of Portfolio PAE licenses contained a cross-license. 

244 Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.3.m (“State the Licensed products or services.”). 

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Study PAEs Generated Approximately $4 Billion in License Revenue During 

the Study Period 

Figure 3.9 presents the frequency distribution of royalty payments for individual patent licenses 

separately for Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs.245 

Figure 3.9: Frequency Distribution of Patent Licensing Royalties 

Note: Sample restricted to the 2,364 licenses reporting positive royalty payments, and shaded region 

corresponds to the licenses that fall within the cost range of defending a NPE litigation through the end of 

discovery according to the AIPLA. 

245 The FTC included only license payments from those agreements reporting positive revenues. This restriction reduces the 

sample of licenses used in the construction of Figure 3.9 to 215 royalties from licenses written by Portfolio PAEs and 2,149 

royalties from licenses written by Litigation PAEs. See Appendix B: Methodology (discussing why Responding PAEs 

reported receiving no revenue for some of their patent licenses). 

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Portfolio PAEs wrote relatively few licenses, but these licenses generated relatively large revenues. 

Figure 3.9 shows that more than 65% of Portfolio PAE license agreements generated royalties of more 

than $1 million, and roughly 10% of these licenses generated royalties of more than $50 million. 

Litigation PAEs granted far more licenses than Portfolio PAEs did, but their licenses typically generated 

much lower revenues. More than 30% of Litigation PAE licenses generated less than $50,000 in revenue 

and more than 77% of their licenses generated less than $300,000 in revenue. Thus, while the majority 

of licenses (65%) written by Portfolio PAEs generated more than $1 million in revenues, almost all 

(94%) of the licenses written by Litigation PAEs generated royalties of less than $1 million. 

The Influence of Settlement on Royalty Amount 

As noted above, the vast majority of reported licenses for Litigation PAEs settled pending litigation. 

This fact may have affected the ultimate royalty amount paid to the PAE. As recognized by the Federal 

Circuit and others, the royalty paid as part of a litigation settlement may reflect both the license value 

and the parties’ desire to avoid continued litigation. The Federal Circuit has recognized that “license fees 

negotiated in the face of a threat of high litigation costs may be strongly influenced by a desire to avoid 

full litigation.”246 The Supreme Court has reasoned that a “payment of any sum in settlement of a claim 

for an alleged infringement cannot be taken as a standard to measure the value of the improvements 

patented.”247 

Many Study PAE licenses explicitly recited that they were made in settlement of pending lawsuits, often 

stating that the license payment was not intended to reflect a reasonable royalty for alleged use of the 

patented technology, but instead was payment to resolve the litigation.248 For the PAE, this provision 

246 LaserDynamics, Inc. v. Quanta Computer, Inc., 694 F.3d 51, 77 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (quoting Hanson v. Alpine Valley Ski 

Area, Inc., 718 F.2d 1075, 1078–79 (Fed Cir. 1983); see also Panduit Corp. v. Stahlin Bros. Fibre Works, Inc., 575 F.2d 

1152, 1164 n.11 (6th Cir.1978)). 

247 Rude v. Westcott, 130 U.S. 152, 164 (1889). 

248 Often, the licenses specified the dispute by docket number. In addition to identifying litigation, many agreements included 

terms that required the licensor to dismiss the pending litigation as a condition for royalty payment. Many licenses included 

language disclaiming the royalty amount as evidence of a negotiated royalty rate. Several agreements explicitly stated that the 

royalty was set by a desire to avoid the costs of litigation. Other agreements provided a “negotiated” royalty amount and then 

showed a discount that was applied to reach the actual amount paid. Many licenses also included recitals for both a settlement 

and a release. In contrast to a license payment, which is for future infringement, a settlement amount may reflect damages 

owed for past infringement. 

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likely seeks to avoid the possibility that a court or future licensee would view nuisance-value payments 

as a measure of a reasonable royalty. 

Plaintiffs initiate litigation to obtain nuisance-value settlements in other areas besides patent litigation, 

such as class actions and securities litigation.249 In nuisance cases, a defendant agrees to a settlement 

amount that reflects business risk, disruption and forecasted litigation costs.250 Although not all licensees 

indicated explicitly whether the royalty payment reflected avoided litigation costs, the revenues received 

in patent licenses, particularly those for relatively small amounts, may have been influenced heavily by 

the parties’ desire to avoid the cost of litigation.251 To evaluate the possibility that PAE licenses may 

reflect nuisance-value settlements, the FTC compared license royalties to the estimated cost of patent 

litigation. The vast majority of Litigation PAE suits settled early, most frequently before the end of 

discovery. The AIPLA reported in 2013 that the cost of defending NPE patent litigation through the end 

of discovery costs between $300,000 and $2.5 million, depending on the amount in controversy.252 

Figure 3.9 shades the region that corresponds to the estimated cost of defending a patent infringement 

action through the end of discovery. This breaks the royalty distribution into three ranges: royalties 

below the estimated cost of defending a case through the end of discovery, royalties consistent with the 

cost of defending a case through the end of discovery, and royalties greater than the cost of defending a 

case through the end of discovery. Of the royalties paid for Litigation PAE licenses, 77% were less than 

$300,000 and thus below AIPLA’s lowest estimated cost of defending an NPE patent infringement 

action through the end of discovery in 2013. Only 3% of Litigation PAE royalties were greater than 

the highest estimated cost of the same activity.253 By contrast, 78% of Portfolio PAE royalties were 

greater than or equal to the estimated minimum cost of defending patent litigation through the end of 

discovery: 53% of Portfolio PAE royalties were greater than $2.5 million and 25% were between 

249 See, e.g., Janet Cooper Alexander, Do the Merits Matter? A Study of Settlements in Securities Class Actions, 43 STAN. L. 

REV. 497 (1991); Robert Bone, Modeling Frivolous Suits, 145 U. PA. L. REV. 519 (1997). 

250 See generally Hubbard, supra note 8; Rosenberg & Shavell (2006), supra note 8; Rosenberg & Shavell(1985), supra 

note 8. 

251 See AIPLA 2013 REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY, supra note 7, at 35. 

252 Id. 

253 Id. 

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$300,000 and $2.5 million. By these estimates, 77% of Litigation PAEs settlements were valued below 

an approximate benchmark representing the nuisance value of litigation, while 78% of Portfolio PAE 

licenses were equal to or greater than the nuisance value of litigation benchmark. 

Royalties Paid by Different Licensees for Licenses to Identical Patents Varied Widely 

Study PAEs reported receiving widely differing royalties from different licensees for the same set of 

patents. There are many potential explanations for why the royalties paid for identical patents varied 

across licensees. Some licensees may have had much higher demand for the patents than other licensees. 

A licensee with much higher sales of potentially infringing products would have been expected to pay 

more in a patent license than one with lower sales volumes. Because the majority of licenses reported 

lump-sum payments without breaking out the royalty rate and the base, it is possible that licensees paid 

similar royalty rates, but very different lump sums. Licensees may also have differed in bargaining 

sophistication: some licensees may have been more successful in obtaining a license at a lower royalty. 

In addition, licensees operating in different industries may have a different willingness to pay for 

identical patents. 

To measure how royalties paid by licensees to Study PAEs varied, the FTC analyzed the variation in 

royalties where a Study PAE licensed identical patents to a number of licensees. The FTC limited its 

analysis to instances in which at least ten licensees paid a non-zero royalty to a Study PAE for identical 

patents in order to have a reasonable sample size to measure dispersion for each unique collection of 

licensed patents. Moreover, to maintain the anonymity of the licensees and Study PAEs, the FTC scaled 

each royalty payment by the mean royalty paid for a license for that set of patents.254 We then plotted the 

th th th th th 255 10 , 25 , 50 (median), 75 , and 90 percentiles of the scaled royalty distribution separately for each 

unique set of licensed patents. The royalties paid by different licensees to license identical sets of patents 

varied dramatically, often by more than a factor of 20. For this reason, we plotted the data using a logscale for the y-axis; specifically, the unit distance between any two points on the y-axis corresponds to a 

254 For example, if the licensee “Intrepid Manufacturing” paid $500,000 to license patents A, B and C from PAE 1, and if the 

mean price paid for a license to Patents A, B, and C was $1,000,000, then the FTC would scale “Intrepid Manufacturing’s” 

license fee to be 0.5. 

255 A percentile is defined as the number in a distribution that causes that percentage of observations to fall below that 

number. For example, if 10 is the 50th percentile of a distribution, then 50% of the numbers in that distribution are less than 

10. 

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factor of 10. This analysis included 902 royalty payments made to 14 different Study PAEs, which 

licensed 38 unique sets of patents.256 

Figure 3.10a: Dispersion of Licensing Royalties Paid for Identical Sets of Patents 

Note: Each Patent Group consists of a set of at least ten licenses reporting positive royalties where all 

licenses correspond to the same set of patents. The midline of a box corresponds to the median, the blue 

box represents the 75th and 25th percentiles and the outermost lines (in bold) represent the 90th and 10th 

percentiles of the distribution of royalties for a given Patent Group. Figure depicts 902 royalty payments 

made to 14 different Responding PAEs licensing 38 unique sets of patents. 

256 The vast majority of the licenses included in this analysis (87% across Study PAEs) generated royalties below $300,000 

(the AIPLA’s estimated lower bound on cost of defending a case through the end of discovery). Only five of the 38 groups of 

patents had a mean license royalty of more than $300,000, and only one group had a median license royalty over $300,000. 

Given the relatively low magnitude of the studied royalty payments, it may be the case that variability in the willingness to 

avoid litigation played a larger role in generating variation in licensing fees than variation in the willingness to pay for the 

licensed patents. AIPLA 2013 REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC SURVEY, supra note 7, at 35. 

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The results are presented in Figure 3.10a. Each column corresponds to the frequency distribution of 

patent royalties paid for one of the 38 unique sets of patents used in the analysis. In the figure, the upper 

th th and lower hash marks correspond to the 90 and 10 percentiles of the royalty distribution, while the 

th th upper and lower edges of the light blue boxes correspond to the 75 and 25 percentiles. A line within 

the blue box denotes the median (50th percentile) of the royalty distribution. For the first group of 

patents (denoted 1 on the x-axis), the 90th percentile was 5.4; that is, 90% of patent licensees for this set 

of patents paid royalties less than 5.4 times the mean, and 10% of patent licensees paid royalties greater 

th th th th than 5.4 times the mean. The 75 , 50 , 25 , and 10 percentiles for patent group 1 correspond to 0.92, 

0.24, 0.05, and 0.05 times the mean, respectively.257 

Figure 3.10a shows that the variability in royalty paid varied dramatically across patent groups. For 

example, for patent group 9 there was very little variability in the patent royalty paid by licensees. The 

th th th th th th 25 , 50 , 75 , and 90 percentiles were identical, and the 10 and 90 percentiles only varied by 17% 

of the mean royalty paid for the patents in group 9. By contrast, for patent group 14, the difference in the 

th th royalty paid for the 90 and 10 percentiles varied by a factor of nearly 20; that is, the 10% of licensees 

that paid the highest royalties for a license to the patents in group 14 paid 20 times more than the 10% of 

licensees paying the lowest royalties. 

Figure 3.10a shows that a small number of licensees paid royalties much larger than the mean royalty, 

and a substantial majority of licensees paid royalties lower—often much lower—than the mean royalty 

paid.258 Across all 38 groups of patents, roughly 11% of licensees paid more than twice the average 

royalty paid for a given set of patents, while 65% paid less than the average royalty. In fact, 34% paid a 

royalty less than half of the mean royalty, and 14% paid a royalty less than one quarter of the mean 

royalty. 

As noted above, there were many reasons why different licensees may have paid different royalties for 

an identical set of patents. Licensees operating in different industries, for example, may have had a 

different willingness to pay for identical patents. Hence, some of the variation in patent royalties seen in 

257 th th The 10 and 25 percentiles correspond to the same value; that is, those patent licenses generated the same royalty 

payment to the PAE. 

258 The median patent royalty was almost always lower than the mean patent royalty. 

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Figure 3.10a could be the result of licensees operating in different industries. To examine this 

possibility, we also measured the variability in patent royalties for licensees of identical patents that 

operated in the same industry. To conduct this analysis, we applied the methodology used to construct 

Figure 3.10a to the subset of licenses in the industry with the largest number of licenses for a given set 

of patents, and required there to be at least ten licenses with positive royalty payments in the industry 

with the largest number of licenses. This restriction reduced the sample to 17 sets of licensed patents 

from nine different Study PAEs. Figure 3.10b shows the results. 

Figure 3.10b: Dispersion of Licensing Royalties Paid for Identical Sets of Patents: 

Limited to Licensees in the Same Industry
 

Note: Each Patent Group consists of a set of at least ten licenses reporting positive royalties where all 

licenses correspond to the same set of patents licensed to firms operating in the same industry. The midline 

of a box corresponds to the median, the blue box represents the 75th and 25th percentiles and the 

outermost lines (in bold) represent the 90th and 10th percentiles of the distribution of royalties for a given 

Patent Group. See the Methodological Appendix for a description of how firms are assigned industries. 

Figure depicts 364 royalty payments made to nine different Responding PAEs. 

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To facilitate a comparison of the findings corresponding to licenses within a single industry to those 

from the overall sample shown in Figure 3.10a, we plotted the results in Figure 3.10b with the same 

ordering of the groupings of licensed patents along the x-axis. For example, the set of licensed patents 

corresponding to group 1 in Figure 3.10a is identical to the set of licensed patents shown in group 1 in 

Figure 3.10b. Not surprisingly, in most cases, there was less variation in patent royalties among 

licensees within the same industry.259 However, there was still frequently substantial variation in the 

royalties paid by licensees within the same industry. For example, in group 1 the 90th percentile was 1.4 

(10% of the licensees in the industry paid a royalty at least 1.4 times the mean), and the 25th percentile 

was 0.08 (25% of licensees in the industry paid a license fee of less than 8% of the mean). Although this 

variation was less than that observed for all licensees of the patents in group 1, it was still substantial. 

Thus, even when limiting the licensees to those operating within the same industry, licensees of identical 

patents frequently paid very different royalty amounts. 

Study PAE Licensees 

The impact of the observed PAE licensing behavior appeared to be concentrated among a small set of 

firms. Study PAEs produced data corresponding to 2,715 licenses and approximately 1,400 individual 

licensees. Notably, most licensees appeared as a party to only one license in the study data. A small 

number of firms, however, entered into multiple licenses with the Responding PAEs or their Affiliates. 

This can be seen in Figure 3.11 which shows the frequency with which a given licensee entered into a 

license with any Study PAE. For example, while more than 70% of licensees had only one license with 

any Study PAE, roughly 2% of licensees entered into more than nine licenses with Study PAEs. 

259 th th th th For example, the differences between the 75 and 25 percentiles and the 90 and 10 percentiles of the licensing 

distributions were smaller in most cases when licensees were in the same industry (Figure 3.10b) than when licensees operate 

in different of industries (Figure 3.10a). There were, however, two cases where the variation in license fees increased when 

we limited the analysis to measuring dispersion within a single industry. For groups 10 and 29, the differences between the 

th th th th 75 and 25 percentiles and the 90 and 10 percentiles were larger within the industry with the most licenses when 

compared to the larger sample (which contained licenses from licensees operating in multiple industries). In three instances 

th th the difference between the 75 and 25 percentiles increased (patent groups 12, 24, and 33) while the difference between the 

th th th th 90 and 10 percentiles decreased, and in three instances the difference between the 90 and 10 percentiles increased 

th th (patent groups 11, 10, and 19) while the difference between the 75 and 25 percentiles decreased. 

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Figure 3.11: Number of Licenses Involving a Given Licensee 

Note: Figure represents 1,463 firms that are licensees. 

A Few Licensees Paid Most of the Royalties 

A relatively small number of the approximately 1,400 licensees observed in the Study Data accounted 

for the vast majority of royalties paid to Study PAEs. Figure 3.12 presents the share of revenue 

generated by the Study PAE licensees who paid the largest royalties. The concentration of royalties 

paid was most pronounced for Portfolio PAEs. The top twenty-five largest revenue Portfolio PAE 

th th licensees generated 87% of revenues, the 26 –50 largest revenue licensees generated only 10% of 

revenues, and the remaining Portfolio PAE licensees accounted for only 3% of revenues. By 

contrast, the top twenty-five licensees that paid the largest royalties to Litigation PAEs accounted 

for roughly half of Litigation PAEs revenue. 

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Figure 3.12: Percentage of Licensing Revenue Generated by Licensees
 

Paying the Largest Royalties
 

Note: Sample restricted to the 2,364 licenses reporting positive royalty payments. Largest licenses by 

revenue are calculated separately for Portfolio PAE and Litigation PAE. 

Industries of Licensees 

Although Study PAE licensees spanned multiple industries, they were concentrated in the 

“Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry. Figure 3.13 presents the distribution of 

industries in which Portfolio and Litigation PAE licensees operated.260 Figure 3.13 shows that 

Study PAE licensees most frequently participated in manufacturing industries: 75% of Portfolio 

PAE licensees and 40% of Litigation PAE licensees operated in the “Computer & Electronic 

Product Manufacturing” and “Manufacturing, all other” industries. Additionally, Litigation PAEs 

260 See Appendix B: Methodology (describing how the FTC assigned licensees to industries). 

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granted licenses to firms operating in a much more diverse set of industries than Portfolio PAEs. In 

particular, Litigation PAEs licensees operated with more relative frequency in non-manufacturing 

industries. Approximately 14% and 6% of the licensees of Litigation PAEs operated in the “Retail 

Trade” and “Finance and Insurance” industries, respectively. By contrast, about 4% and 2%, 

respectively, of the licensees of Portfolio PAEs operated in the “Retail Trade” and “Finance and 

Insurance” industries. The licensees paying the highest licensing revenues most frequently operated in 

the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry. For example, more than 50% of the top 

twenty-five largest revenue Litigation PAE and Portfolio PAE licensees operated in the “Computer & 

Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry. 

Figure 3.13: Industries Of Licensees 

Note: See the Methodology Appendix for a description of how firms are assigned to industries. The 

“Information, all other” industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as Software Publishers, Motion 

Picture and Sound Recording firms, and Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portal firms. 

Figure depicts 245 Portfolio PAE licenses and 2,388 Litigation PAE licenses. 

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Revenue Sharing with Inventors 

PAEs acquire patents from different types of firms, including operating companies, the inventor (or 

employer of the inventor) of the patent, or intermediaries that purchased the patent from its original 

owner. In addition, PAEs can use different methods to compensate the previous patent owner. For 

example, within this study, Litigation PAEs usually paid for patents by promising to pay the previous 

patent owner a fraction of their future licensing revenue, whereas Portfolio PAEs made greater use of 

up-front, lump sum, payments in their patent acquisitions. Commenters have suggested that PAEs act as 

an intermediary for inventors who may not otherwise be able to negotiate on their own behalf.261 The 

FTC solicited information regarding this suggestion and observed that more than half of Study PAEs 

reported either acquiring patents from their inventor or the employer of the inventor. In addition, the 

FTC found that roughly half of the Study PAEs reported sharing a fraction of their licensing revenue 

with their inventor or the employer of the inventor. However, because of significant differences in how 

Study PAEs maintained their data on these practices, the FTC does not quantify the frequency or 

magnitude of revenue sharing with independent inventors. 

Conclusion 

The FTC sought to develop a better understanding of how PAEs generate revenue from their 

patents through demands, litigation, and licensing. We found that the PAE Affiliates described in 

Chapter 2 actively sent demands, litigated, and licensed. We also found that, as a general matter, 

the impact of assertion behavior was highly skewed; only a small number of entities were frequent 

targets of Study PAE activity. Most of the assertion activity was concentrated in a small number of 

industries. Specifically, Study PAEs focused most of their patent assertion activity on companies 

engaged in manufacturing—especially “Computer and Electronics Product Manufacturing.” Study 

PAEs, particularly Litigation PAEs, also asserted patents against firms in the “Retail Trade” 

industry, which were likely the end-users of asserted products. 

261 See, e.g., Public Comment from Barry Leff, IPNav, to the FTC & DOJ Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop 3 

(Feb. 21, 2013), www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/pae/comments/paew-0010.pdf; Transcript of PAE Activities 

Workshop, supra note 148, at 112 (testimony of C. Graham Gerst, Partner, Global IP Law Grp.) (large practicing entities 

refuse to negotiate with small tech companies, small individual inventors, over licenses); id. at 48 (testimony of Paul Melin, 

Chief IP Officer, Nokia) (noting “a sense of entitlement” toward patents). 

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Turning to specific assertion behavior, the FTC did not observe demand-letter campaigns that, without 

litigation, led to low-revenue licenses. Instead, the overwhelming majority of reported licenses followed 

a patent infringement suit against the potential licensee. The FTC likewise observed Litigation PAE 

behavior that was consistent with nuisance-value litigation; of all reported Litigation PAE licenses, 93% 

followed a lawsuit against the eventual licensee, and more than 75% were valued at less than the 

AIPLA’s estimated discovery costs. In addition, when licenses followed litigation, those litigations 

tended to settle early; of the cases that settled, 34% settled within six months of filing, 66% within 

one year, and 83% within 18 months. Finally, we found that the royalties paid by different 

licensees for licenses covering identical patents varied widely. 

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Chapter 4: Wireless Case Study 

Introduction 

In addition to examining how Study PAEs asserted their patents, the FTC also examined whether and 

how Study PAE assertion behavior differs from that of non-PAE licensors. PAE business models differ 

from the business models of other patent licensors. PAEs are unlike manufacturers because they do not 

make or sell products. Unlike both manufacturers and NPEs, PAEs generally do not engage in any 

research and development activity or conduct ex ante technology transfer.262 As a result, PAEs likely 

face different litigation risks relative to manufacturers and NPEs, and those differences may affect their 

assertion behavior. 

For example, because PAEs generally do not engage in manufacturing or research and development, 

they do not have business operations that litigation may interrupt. Further, PAEs likely have fewer 

business documents to search for, review, and produce in litigation discovery. Consequently, 

manufacturers and NPEs likely face more discovery burden and risk of business disruption than 

PAEs. Because PAEs do not manufacture products, they are largely immune to patent-infringement 

countersuit. Moreover, because they do not face the reputational concerns of manufacturers or NPEs, 

they may be more likely to sue customers and end-users of technology for patent infringement instead of 

or in addition to upstream manufacturers that incorporate the accused technology into products.263 

262 NPEs include patent holders that primarily seek to develop and transfer technology. See FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE 

REPORT, supra note 1, at 8 n.5. The NPEs in this study conducted research and developed technologies related to wireless 

chipsets. They applied for, and were granted, patents covering those technologies. 

263 See Erica S. Mintzer and Suzanne Munck, The Joint U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission 

Workshop on Patent Assertion Entity Activities—“Follow the Money,” 79 ANTITRUST L.J. 423, 426 (2014) (discussing 

comments and participants at the FTC and DOJ 2012 workshop on PAE activity and observing that “in contrast to operating 

companies ... [PAEs] do not have the reputational constraints that may diminish an operating company’s incentive to 

litigate”). Indeed, if anything, PAEs may capitalize on their development of a negative reputation for being litigious as a 

strategy of persuading firms to accept their licensing demands. Hovenkamp, supra note 92, at 2 (“Rather, it is part of a 

calculated reputation building strategy of predatory patent litigation under which a PAE follows through on its seemingly 

irrational litigation threats in order to develop a litigious reputation that persuades future targets to accept licensing demands 

they would ordinarily reject based on a belief that the litigation threat is non-credible.”). 

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The preceding considerations have led some to suggest that PAEs may be more aggressive than either 

manufacturers or NPEs in litigating their patents.264 To address whether PAEs assert patents differently 

than manufacturers or NPEs, this chapter compares and contrasts the behavior of Study PAEs, 

manufacturers, and NPEs within the wireless chipset sector.265 As described in Chapter 3, the FTC 

broadly examined Study PAE assertion behavior involving patent holdings across multiple technologies. 

The FTC then focused on the behavior of the same Study PAEs with respect to their assertion of 

wireless patents only, which this chapter reports.266 The FTC chose the wireless chipset sector because 

it is a relatively well-defined industry with a significant amount of assertion activity by PAEs, 

manufacturers, and NPEs. Furthermore, a relatively small number of manufacturers account for the vast 

majority of worldwide sales in this sector.267 Finally, focusing on a single technology sector allowed the 

FTC to examine behavioral differences resulting from different business models, as opposed to 

behavioral differences resulting from technology sectors with different characteristics.268 

The Wireless Case Study includes information describing more than 1,700 demands, 650 distinct cases, 

and 1,000 patent licenses related to wireless patents. The economic impact of the assertion studied is 

substantial given the proliferation of wireless communication devices. While only about 20% of the 

264 See, e.g., Scott Morton & Shapiro, supra note 2; Hovenkamp, supra note 92, at 2. 

265 The FTC sent Special Orders to ten manufacturers and six NPEs active in the wireless chipset sector. The FTC allowed 

one pair of NPE firms to submit a joint response because their activities were closely related. Furthermore, two 

manufacturers did not have sufficient reportable information. As a result, this Chapter reports on eight manufacturers and five 

NPEs. In this report, “Wireless Manufacturers” and “NPEs” refers to these responding firms. See Appendix A: Glossary of 

Frequently Used Terms; see also Appendix D: Wireless Case Study Special Order (reproducing the Special Order sent to 

Wireless Manufacturers and NPEs). Unless otherwise noted, the Wireless Case Study discusses Study PAE assertion of 

wireless patents only. See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. 

266 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “Wireless patent” means any patent asserted against a wireless 

communication device. “Wireless communication device” means any device, including wireless chipsets, which implements 

wireless communication, including, but not limited to, software, user equipment, base stations, and network infrastructure. Id. 

267 The eight Wireless Manufacturers included in the study collectively produce approximately 90% of the wireless chipsets 

sold worldwide. See, e.g., Brad Shaffer, Flexibility and Technology Leadership All Important as Challenges Persist in Digital 

Baseband Market, IHS MARKIT (Feb. 19, 2016), https://technology.ihs.com/573534/flexibility-and-technology-leadershipall-important-as-challenges-persist-in-digital-baseband-market (reporting market shares for baseband processors—one type 

of wireless chipset). 

268 While the Wireless Case Study was designed to focus on differences in business models between PAEs, NPEs, and 

Wireless Manufacturers, we found that the sample of NPEs did not appear to use a uniform business model. The patent 

assertion behavior of some NPEs appeared quite similar to that of Portfolio PAEs and Manufacturers while the patent 

assertion behavior of other NPEs appeared more similar to that of Litigation PAEs. 

103 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

patent licenses written by Study PAEs included wireless patents, those that did were much more 

valuable than the average patent license in the study. Among all licenses reported to the FTC, about one 

third of Litigation PAE revenues and more than 75% of Portfolio PAE revenues related to licenses that 

included wireless patents. Wireless Manufacturer and NPE wireless licenses were economically 

important and together accounted for more than the $4 billion earned by Study PAEs across all 

technologies combined. 

Study PAE, Wireless Manufacturer, and NPE assertion strategies and licenses for wireless patents 

varied in important ways. While some Wireless Manufacturers actively asserted their patents using a 

strategy similar to that of Portfolio PAEs, other Wireless Manufacturers chose not to assert their patents 

at all or did so only through low- or zero-royalty bearing licenses. There was also remarkable variation 

in how NPEs asserted their patents. Some NPEs pursued an assertion strategy very similar to that of 

Litigation PAEs (i.e., using litigation to generate most of their license agreements), while others 

operated more like Portfolio PAEs (i.e., negotiating many licenses without resorting to litigation). 

Wireless Manufacturers and NPEs in the Wireless Case Study sent nearly three times as many demand 

letters as Study PAEs combined. Wireless Manufacturers and Portfolio PAEs directed their demands 

relating to wireless patents to more firms operating in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” and “Manufacturing, all other” industries than NPEs and Litigation PAEs. The litigation 

activity of Litigation PAEs, however, dwarfed that of all other Wireless Respondent types combined.269 

The content and structure of patent license agreements varied in important ways by Wireless Respondent 

type. Wireless Manufacturers tended to write the most complex licenses, which could include crosslicenses, field-of-use restrictions, and relatively complicated payment terms (e.g., running-royalties), 

while Litigation PAEs wrote very simple licenses containing few restrictions and basic payment terms 

(e.g., lump-sum payments). Similar to the observations of Chapter 3, Portfolio PAE licenses involving 

wireless patents were more complex than Litigation PAE licenses involving wireless patents. NPEs did 

not take a uniform approach to patent licensing. A number of them wrote patent licenses very similar in 

content and structure to those of Litigation PAEs, while others wrote patent licenses that were more 

similar in content and structure to those of Portfolio PAEs or Wireless Manufacturers. 

269 Wireless Manufacturers, NPEs, and Study PAEs asserting wireless patents are collectively referred to as “Wireless 

Respondents.” See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. 

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Chapter 4 first describes how Wireless Respondents sent demands. It then discusses their litigation 

activity and examines their licensing behavior. Finally, the chapter summarizes how Study PAE 

assertion behavior relating to wireless patents compares to the assertion behavior of other Wireless 

Respondents. The discussion in this chapter supports the FTC’s conclusion that Litigation PAEs asserted 

their patents differently than Wireless Manufacturers, while Portfolio PAE and NPE behavior fell 

between these two extremes. 

Wireless Respondents’ Demand Activity 

This section compares the demand behavior of Study PAEs, Wireless Manufacturers, and NPEs 

relating to wireless patents. First, it describes how overall demand activity varied by Wireless 

Respondent type. It then explains how frequently individual target firms received demands from 

Wireless Respondents. Finally, it identifies the industries that received the most demands from 

Wireless Respondents. 

Wireless Manufacturers and NPEs Sent More Demands than Study PAEs 

The FTC asked Wireless Respondents to provide the first demand relating to wireless patents that they, 

or their Affiliates, sent to each target during the study period.270 Fifteen Wireless Respondents 

reported 1,716 wireless patent demands. Of these 15 Wireless Respondents, four were Wireless 

Manufacturers, four were NPEs, two were Portfolio PAEs, and five were Litigation PAEs.271 

270 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.1; Appendix D: Wireless Case Study Special Order, Specification 

E.1. 

271 In addition to these 15 Wireless Respondents, one Portfolio PAE and one Litigation PAE reported filing wireless patent 

infringement lawsuits, but did not report sending demands that specifically identified a wireless patent. While the initial 

demands sent by these two Study PAEs neither referred to, nor were identified as relating to, a wireless patent, these Study 

PAEs were likely attempting to license wireless patents given the subsequent litigation. However, because these demands 

neither referred to, nor were identified as relating to, a wireless patent, the analysis in this chapter did not include them. 

105 
 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4.1: Relative Proportion of Wireless Patent Demand Letters 

Note: The total number of wireless patent demands sent by PAEs, NPEs, and Wireless Manufacturers is 

1,716. 

Figure 4.1 breaks down the share of demands by Wireless Respondent type. The responses showed 

that Wireless Manufacturers and NPEs sent 28% and 46%, respectively, of the demands reported in the 

Wireless Case Study, which is far more demands than what Study PAEs sent. Notably, two Wireless 

Respondents—a Wireless Manufacturer and an NPE—sent nearly half of all the demands. Wireless 

Manufacturers and NPEs did not report using multiple Affiliates to assert patents. Only one 

Responding PAE identified multiple Affiliates that had sent demands relating to wireless patents, with 

this Responding PAE identifying only three Affiliates. 

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A Small Number of Targets Received Multiple Demands 

Typically, targets received only one demand from any Wireless Respondent during the study period, 

but a small number of targets received multiple demands. Wireless Respondents sent demands to 1,476 

different recipients.272 Fewer than 10% of the demand recipients received more than one demand, and 

only five demand recipients received more than five demands. The most demands received by any one 

recipient was ten. Only one Responding PAE identified multiple Affiliates that had sent demands 

related to wireless patents, so it was not surprising that only a few recipients received demands from 

multiple Affiliates of the same Responding PAE.273 

Wireless Respondents Sent Demands to Different Industries 

In Chapter 3, we reported that both Litigation and Portfolio PAEs sent demands to likely end-users of 

technology, but that this practice was more common among Litigation PAEs. Figure 4.2 shows by 

Wireless Respondent type the industries in which demand recipients operated.274 Surprisingly, given the 

study’s focus on the wireless chipset sector, only 46% of demand recipients were concentrated in the 

“Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry—the industry most closely associated with 

wireless chipsets. The expansion of wireless technologies to uses outside of traditional computer and 

electronics products has created the potential, it would seem, for a large number of demand recipients in 

other manufacturing industries. Adding the industry category, “Manufacturing, all other,” however, 

increased the share of demand recipients to only 63% suggesting, as reported in Chapter 3, that a large 

number of demand recipients may have been customers or end-users of the technology. 

272 See Appendix B: Methodology (describing the methodology used to identify unique demand recipients). 

273 Only three target firms received demands from multiple Affiliates of the same Responding PAE. Each of these firms 

received demands from two Affiliates. Three Affiliates in total were responsible for the demands sent to these three firms. 

274 See Appendix B: Methodology (describing the methodology used to assign demand recipients to industries). 

107 
 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4.2: Industries Subject to Wireless Patent Demands 

Note: See Appendix B for a description of how firms are assigned to industries. The “Information, all other” 

industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as Software Publishers, Motion Picture and Sound 

Recording firms, and Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals firms. Figure depicts 

265 Portfolio PAE demands, 183 Litigation PAE demands 750 NPE demands, and 425 Wireless 

Manufacturer demands. 

The industries in which demand recipients operated varied significantly by Wireless Respondent type. 

For Portfolio PAEs and Wireless Manufacturers, nearly 70% of the demand recipients operated in either 

the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry or the “Manufacturing, all other” 

industry. Both Portfolio PAEs and Wireless Manufacturers sent a non-trivial percentage of demands to 

recipients in other industries. Of the firms that received demands relating to wireless patents from 

Portfolio PAEs, 9% operated in the “Retail Trade” industry. 

For Litigation PAEs and NPEs, 54% and 36% of demand recipients, respectively, operated in either the 

“Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry or the “Manufacturing, all other” industry. 

108 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These percentages suggest that both Litigation PAEs and NPEs sent a fair share of demands to firms 

that may have been customers or end-users of the allegedly infringing product or technology. For 

example, 16% of Litigation PAE demand recipients operated in the “Telecommunications and 

Broadcasting” industry and 18% of NPE demand recipients operated in the “Transportation and 

Warehousing” industry. 

Wireless Respondents’ Litigation Activity 

This section compares Wireless Respondents’ litigation behavior. First, it reports on overall litigation 

activity by Wireless Respondent type. Then it compares case outcomes, and the extent to which 

Wireless Respondents used contingency fee counsel, specifically reporting on the percentage of cases 

that terminated and the percentage of terminated cases that settled; whether courts awarded damages, 

assessed fees, or issued sanctions; and the duration of settled cases.275 Finally, it breaks down the 

industries of defendants by Wireless Respondent type. 

Wireless Manufacturers Rarely Sued for Patent Infringement 

The FTC asked Wireless Respondents to identify all litigation involving infringement of Wireless 

Patents that they or their Affiliates brought during the study period in U.S. district court or the ITC.276 

Twenty-three Wireless Respondents—four Wireless Manufacturers, five NPEs, three Portfolio PAEs, 

and 11 Litigation PAEs—reported relevant information. Four Wireless Manufacturers did not sue for 

infringement of any wireless patent during the study period. 

275 The FTC categorized all cases in the study as either pending or terminated. A case terminates when a plaintiff dismisses 

the case, the court dismisses the case, the parties reach a settlement, or the court renders a final verdict. 

276 Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.2; Appendix D: Wireless Case Study Special Order, Specification E.2. 

109 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4.3: Relative Proportion of Wireless Patent Cases 

Note: Wireless Manufacturers account for 2% of cases. ITC investigations are excluded from Figure 4.3. 

Figure depicts 684 cases. 

Wireless Respondents filed 684 infringement cases in district court during the study period.277 As seen 

in Figure 4.3, the volume of district court cases in the study varied by Wireless Respondent type. 

Litigation PAEs initiated nearly two and a half times as many district court cases as all other Wireless 

Respondents combined. Illustrating a stark contrast in business models, Litigation PAEs initiated 

significantly more cases than Wireless Manufacturers, which accounted for approximately 90% of 

277 For the litigation analysis, the unit of observation is a matter between a particular plaintiff and a particular defendant 

involving a particular set of asserted patents. The FTC calls this unit of observation a “case.” See Appendix B: Methodology 

(describing the methodology used to transform reported litigations into cases). 

110 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

worldwide wireless chipset sales during the study period.278 Wireless Respondents initiated 28 

investigations before the ITC.279 NPEs initiated ITC investigations nearly as often as all other Wireless 

Respondents combined, accounting for 13 ITC proceedings. Wireless Manufacturers initiated eight ITC 

investigations, while Study PAEs initiated seven ITC investigations, of which six were initiated by 

Litigation PAEs. 

Litigation Outcomes 

This section compares case outcomes across Wireless Respondent types. To compare the percentage of 

cases that resulted in a license by Wireless Respondent type and to calculate the average duration of 

those cases, the analysis excludes all cases that were still pending at the end of the study period.280 The 

FTC categorized terminated cases as settled or as terminated for some other reason.281 Eighty percent of 

terminated cases settled. 

There was remarkable variation in case outcomes among different Wireless Respondent types. Chapter 3 

reported that Litigation PAE cases were less likely to terminate in settlements than were Portfolio 

PAE cases. In particular, all Portfolio PAE cases (including those not related to the infringement of 

wireless patents) that terminated during the study period settled while only 76% of all Litigation PAE 

terminated cases (including those not related to the infringement of wireless patents) settled. A similar 

pattern holds in how the wireless patent cases were resolved. 

All wireless patent cases involving Wireless Manufacturers and Portfolio PAEs that terminated during 

the study period settled. By contrast, 76% of Litigation PAE cases related to wireless patents that 

terminated during the study period settled, the same percentage as that for Litigation PAE cases 

278 See supra note 267. 

279 Procedurally, the ITC’s Office of Unfair Import Investigations initiates investigations based on a complaint from a patent 

holder. Reported ITC investigations typically had parallel district court cases, although three of the ITC investigations 

involving wireless patents in the study sample did not. 

280 The FTC categorized all cases as either pending or terminated. Among cases involving wireless patents, 28%, 39%, and 

50%, respectively, of Study PAE-, NPE-, and Wireless Manufacturer-initiated cases were pending at the end of the study 

period. The FTC also excluded the ITC investigations because all but three of them had a companion case in district court. 

281 For purposes of the FTC’s analysis, a case terminates when a plaintiff dismisses the case, the court dismisses a case, the 

parties reach a settlement, or a court renders a final verdict. The FTC also treated all settled cases as settling with a license. 

111 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

involving patents across all technology sectors.282 NPE settlement rates following litigation varied 

considerably. Although 89% of NPE terminated cases settled, some NPEs reported that nearly all of 

their terminated cases settled while others reported that less than two-thirds settled. In sum, Wireless 

Manufacturers, Portfolio PAEs, and some NPEs were much more likely to reach a settlement, and 

consequently a licensing agreement, with an alleged infringer than were Litigation PAEs after asserting 

wireless patents in district court. 

Of the reported Study PAE and NPE cases, none resulted in decisions involving court-awarded damages 

because they all either terminated before final judgment or were still pending at the end of the study 

period. Among Wireless Manufacturer cases terminating during the study period, five cases resulted in 

decisions involving court-awarded damages. No Wireless Respondent reported the issuance of sanctions 

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, or the award of attorneys’ fees against them pursuant to 

35 U.S.C. § 285. 

Table 4.1: Distribution of the Duration of Wireless Respondent Cases 

Percentage of Cases that Settle 

Within 6 

Months 

Within 12 

Months 

Within 18 

Months 

Within 24 

Months 

Portfolio PAEs 4% 9% 17% 30% 

NPEs 35% 55% 67% 84% 

Manufacturers 13% 13% 63% 75% 

Litigation PAEs 42% 75% 91% 94% 

Note: Table describes, by construction, the duration to settlement of settled cases only. Table includes 23 

Portfolio PAE cases, 51 NPE cases, 8 Manufacturer cases, and 204 Litigation PAE cases. 

As reported in Chapter 3, Litigation PAEs resolved their cases much more quickly than Portfolio PAEs 

did. Table 4.1 shows that there also were striking differences in the duration of settled cases involving 

Wireless Respondents.283 Litigation PAEs settled most quickly relative to other Wireless Respondents, 

282 When cases terminated without a settlement, termination was generally due to the grant of a dispositive motion in favor of 

the defendant or a voluntary withdrawal by the plaintiff. 

283 The FTC compared the duration of settled cases. This analysis did not include cases that terminated without a settlement 

or remained pending at the end of the study period. The FTC also excluded the duration of ITC proceedings because they 

have different procedural deadlines. These restrictions resulted in a sample consisting of just over half of the total wireless 

patent cases initiated in district court: 52%, 56%, 54%, and 50% of Portfolio PAE, Litigation PAE, NPE, and Wireless 

Manufacturer cases, respectively. 

112 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

with 75% of their settlements occurring within a year of filing the complaint.284 Most Wireless 

Manufacturer and NPE cases also settled relatively quickly. Around two-thirds of the Wireless 

Manufacturer and NPE settled cases settled within 18 months, and at least three-quarters settled within 

two years. Nearly 70% of Portfolio PAE-settled cases took more than two years to resolve. In other 

words, although Portfolio PAEs did not sue as frequently as NPEs and Litigation PAEs, when they did 

file cases, their cases took longer to resolve than those of the other Wireless Respondents. 

Wireless Respondents differed in their use of contingency fee counsel. Wireless Manufacturers did not 

report using contingency fee counsel, and Portfolio PAEs typically paid their lawyers on a fee-forservice basis. Consistent with the observations in Chapter 3, all Litigation PAEs reported using 

contingency fee arrangements.285 Four of the five NPEs also reported using contingency fee 

arrangements. 

Most Wireless Defendants Operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” Industry 

As reported in Chapter 3, a large share of Study PAE defendants operated outside of manufacturing 

industries, but more Litigation PAE defendants than Portfolio PAE defendants appeared to be nonmanufacturers. Figure 4.4, shows, by Wireless Respondent type, the industries in which defendants in 

the wireless patent cases operated.286 Like recipients of wireless patent demands, wireless patent 

defendants most commonly operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry, 

accounting for 46% of all defendants. 

284 See Appendix B: Methodology (discussing the methodology used to calculate case duration). 

285 This excludes one Litigation PAE, which gave an incomplete answer to the FTC’s question about the use of contingency
 

fee arrangements, citing attorney-client privilege.
 

286 See Appendix B: Methodology (describing the methodology used to assign defendants to industries).
 

113 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4.4: Industries of Wireless Patent Case Defendants 

Note: See Appendix B for a description of how firms are assigned to industries. The “Information, all other” 

industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as Software Publishers, Motion Picture and Sound 

Recording firms, and Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals firms. Figure depicts 66 

Portfolio PAE cases, 484 Litigation PAE cases, 119 NPE cases, and 12 Wireless Manufacturer cases. 

That percentage still left a substantial share of defendants in other industries, and the breakdown of 

industries varied considerably by Wireless Respondent type. For example, about 40% of Portfolio PAE 

wireless patent defendants did not operate in either the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” 

industry or the “Manufacturing, all other” industry. Instead, about a quarter of all Portfolio PAE wireless 

patent defendants operated in the “Telecommunications and Broadcasting” industry and 8% operated in 

the “Retail Trade” industry. NPE defendants also operated in a wide range of industries. Ninety-two 

percent of Wireless Manufacturer defendants operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” industry. So while Wireless Manufacturers rarely sued to enforce wireless patents 

during the study period, when they litigated, they typically sued other manufacturers. 

114 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wireless Respondents’ Licensing Activity 

This section compares the licensing behavior of Wireless Respondents, focusing on four primary 

comparisons. First, it describes the overall licensing activity and examines the characteristics of licenses 

that included wireless patents. Second, it assesses the relative importance of using litigation to generate 

licenses. Next, it describes the relative magnitude of license revenue. Finally, it identifies the industries 

in which the licensees operated by Wireless Respondent type. 

Because the Study PAE licenses in this chapter are a subset of all Study PAE licenses, the Litigation 

PAE and Portfolio PAE activity reported here reflects the behavior reported in Chapter 3. Wireless 

Manufacturer behavior, however, was very different from Litigation PAE behavior for each metric 

studied. Wireless Manufacturers in the study frequently negotiated ongoing royalty payments in their 

licenses, while Litigation PAEs relied on lump-sum payments. Wireless Manufacturers also used more 

complicated licensing terms, such as field-of-use restrictions and cross-licenses, which almost never 

appeared in Litigation PAE licenses. These different licensing practices are consistent with Wireless 

Manufacturers and Litigation PAEs having very different business models. Interestingly, NPE licensing 

behavior appeared to be split between NPEs that licensed more like Wireless Manufacturers, and NPEs 

that licensed more like Litigation PAEs. 

Licensing Activity and License Characteristics 

The FTC asked Wireless Respondents to identify licenses related to wireless patents,287 and to produce 

certain licensing data. The group of Wireless Respondents that held such licenses consisted of five 

Wireless Manufacturers, five NPEs, three Portfolio PAEs, and ten Litigation PAEs.288 In total, Wireless 

Respondents submitted 1,003 license agreements covering wireless patents. Wireless Manufacturers and 

Litigation PAEs, which executed 37% and 32% of the licenses in the study, respectively, executed 

many more licenses than did NPEs and Portfolio PAEs. Figure 4.5 breaks down the share of licenses by 

Wireless Respondent type. 

287 Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification H.3; Appendix D: Wireless Case Study Special Order, Specification E.3. 

288 All Wireless Respondents that were engaged in wireless patent litigation during the study period also entered into wireless 

patent licenses during the study period with the exception of one Litigation PAE. 

115 
 

Figure 4.5: Relative Proportion of Wireless Patent Licenses 

Note: Figure depicts 1,003 licenses relating to wireless patents. 

In general, patent licenses are contracts that allow a third party to use a patent holder’s patents under 

certain conditions, often in exchange for payment. As noted in Chapter 3, Litigation PAE licenses 

tended to use relatively simple license terms. For example, the typical Litigation PAE license did not 

include any geographic or field-of-use restrictions and called for only a lump-sum royalty payment. 

Table 4.2 compares some characteristics of licenses related to wireless patents by Wireless Respondent 

type. The first three columns of Table 4.2 show the percentage of licenses by Wireless Respondent type 

that contained a given license term, and the final three columns summarize payment terms. 

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Table 4.2: Percentage of Wireless Patent License Agreements 

with Given Characteristics 

Contract Terms Payment Terms 

Cross 

License 

Field of 

Use 

Restriction 

Geographic 

Restriction 

Lump 

Sum 

Only 

Running 

Royalty 

Only 

Both Lump 

Sum and 

Running 

Royalty 

Components 

Manufacturers 82.8% 99.5% 0.8% 52.7% 14.6% 32.7% 

NPEs 10.8% 47.5% 5.9% 59.6% 23.9% 16.5% 

Portfolio PAEs 2.1% 69.6% 5.2% 86.0% 12.2% 1.7% 

Litigation 

PAEs 0.3% 1.5% 10.8% 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 

Note: Payment terms were calculated using only data for those licenses reporting positive revenues. Raw 

numbers differ between contract terms sub-table and payment terms sub-table due to non-reporting by 

Responding PAEs. Total Manufacturers licenses reflected in the table is 367 for contract terms and 281 for 

payment terms. Total NPE licenses reflected in the table is 118 for contract terms and 109 for payment 

terms. Total Portfolio PAE licenses reflected in the table is 194 for contract terms and 172 for payment 

terms. Total Litigation PAE licenses reflected in the table is 324 for contract terms and 251 for payment 

terms. 

Very few Study PAE licenses included cross-licenses, which is not surprising because PAEs do not 

develop or produce technology, and therefore do not need licenses to others’ patents. Consistent with 

the observations in Chapter 3, Litigation PAEs very rarely included field-of-use restrictions in their 

wireless patent licenses, whereas Portfolio PAEs included field-of-use restrictions in the majority 

(69.6%) of their wireless patent licenses. Wireless Manufacturer licenses rarely included geographic 

restrictions, but they almost always included cross-licenses and field-of-use restrictions. 

Table 4.2, however, obscures the variability in license terms across NPEs. Some NPEs, like Wireless 

Manufacturers and Portfolio PAEs, negotiated more complicated license terms. Other NPEs, however, 

executed simpler licenses, much like Litigation PAEs. One NPE frequently included cross-licenses, 

while the remaining four NPEs generally did not do so.289 Two NPEs included a field-of-use restriction 

in all of their licenses, while the three remaining NPEs rarely included such restrictions. 

Wireless Manufacturer licenses frequently contained more complicated payment terms than Study PAE 

licenses involving wireless patents. As expected from the discussion in Chapter 3, Study PAE licenses 

almost always contained lump-sum royalty payments and infrequently included running-royalty 

289 One other NPE occasionally included a cross-license in its agreements. Less than 3% of this NPE’s agreements included a 

cross-license. 

117 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

payments. 290 By contrast, nearly half of the Wireless Manufacturer licenses included a running-royalty, 

and nearly a third included running-royalty and lump-sum payments. NPEs split between the Wireless 

Manufacturer model and the Study PAE model: some NPEs executed licenses with lump-sum payments 

only, while others reported licenses with running-royalty payments. 

Figure 4.6: Fraction of Wireless Patent Licenses that Followed Litigation 

Note: Figure depicts 1,003 licenses relating to wireless patents. 

Wireless Manufacturers almost always managed to license their patents without resorting to 

litigation, while Litigation PAEs almost always sued before licensing wireless patents. One of the major 

findings reported in Chapter 3 was that Litigation PAEs almost always sued a firm before executing a 

290 A running-royalty involves payments based on the number of units sold or produced. 

118 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

license with that entity, whereas Portfolio PAEs generally executed licenses without filing suit. 

Litigation PAE and Portfolio PAE behavior for the wireless patents examined here is generally 

consistent with the behavior reported in Chapter 3 across all patent categories. Figure 4.6 presents the 

percentage, by Wireless Respondent type, of all Wireless Respondent licenses in the study that followed 

litigation with the licensee. Nearly 90% of Litigation PAE licenses involving wireless patents followed 

litigation, while only 30% of Portfolio PAE licenses involving wireless patents followed litigation. In 

stark contrast, only 1% of Wireless Manufacturer licenses followed litigation. Once again, there was 

significant variation among NPEs. Although 45% of NPE patent licenses followed litigation, some 

NPEs primarily executed licenses following litigation, while other NPEs behaved more similarly to 

Portfolio PAEs. 

Magnitude of License Fees for Wireless Patents 

Wireless Respondents reported $21 billion in total revenue from relevant licenses during the study 

period with over 80% of this license revenue attributable to Wireless Manufacturer licenses. Figure 4.7 

presents the distribution of the patent license royalty payments by Wireless Respondent type.291 Figure 

4.7 shows that Litigation PAEs earned much lower revenue from licenses involving wireless patents 

than did Portfolio PAEs. Wireless Manufacturers entered into a large number of high-revenue licenses, 

as well as a large number of low-revenue (often zero-revenue) cross-licenses.292 Thirty-three percent of 

the Wireless Manufacturers’ non-zero royalty licenses generated more, often much more, than $1 

million in revenue, while 48% of their licenses generated less than $300,000 in revenue. 

291 To maintain data confidentiality, the FTC aggregated licensing revenue into five revenue categories, ranging from “less 

than $300,000” to “over $10 million.” See Figure 3.9 for the related frequency distribution in Chapter 3. 

292 Of the Wireless Manufacturer licenses, 14% generated revenues of more than $10 million. In addition, 23% of licenses did 

not require a royalty payment, and 80% of these zero-royalty licenses included a cross-license. 

119 
 

 

Figure 4.7: Distribution of Wireless Patent Licensing Royalties 

Note: Sample restricted to 816 licenses reporting positive royalty payments: 253 Litigation PAE licenses, 

172 Portfolio PAE licenses, 282 Wireless Manufacturer licenses, and 109 NPE licenses. 

As observed with other aspects of NPE licenses, there was considerable variation in revenue distribution 

across NPEs. The revenue distribution of some NPEs was similar to Litigation PAE distribution, with 

the majority of licenses valued at less than $300,000. More than 93% of the licenses for these NPEs 

included a royalty payment. Other NPEs had a revenue distribution similar to those of Portfolio PAEs 

and Wireless Manufacturers, in which most licenses generated royalties greater than $1 million and 

many generated revenues greater than $10 million. 

120 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Wireless Licensees Operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” Industry 

Consistent with our observations of wireless patent demand recipients and wireless patent litigation 

defendants, most wireless patent licensees operated in the “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” industry. As seen in Figure 4.8, which shows licensee industries by Wireless 

Respondent type, nearly 50% of Wireless Respondent licensees operated in the “Computer & Electronic 

Product Manufacturing” industry.293 Because the analysis focused on the wireless chipset sector, this 

finding was not surprising. However, Wireless Manufacturers and Portfolio PAEs licensed wireless 

patents more consistently to firms in this industry. Approximately 75% of Wireless Manufacturer and 

Portfolio PAE licenses involved licensees in either the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” 

industry or the “Manufacturing, all other” industry. There was, however, considerable variation in the 

industries in which the remaining licensees operated. 

293 See Appendix B: Methodology (describing the methodology used to assign licensees to industries). 

121 
 

 

 

 

Figure 4.8: Industries Subject to Wireless Patent Licensing 

Note: See Appendix B for a description of how firms are assigned to industries. The “Information, all other” 

industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as Software Publishers, Motion Picture and Sound 

Recording firms, and Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals firms. Figure depicts 

192 Portfolio PAE licenses, 320 Litigation PAE licenses 116 NPE licenses, and 337 Wireless Manufacturer 

licenses. 

Litigation PAEs and NPEs licensed their wireless patents to licensees across a wider range of industries 

than did Wireless Manufacturers and Portfolio PAEs. For example, 51% of Litigation PAE licensees 

did not operate in either the “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing” industry or in the 

“Manufacturing, all other” industry. Figure 4.8 thus suggests that Litigation PAEs frequently enter into 

licenses with entities that may be end-users of wireless chipset technology. 

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Conclusion 

The FTC’s goal in studying patent assertion activity in the wireless chipset sector was to understand 

whether PAE assertion behavior differed from that of other firms that also license patents. We found that 

in some ways Study PAE assertion behavior was similar to the assertion behavior of Wireless 

Manufacturers and NPEs, but in other ways it was different. These similarities and differences, however, 

depended on the type of PAE. Portfolio PAE assertion behavior most resembled Wireless Manufacturer 

behavior. Wireless Manufacturers and Portfolio PAEs both tended not to assert their wireless patents 

against firms that were likely to be end-users of technology, brought relatively few patent infringement 

cases, and settled all of their cases.294 Portfolio PAEs, like Wireless Manufacturers, mostly paid 

litigation counsel on a fee-for-service basis. 

Litigation PAE behavior, however, differed significantly from Wireless Manufacturer behavior. 

Litigation PAEs initiated far more wireless patent cases and were more likely to sue firms that may be 

end-users of technology. Litigation PAEs granted more of their licenses following litigation than 

Wireless Manufacturers, but less of their cases ended in settlement than did Wireless Manufacturers’ 

cases. Cases brought by Litigation PAEs also tended to settle far more quickly than did cases brought 

by Wireless Manufacturers. 

NPE behavior was more heterogeneous. Some NPEs behaved similarly to Portfolio PAEs, while other 

NPEs behaved like Litigation PAEs. The NPEs that were similar to Portfolio PAEs were less likely to 

use litigation to generate licenses, and the cases they did bring proceeded for a relatively long time 

prior to settlement. These NPEs also had many high-royalty licenses, like Portfolio PAEs. The NPEs 

that resembled Litigation PAEs almost always used contingency fee arrangements to compensate 

litigation counsel, were more likely to sue firms that may be end-users of technology, and granted most 

of their licenses following litigation. 

294 Portfolio PAEs, however, took longer to settle their cases than did Wireless Manufacturers. 

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Chapter 5: Patent Characteristics 

Introduction 

This chapter describes the patents and patent applications held by Study PAEs and Holding Entities.295 It 

combines publicly available information describing granted patents with confidential information 

reported by Responding PAEs about the patents that they owned and asserted. Portfolio PAEs held 

significantly more patents than Litigation PAEs. However, the FTC did not find dramatic differences in 

the compositions of Portfolio PAE and Litigation PAE patent holdings. Study PAEs focused on 

acquiring and asserting patents related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). For all 

patents reported in the FTC’s study: 

 Eighty-eight percent related to the Computers & Communications or Other Electrical &
 

Electronic patent technology categories; 

 More than 75% were software-related patents.296
 

These figures are consistent with anecdotal reports and the generally held view that PAEs 

disproportionately acquire and assert ICT and software patents. 297 Furthermore, among the patents in 

the FTC’s sample: 

	 Fewer than 1% were identified as encumbered by a commitment to a Standard Setting
 

Organization; 

295 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “Holding Entity” means a firm identified by a Responding Firm in 

response to Specification B.2 that held but did not assert patents during the study period. (Firms identified in response to 

Specification B.2 that held and asserted patents are called “Affiliates.”) Id. Figure 1.1 represents the Holding Entities as the 

2,189 firms that are on the side of the figure that “did not Assert IP.” Study PAEs include all Responding PAEs and their 

Affiliates, which engaged in assertion activity. This chapter refers to the combined holdings of the Study PAEs and Holding 

Entities as the “study sample of patents.” Id. 

296 The FTC used the methodology developed by Graham and Vishnubhakat for identifying software-related patents and the 

patent technology categories developed by Hall et al. to classify patents into broad technology categories. See Graham & 

Vishnubhakat, supra note 9; Hall et al., supra note 9. 

297 See, e.g., Allison et al., supra note 46, at 18 (software patents); COMINO & MANENTI, supra note 2 at 3 (ICT patents); 

Christian Helmers, Brian Love & Luke McDonagh, Is There a Patent Troll Problem in the U.K.?, 24 FORDHAM INTELL. 

PROP. MEDIA & ENT. L.J. 509, 516 (2014) (ICT patents); Shrestha, supra note 96, at 145 (ICT patents); YEH, supra note 120, 

at 9 (software and ICT patents, citing articles by scholars). 

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 Patent assignments were frequently recorded with the USPTO; 

 On average, Study PAEs tended to acquire patents several years before their expiration date; 

 Patents asserted in litigation generally were cited more frequently in other patents and patent 

applications than either the population of patents overall, or the full study sample of patent 

holdings that were not asserted in litigation;298 

 Portfolio PAEs held more patents overall than Litigation PAEs. 

This study does not contain a census of all PAE patents.299 However, the FTC’s sample should include a 

substantial fraction of all patents held by all PAEs during the study period.300 Using Patent Freedom’s 

estimate of individual PAE patent holdings in 2013, the FTC estimates that patents held by PAEs in the 

FTC’s study represent more than 75% of U.S. patents held by all PAEs at the end of 2013.301 

Methodology 

Responding PAEs were required to complete a series of questions concerning each patent held, by 

themselves or their Affiliates or Holding Entities, at any time between January 1, 2009 and September 

15, 2014.302 The FTC asked for information on the priority date and expiration date of each patent, 

reviews of the patent by the USPTO, legal and economic rights to the patent granted to outsiders, 

298 The median litigated patent held by Litigation PAEs had 80% more citations than the average patent, controlling for age 

and technology category, and the median litigated Portfolio PAE had 30% more citations than the average patent in this 

control group. The FTC did not observe that Study PAEs used citation data to analyze their patent holdings. 

299 To date, no study claims to identify all PAE patents. Due to a lack of information addressing patents held by PAEs in 

general, previous research has focused on either litigated patents, or the holdings of a single firm. See, e.g., Fischer & Henkel, 

supra note 98; David S. Abrams et al., Patent Value and Citations: Creative Destruction or Strategic Disruption, (Nat’l 

Bureau of Econ. Research, Working Paper No. 19647, 2013), http://www.nber.org/papers/w19647.pdf. 

300 See Appendix B: Methodology (detailing the sampling algorithm used to select study subjects). The algorithm was 

designed to oversample the largest PAEs, measured by patents held and litigations filed, to capture the most economically 

significant PAEs. Id. 

301 Patent Freedom provided the FTC with an estimate of the total number of patents held by PAEs. See supra note 155 and 

accompanying text. 

302 See Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms. “Hold” or “Held” means to possess a Legal Right to a Patent, where 

“Legal Right” means any ownership interest in, an exclusive License to, or other rights adequate to License or enforce, a 

Patent, and “Patent” means a United States patent or United States patent application as defined by 35 U.S.C. § 101, et seq. 

Id. 

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whether the patent was held under an exclusive license, and assertion activity involving the patent.303 

The FTC supplemented the collected responses with the USPTO bibliographic data on patents granted 

and the NBER’s patent data set. 

The FTC asked Responding PAEs to report on both issued patents and patent applications that they or 

their Affiliates and Holding Entities held. Approximately 18% of the holdings reported by Responding 

PAEs were applications.304 The FTC included applications in the parts of the analysis where they 

exhibited relevant characteristics similar to those of granted patents, but omitted them from those parts 

where they did not confer rights or enable uses similar to that of granted patents. For example, although 

applications can be cited by subsequent patents and applications, issued patents typically receive more 

citations; therefore, applications were not included in the citations analysis. Similarly, although 

applications can be licensed, they cannot be asserted in litigation and, consequently, the FTC did not 

include applications in litigation-related analysis. The report notes when an analysis did not include 

applications. 

Portfolio PAEs Held Many More Patents than Litigation PAEs 

Since the Portfolio PAE business model relies on negotiating licenses to large patent portfolios, it was 

not surprising to find that Portfolio PAEs held significantly more patents than Litigation PAEs. Figure 

5.1 shows this patent holding distribution separately for Litigation and Portfolio PAEs. Specifically, it 

shows that all of the Portfolio PAEs held at least 1,000 patents, and that all but one of the Litigation 

PAEs held fewer (often much fewer) than 500 patents. 

303 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification C (identifying the questions related to patent holdings). 

304 Utility patents make up the bulk of holdings (approximately 80%) while reissue and design patents were each less than 

1.5% of total holdings. Patent applications make up the remaining 18% of the holdings. Due to rounding, these values add up 

to greater than 100%. 

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Figure 5.1: Size of Patent Holdings by Responding PAE 

Note: Distribution of Size of Responding PAEs’ full patent holdings aggregating across all Affiliates and 

Holding Entities of a Responding PAE (N=22). Patent counts are based on 100% of reported patents and 

applications. 

The five Responding PAEs with the largest patent holdings (all four of the Portfolio PAEs and one 

Litigation PAE) held more than 90% of all patents in the study. The ten smallest Responding PAEs and 

their Affiliates and Holding Entities held fewer than 1% of the patent sample. 

Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs also differed in the proportion of patent holdings litigated during 

the study period. Litigation PAEs litigated more than 18% of their holdings, while Portfolio PAEs 

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asserted fewer than 1% of their holdings in litigation.305 Even though Portfolio PAEs held significantly 

more patents overall, Litigation PAEs litigated more patents than Portfolio PAEs. There was 

considerable variation across Litigation PAEs. Three Litigation PAE reported having litigated all of 

their patents, but most Litigation PAEs litigated fewer than half of their holdings. 

The Majority of Study Patents Related to Computers & 

Communications Technologies 

Earlier literature suggested that PAEs focused their efforts on asserting patents related to electronics and 

software and rarely asserted patents in drug and chemical technologies.306 The GAO, for example, 

estimated that 84% of patent infringement lawsuits brought by PAEs involved software patents.307 To 

develop a better understanding of the technologies of patents acquired by PAEs for assertion, the 

Commission conducted an empirical analysis of the technology categories associated with all patents 

held by the Study PAEs and Holding Entities. Although there were no dramatic differences in the 

composition of patents held by Litigation and Portfolio PAEs, to facilitate comparison to results 

discussed earlier in the report, all findings were reported separately between Litigation PAEs and 

Portfolio PAEs. 

The FTC relied on the USPTO patent classification, supplemented by the NBER patent data set, to 

describe the general technological subject matter of the patents in the study sample.308 The USPTO 

assigns every U.S. patent one principal mandatory technology classification, known as its Primary 

305 These figures are based upon responses regarding each patent that Holding Entities and Study PAEs held, and may include 

assertions that commenced outside of the study period. For this reason, the findings in this chapter do not exactly match 

similar findings described in Chapter 3. 

306 See, e.g., Allison et al., supra note 46, at 18; Hagiu & Yoffie, supra note 96, at 59; Risch, supra note 95, at 477; Shrestha, 

supra note 96, at 145. 

307 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2, at 22 (estimating that “[b]y defendant, software-related patents were used to sue 93 

percent of the defendants in PME suits and 46% of the defendants in operating company suits.”). The GAO defined a patent 

monetization entity (PME) as an entity that “buy[s] patents from others for the purpose of asserting them for profit.” Id. at 2. 

Because this definition is nearly identical to the FTC’s use of PAE, the FTC relied on the GAO’s estimate for PMEs as an 

estimate for PAEs. 

308 The USPTO maintains the U.S. Patent Classification System, which organizes all U.S. patents and many other related 

documents based on common subject matter. See generally U.S. PAT. & TRADEMARK OFFICE, OVERVIEW OF THE U.S. 

PATENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (USPC) (2012), 

http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/patents/resources/classification/overview.pdf. 

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Classification.309 As of the time of report writing, more than 400 three-digit designations were available 

for use as Primary Classifications.310 The NBER patent data set generated by Hall et al. consolidates 

the USPTO’s three-digit designations into six aggregated technology categories: Chemical, Computers 

& Communications, Drugs & Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, and 

all other technologies.311 The FTC used these six categories for its analysis because they provide a 

more tractable classification of patents and have become standard in the literature, which allows for 

comparisons to previous research. 

309 Id. at I-5. U.S. patents also may have Secondary Classifications. The FTC limited its analysis to Primary Classifications. 

310 Id. at I-3. See also U.S. Classes By Number with Title, U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE, 

http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/selectnumwithtitle.htm. 

311 Hall et al., supra note 9, at 12–13 (stating that the USPTO’s approximately 400 main (3-digit) patent classes “are far too 

many for most applications (such as serving as controls in regressions), and hence we have developed a higher-level 

classification, by which the 400 classes are aggregated into 36 two-digit technological sub-categories, and these in turn are 

further aggregated into 6 main categories: Chemical (excluding Drugs); Computers and Communications (C&C); Drugs & 

Medical (D&M); Electrical and Electronics (E&E); Mechanical; and Others”); id. at 13 (“[T]he present classification should 

be used with great care, and reexamined critically for specific applications.”). Since its release, the data set has become the 

standard for academic patent research, partly for this classification scheme, and has been cited over 2,500 times. 

129 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5.2: Study Sample Patent Technologies 

Note: Technology category of all patents held by each type of Responding PAE. “All Patents in force” 

represents the PTO estimate of the technology category of all valid patents as of December 31, 2013 (Marco 

et al. 2015). Figures include 99.9% of utility and re-issue patents reported by Study PAEs and Holding 

Entities, but exclude applications and design patents. 

Figure 5.2 presents the distribution of the study sample of utility and reissue patents across the six 

technology categories, as well as the distribution of all U.S. patents in force as of December 31, 

2013.312 Study PAEs and Holding Entities held more than 37,000 patents (not including applications), 

312 Only 75% of applications in the study patent sample were classified in USPTO data, and therefore the FTC did not include 

applications in this analysis. The inclusion of applications for which class information was available did not qualitatively 

change the results. For a description of USPTO calculation of patents in force, see Alan C. Marco et al., The USPTO 

Historical Patent Data Files: Two Centuries of Invention 10–12 (U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, Econ. Working Paper No. 

2015-1, 2015), http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USPTO_economic_WP_2015-01_v2.pdf 

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while USPTO economists estimate that approximately 2.41 million patents were in force at the end of 

2013.313 

Figure 5.2 shows that the majority of study utility and reissue patents were related to Computers & 

Communications—a considerably larger share than that of all patents in force during the study period. 

The proportions of patents in the remaining technology categories differed somewhat between Litigation 

PAEs and Portfolio PAEs. The most striking difference was in Drugs & Medical patents: 21% of the 

Litigation PAE patents fell into this category while less than 1% of the Portfolio PAE patents did.314 By 

contrast, Portfolio PAEs held many more patents in the Other Electrical & Electronic category (24%) 

than Litigation PAEs (12%). 

313 Id. 

314 The Drugs & Medical patents overwhelmingly consisted of medical device patents. Litigation PAEs did not report holding 

or asserting drug patents. Of the Drugs & Medical patents litigated by Litigation PAEs, almost all were classified as medical 

devices rather than patents related to drugs, which is consistent with Study PAEs’ overall focus on the ICT sector (because 

medical devices often incorporate information or communications technologies). 

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Figure 5.3: Subcategories for Study Sample Patents in Computer & Communications 

and Other Electrical & Electronic Categories 

Note: Technology sub-classification for all “Computer & Communications” and “Other Electrical & 

Electronics” patents held by each type of Responding PAE. The percentages displayed in the chart are 

based only on the patents that are in one of these two categories. The sample includes 100% of the study 

utility and re-issue patents in these categories. 

Because such a large share of the study sample of patents were in the Computers & Communications 

and Other Electrical & Electronic categories, the report provides additional detail on the sub-categories 

describing the technology types of these patents.315 Figure 5.3 shows the relative proportions of patents 

in the Computers & Communications and Other Electrical & Electronic patent categories. There were 

no dramatic differences in the composition of the patent holdings of the Litigation and Portfolio PAEs 

within these sub-categories. For both Litigation and Portfolio PAEs, the largest technology sub315 Hall et al., supra note 9, App’x 1. 

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categories were Other Electrical & Electronic, Communications, and Computer Hardware and Software. 

Business method patents, a sub-category of the Computers & Communications category, did not account 

for a substantial proportion of the study patent sample compared to the general population. 

The preceding analysis describes the patents held by Study PAEs and Holding Entities, which consisted 

of both patents that were identified as forming the basis of a demand or litigation and those that were 

not. Portfolio PAEs in particular tended to assert via demand or litigation only a relatively small fraction 

of the patents in their portfolios, while ultimately licensing all of the patents they held. The FTC was 

interested in learning whether litigated patents came from different technology categories relative to 

total holdings, in part because litigated patents were an important source of revenue for Study PAEs.316 

To determine whether this was the case, the FTC evaluated the technology categories corresponding to 

patents that Study PAEs asserted in litigation. 

316 The FTC also was interested in whether patents forming the basis of demands were in different technology categories 

relative to total holdings, but could not conduct this analysis since patents were frequently not specified in the initial demand. 

Therefore, the patents that were specified in demands likely did not represent an unbiased sample of patent technology 

categories of all patents asserted through demands. 

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Figure 5.4: Technology Categories of Litigated Study Sample Patents 

Note: Technology category of all patents litigated by each type of Study PAE. Litigated patents represent 

2.7% of all reported patents, excluding patent applications. Approximately 0.2% of all study patents held 

(excluding applications) did not report litigation status. 

Figure 5.4 shows the distribution of patent technology categories for litigated patents for Portfolio 

PAEs and Litigation PAEs. For both Litigation PAEs and Portfolio PAEs, compared to their overall 

holdings, litigated patents were more likely to be Computers & Communications patents. For 

example, while 67% of Portfolio PAE holdings were Computers & Communications patents, 88% 

of their litigated patents were in this category. While Portfolio PAEs held some patents in the 

Chemical, Drugs & Medical, Mechanical, and Others categories, Figure 5.4 shows that they rarely 

asserted those patents through litigation. The relative shares of Litigation PAE Chemical, 

Mechanical, and Drugs & Medical patents that were litigated were also smaller than the Litigation 

PAE overall holdings in these categories. 

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More Than 75% of Study Patents Included Software-Related 

Claims 

There has been much public discussion of the frequency with which PAEs assert software-related 

patents. 317 Consequently, the FTC took steps to determine the fraction of the study sample of patents 

most likely to include software-related claims. Although the USPTO does not use a “software” class, in 

a paper by the former USPTO Chief Economist, USPTO patent examiners identified patent classes that 

are most likely to include software-related claims.318 By comparing the study sample holdings to those 

USPTO classes, the FTC estimates that approximately 75% of study patents likely include softwarerelated claims (60% of Litigation PAE patents and 80% of Portfolio PAE patents). Patents asserted by 

Study PAEs in litigation were more likely to include software-related claims than the full set of patents 

held by either Litigation or Portfolio PAEs. For Litigation PAEs, 73% of litigated patents included 

software-related claims, and 90% of litigated Portfolio PAE patents included software-related claims, 

although non-software related claims also may have formed the basis for suit. 

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International may have significant 

implications for PAEs holding software patents.319 Alice considered whether computer-implemented 

inventions were eligible subject matter for patent protection and held that claims that merely recite “a 

generic computer” that implements an otherwise-abstract idea do not qualify for patent protection.320 

This holding suggests that many software patents may be invalid for want of subject matter eligibility 

under the Alice analysis. The study did not collect enough information regarding patent assertion after 

317 See 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2, at 12 (noting that “[s]oftware-related patents occur in a variety of technologies 

containing at least some element of software, and covering things like sending messages or conducting business over the 

Internet (e.g., e-commerce). Patents related to software can, but do not generally, detail computer software programming 

code in the specification, but often provide a more general description of the invention, which can be programmed in a 

variety of ways.”). 

318 Graham & Vishnubhakat, supra note 9, at 75 (“Patent Office experts examined all U.S. patent classes and subclasses and 

determined which were likely to contain patent applications or issued patents containing some element of either general 

purpose software or software that is specific to some form of hardware. While this definition will certainly be both overinclusive and under-inclusive, the method is calibrated to help us identify classes in which patents with software claims are 

most likely to be found.”); see also id. at 75 n.7 (listing the identified class-subclass pairs); 2013 GAO REPORT, supra note 2 

(using the Graham and Vishnubhakat classification to evaluate the number of software-related patents granted per year by 

USPTO between 1991 to 2011). 

319 Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l, 134 S. Ct. 2347 (2014). 

320 Id. at 2358. 

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the Alice decision to measure directly its impact on PAE activity. Following this decision, however, 

PAEs may avoid asserting software patents if they expect that: (1) the patents likely would be found 

invalid under the Alice analysis; or that (2) courts may dispose of the case in the early stages of 

litigation, under the Alice analysis. In addition, because more than 75% of the patents in the FTC’s 

sample likely include software-related claims, and because the FTC estimates that Study PAEs held 

more than 75% of all U.S. patents held by PAEs at the end of 2013, any change in PAE behavior with 

respect to software patents that results from Alice will likely have a significant impact on both the 

overall volume of PAE assertion and the types of technologies that PAEs assert. 

Fewer Than 1% of Study Patents Were Identified as Encumbered 

by a FRAND Commitment to a SSO 

The FTC’s study examined the extent to which PAEs have acquired patents declared “essential” to 

practice a technical standard adopted by a standard setting organization (SSO).321 These patents are 

often referred to as “standard-essential patents” or “SEPs.” Some commentators have suggested that 

owners of SEPs could attempt to evade FRAND or other commitments, while exploiting the SEPs’ 

importance to a standard, by transferring encumbered SEPs to a PAE.322 To measure the extent of this 

activity in practice, the FTC required Responding PAEs to identify whether any patent it or its Affiliates 

or Holding Entities held since 2009 had ever been the subject of a licensing commitment made to any 

SSO.

323 

Responding PAEs did not identify patents encumbered by a licensing commitment to an SSO as a large 

portion of their patent holdings.324 Only four of the 22 Responding PAEs identified that they, or their 

321 For a summary of five “well-known cases in which PAEs have asserted SEPs,” see Jorge L. Contreras, Assertion of 

Standards-Essential Patents by Non-Practicing Entities, in PATENT ASSERTION ENTITIES AND COMPETITION POLICY (D. 

Daniel Sokol ed., forthcoming Nov. 2016), http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2700117. 

322 See, e.g., Scott Morton & Shapiro, supra note 2; Ram Menon & Kevin Spivak, Trends in Mobile and Consumer 

Electronics, 48 LES NOUVELLES 238, 239 (2013). 

323 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order, Specification D. 

324 The FTC’s question focused on whether the PAE knew that it held an encumbered patents because the Commission was 

interested in whether the PAE would use this information in licensing negotiations. SSO commitments would be 

underreported if Study PAEs and Holding Entities held patents that they did not know, or had not yet determined, were 

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Affiliates and Holding Entities, held any patents that had been committed to an SSO for licensing.325 

The total number of patents known to be encumbered in this way comprised less than 1% of the total 

study sample.326 During the study period, approximately 75% of the patents identified as encumbered 

were licensed, but fewer than 25% of these patents were asserted in litigation. Finally, the proportion of 

overall holdings classified as encumbered did not differ significantly across the Responding PAEs that 

identified encumbered patents, which suggests that the FTC’s sample did not include any PAEs that 

focused on monetizing SEPs. 

Patent Age and Citation Patterns 

Scholars have frequently used data on patent age and citations received as indicators of the economic 

value of a patent.327 To add more data to the discussion of the economic value of PAE patents, this 

section describes the age and citations of the patents in the study sample. Although these data cannot 

definitively prove or disprove any of the arguments in the literature about the relative value of PAE 

patents, they do provide the most comprehensive picture of the age and citations received for PAE-held 

patents to date.328 

subject to an encumbrance. They may also hold patents that were not subject to a licensing commitment, or declared to a 

standard, but which may still be required to practice a standard. 

325 Three of these Responding PAEs were Portfolio PAEs, and the fourth was a Litigation PAE. 

326 Responding PAEs identified commitments to ANSI, ETSI, IEEE, IETF, ITU, ITU-T, and JEDEC. All of the SSO 

commitments required licensing the relevant patents on either FRAND or RAND terms, except for one commitment, which 

required royalty-free licensing. 

327 See, e.g., Petra Moser et al., Patent Citations and the Size of the Inventive Step—Evidence from Hybrid Corn (Nat’l 

Bureau of Econ. Research, Working Paper No. 21443, 2015), http://www.nber.org/papers/w21443.ack; Bronwyn H. Hall et 

al., Market Value and Patent Citations, 36 RAND J. ECON. 16 (2005); Dietmar Harhoff et al., Citation Frequency and the 

Value of Patented Inventions, 81 REV. ECON. & STAT. 511 (1999); Cohen et al., supra note 94. 

328 Factors reflecting the value of an invention are not necessarily determinative of its patentability or validity. While citations 

may be somewhat informative about the likelihood that a patent would be found invalid by a court, determining validity 

requires an extensive analysis of the patent’s claims, prior art, and other factors. 

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PAEs Acquired Patents Several Years Before the Patents Expired 

The age of a patent is frequently identified as one proxy for its quality or usefulness, and some 

commenters have addressed PAE assertion of late-term patents.329 The FTC calculated the age 

distribution of patents in the study sample.330 For this analysis, the FTC defined patent age as the time 

elapsed from the patent’s earliest claim of priority.331 

Determination of the priority date was frequently not obvious from the bibliographic data.332 To address 

differences in the priority date data, the Commission defined the priority date as the earliest application 

date of the related applications listed in the patent.333 This may have overestimated the age of a patent in 

some cases where the date, based on related applications, differed from other data sources; however 

the frequency and magnitude of these differences were small.334 

329 See, e.g., Feldman et al., supra note 2, at 71–75; Love, supra note 92, at 1331–41; Ashley Chuang, Fixing the Failures of 

Software Patent Protection: Deterring Patent Trolling by Applying Industry-Specific Patentability Standards, 16 S. CAL. 

INTERDISCIPLINARY L.J. 215, 221 (2016). 

330 The FTC did not include design patents, plant patents, or patent applications in this analysis. See also Love, supra note 92; 

Risch, supra note 95 (including prior studies of PAE patent age). 

331 For all patents granted after June 8, 1995, the term of patent or patent life is defined as 20 years from the earliest filing 

date of all the applications from which the patent claims priority. The bulk of the patents in the study (over 80%) were 

granted after this date. The patent term for patents granted prior to June 8, 1995, is 17 years from the patent grant date. 

332 See Marco et al., supra note 312. Different publicly available data sets often have conflicting priority dates for the same 

patent due to the ability of applications to claim priority to one or more earlier related applications. The filing date of the 

parent application may not represent the priority date that a subject patent claims. 

333 The bibliographic data do not include data on all related applications, only the applications that directly spawned a patent. 

If the parent application is a continuation of a previous application, or uses the Patent Cooperation Treaty to claim the 

priority date of a foreign patent application, the actual priority date can only be found in the USPTO data on related 

applications (a different data set than the bibliographic data set). The related applications data list all applications from which 

the patent derives priority. Frequently there are multiple applications for each patent. The FTC’s algorithm simply took the 

earliest application date from this collection of applications. For example, consider a patent granted on May 1, 2006, which 

was submitted as an application on March 1, 2005. The application derived from abandoned applications and continuations 

that were filed on June 1, 2004; July 1, 2003; and March 1, 2002. For the calculation of age, the priority date was March 1, 

2002. 

334 Systematic overestimation of age was possible in one specific set of patents: patents where the related applications-based 

priority date was earlier than priority dates from both the USPTO Historical Masterfile and the Responding PAE. Only 11% 

of the non-application study patent sample (all priority date calculations excluded patent applications) fit this criteria. Within 

this set, the difference between the related applications-based date and the earlier of the two other measures was one year or 

less for 94% of patents. 

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Figure 5.5: Age Distribution of Study Sample Patents at Time of Acquisition 

Note: Distribution of patent age of all patents held by each type of Responding PAE at the time of 

acquisition. Age was determined as the time elapsed from the date of the earliest claim of priority of the 

patent to the date it was acquired by the Responding PAE. Figure includes all patents acquired within the 

Study period, which were 57.5% of all reported patents. Approximately 0.1% of all patents were dropped for 

acquisition dates that preceded the patent's priority date. 

Figure 5.5 shows the age distribution of PAE patents at the time of acquisition.335 Patents acquired by 

Portfolio PAEs were younger on average, with a mean age of 10.3 years (median 10), against a mean 

age of 13.6 years (median 14) for Litigation PAEs. The data suggest that most of the patents had several 

years of life remaining at the time of their acquisition. Furthermore, the FTC did not observe substantial 

age differences between patents that Study PAEs asserted and those that they did not assert. The 

335 This analysis required data reported in patent acquisitions. See Appendix C: Special Order, Specification F. Therefore, 

only patents that were acquired during the time period of the study were included, which reduced the sample size to 

approximately 60% of the full set of study patents. 

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comparable age measures for litigated patents were a mean of 11.3 years (median 12) for Portfolio PAEs 

and a mean of 14 years (median 14) for Litigation PAEs. 

Litigated PAE Patents Received More Citations than Average Patents 

When a firm applies for a patent with the USPTO, it must disclose literature that it knows of that would 

be material to the patentability of its claimed invention. 336 Often, this includes any previously-issued 

patents that relate to or that might limit the claims of the new invention. Moreover, as part of the patent 

application process, USPTO examiners perform their own search for relevant prior art. The issued 

patent cites all of the prior art that the examiner or applicant cited. The USPTO maintains a data set of 

the specific citations that each issued patent has received from other granted patents and applications. A 

large body of empirical literature has found that highly-cited patents are, on average, more valuable than 

less frequently cited patents.337 For this reason, patent citations are often seen as a proxy for patent 

quality. 

The median patent held by a Study PAE or Holding Entity received six citations by the end of 2013. 

There was a significant difference between the number of citations received by the “typical” patent held 

by a Litigation PAE and that held by a Portfolio PAE. The median number of citations received by a 

Litigation PAE patent was 14 (mean 40.7) compared to six (mean 19.7) for a Portfolio PAE patent. As a 

comparison, the median number of citations received by the entire set of patents granted by the USPTO 

since 1990 was three (mean 9.8). Thus, compared to the overall population of patents, patents held by 

Study PAEs had more citations than the average patent granted over the same time period. 

Factors unrelated to patent quality may have caused the mean or median number of citations received by 

patents in the study sample to differ from the overall population of patents granted since 1990. For 

example, older patents can receive more citations than more recently granted patents simply because 

they have had a longer period of time in which to be cited. Likewise, some technology categories tend to 

336 See 37 C.F.R. § 1.56 (2016). 

337 See, e.g., Moser et al., supra note 327; Hall et al., supra note 327; Harhoff et al., supra note 327; Cohen et al., supra 

note 94. 

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receive more citations than other categories.338 As a result, the FTC compared the citation of the study 

sample patents to the overall population of all USPTO granted patents, controlling for a patent’s age and 

technology category. The FTC implemented the control by creating technology category-grant year 

cohorts. Specifically, for each study sample patent, the FTC calculated the ratio of the number of 

citations received by the patent (as of December 31, 2013) to the mean number of citations received by 

all patents in the same technology category (the six NBER categories) and grant year cohort.339 In this 

case, a patent would be “less cited” as compared to the average cohort patent if its relative citation 

number was less than one and “more cited” compared to the average cohort patent if the measure was 

greater than one. 

338 The economic literature teaches that it is critical to control for both age and technology effects before comparing the 

citation counts of different patents. ADAM B. JAFFE & MANUEL TRAJTENBERG, PATENTS, CITATIONS, AND INNOVATIONS: A 

WINDOW ON THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY (2002). 

339 For example, Computers & Communications patents granted in 2010 would be a unique cohort for this analysis. The mean 

number of citations received by all USPTO granted patents in the 2010 Computers & Communications cohort (as of 

December 31, 2013) was 2.2. The relative citations measure for each Computers & Communications patent held by a Study 

PAE or a Holding Entity granted in 2010 was calculated by dividing the raw number of citations received by 2.2. If a Study 

PAE or Holding Entity patent in this cohort received 4 citations, then its relative citation measure would be 4/2.2 = 1.8. 

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Figure 5.6: Relative Patent Citations Received by Study Sample Patents 

Note: Distribution of relative citations received by patents held and litigated by each type of Study PAE and 

Holding Entity. Relative citations were determined by the ratio of the citations received by each patent to the 

average number of citations received by all PTO granted patents in that technology class-grant year cohort. 

The bars represent the proportion of each of the four sub groups of patents that received less than the 

average citations, one to three times the average citations, and more than three times the average citations 

of the patents in its cohort. The data include 97.6% of the utility, re-issue, and design patents reported by 

Study PAEs and Holding Entities. 

Figure 5.6 shows the distribution of relative citations for all patents held by Study PAEs and Holding 

Entities. The cohort adjustments did not overturn the qualitative results of the raw citations analysis for 

Litigation PAEs. The mean number of relative citations for all Litigation PAE patents was 2.5 (median 

1.4), meaning that these patents received, on average, 2.5 times the average number of citations received 

by a patent in their technology type-grant year cohort. The median patent in this group received 40% 

more citations than the average patent in its cohort. The difference between the mean and median figures 

and the distribution of relative citations to Litigation PAE patents in Figure 5.6 shows a subset of 

Litigation PAE patents with very high relative citation rates. For Portfolio PAE patents, the mean was 

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1.5 and the median was 0.6, meaning that Portfolio PAE patents received, on average, 50% more 

citations than the average for a patent in their technology category-grant year cohort. As in the 

Litigation PAE case, the average number was driven by a subset of highly cited patents: the median 

Portfolio PAE patent received 40% fewer cites than the average patent in its technology category-grant 

year cohort. 

Finally, the FTC looked at whether litigated patents were cited more or less frequently than all patents 

held by either Study PAEs and Holding Entities, or all patents in the general population. The FTC found 

that litigated patents were cited more frequently than both the full population of patents and the patents 

in the study sample. Although it is rational for patent plaintiffs to litigate their highest cited patents, 

there may be non-quality related reasons for the higher citation rates of the litigated patents.340 

Specifically, the academic literature has found that, strictly due to publicity surrounding patent 

litigations, litigated patents may be more widely known to the relevant inventive community and hence 

cited more frequently.341 The data available do not allow the FTC to distinguish between these two 

effects. 

For all Litigation PAE patents that formed the basis of a litigation, the relative citation measure yielded a 

median of 1.9 and a mean of 3.1 times the number of citations received on average by all patents in their 

technology category-grant year cohorts. For Portfolio PAE patents that were litigated, the median was 

1.3 and the mean was 2.5. The increase of both the median and mean for Portfolio and Litigation PAEs 

shows that both PAE types tended to litigate their most cited patents. If citations are a reasonable 

indicator of quality, both types of PAEs tended to litigate higher-than-average quality patents based on 

citation measures. Overall, for Litigation and Portfolio PAEs, both the mean and median patent asserted 

in litigation had substantially more citations than that of the overall sample of in-force patents 

controlling for the patent’s age and technology type. 

340 For example, firms may prefer to litigate foundational patents with broader scope, which are then cited by patents on 

improvements and modifications that build on the foundation. 

341 Joshua Lerner, Trolls on State Street? The Litigation of Financial Patents 1976-2005 (2006) (unpublished manuscript), 

www.people.hbs.edu/jlerner/Trolls.pdf; John R. Allison et al., Valuable Patents, 92 GEO. L. J. 435 (2004). 

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Study Patent Acquisitions Frequently Were Recorded with the 

USPTO 

Verification of the ownership (or assignment) of a patent is an important part of a firm’s evaluation of an 

infringement claim. In particular, an accurate record of ownership allows the accused infringer to 

confirm that it has not previously taken a license to the accused patent and to verify that the entity 

alleging infringement has standing to do so.342 The USPTO allows parties to record patent and patent 

application assignments in an effort to maintain a clear chain of title and provide third-party notice of 

equitable interests in the patent.343 Thus, timely and accurate submissions of patent transfer records to 

the USPTO are an important part of ensuring transparency in patent disputes. 

This section combines study data with USPTO records to measure how often Study PAEs and Holding 

Entities provided notice of their acquisitions to the USPTO. Responding PAEs were asked to identify all 

patents acquired during the study period. Responding PAEs also indicated the name of the entity which 

acquired the patents (which may be an Affiliate or Holding Entity of the Responding PAE), the name of 

the entity which transferred the patent, and the date of the transaction. Similarly, the data collected from 

notifications to the USPTO included the names of the assignee (entity receiving the patent), assignor 

(entity transferring the patent), and the date of the transfer. The similarity of the data from Responding 

PAEs and the USPTO allowed the Commission to analyze how often Study PAEs and Holding Entities 

recorded their acquisitions with the USPTO. 

342 See, e.g., Advanced Video Techs. LLC v. HTC Corp., No. 11 Civ. 06604 (CM), 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 122423, at *9 

(S.D.N.Y. Aug. 25, 2015) (“Exploiting the patent-in-suit in these cases, U.S. Patent No. 5,781,788 (the ‘788 patent), was 

AVT’s sole reason for being. The only precondition to Plaintiff’s fulfilling its singular purpose was its acquisition of title to 

the ‘788 patent. Obtaining ownership of the patent was AVT’s sine qua non, the only thing Plaintiff absolutely had to 

accomplish in order to fulfill its destiny. At this simple task it proved an abysmal failure.”) (awarding sanctions under 

35 U.S.C. § 285). 

343 Alan C. Marco et al., supra note 312. 

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Table 5.1: Percentage of Acquired Patents with Acquisition 

Recorded in USPTO Reassignment Data
 

Assignee Name 

matches 

Assignee Name 

matches and PTO 

record date within 

one year of 

Acquisition Date 

Assignee Name 

matches and PTO 

record date within 

90 days of 

Acquisition Date 

All Acquired 

Patents 

95.5% 78.5% 66.9% 

Portfolio Acquired 

Patents only 

97.6% 79.1% 71.6% 

Litigation Acquired 

Patents only 

80.6% 74.3% 33.4% 

Note: Percentages in each cell are of the full set of patents (excluding applications) which were directly 

acquired (not exclusively licensed) in the study period. The percentages indicate the fraction of patents in 

each row that meet the criteria specified in the column titles. 

The FTC employed a basic word-matching algorithm that used patent numbers and acquiring entity 

names to identify USPTO assignment records corresponding to the study data. 344 For reasons 

detailed in the methodology appendix, not all patents reported in the patent holdings and acquisition 

sections were included in this analysis.345 Patents not included fell into three categories: patents acquired 

outside of the study period, patent applications, and patents acquired via exclusive license. Of the 

approximately 20,000 patents included in the analysis, 95.5% matched the assignee name reported by 

the Responding PAE to an assignee (acquirer) name recorded for that patent at the USPTO.346 The FTC 

also measured how quickly the patent acquisitions were reported to the USPTO.347 For those 

344 A patent number match alone was not sufficient to establish reporting by the Study PAE acquirers, as patents can be 

reassigned a number of times. Accordingly, to calculate Study PAE reporting rates, the algorithm attempted to match the 

name of the entity acquiring a patent reported by the Study PAE to the assignee of the patent in the USPTO data. A match 

was recorded as taking place if one of the assignee name fields in the USPTO data matched the acquirer name in the study 

data submitted to the FTC by Responding PAEs. 

345 See Appendix B: Methodology. 

346 All of the patents (approximately 5% of the total sample) with no match were manually checked to verify that there was 

no record of the PAE acquisition name in the USPTO data for that patent. Possible reasons for patents acquired by Study 

PAEs not being reported as assigned in the USPTO data include: failure of Study PAEs to notify the USPTO of the patent 

transfer, notification to the USPTO after the January 2015 cutoff date for inclusion in the USPTO data, and misreporting of 

the assignee names by Responding PAEs in the study data. 

347 To determine the time duration between the transaction and USPTO notification, the FTC compared USPTO record dates 

for those transfers with successfully matched assignee names to the transaction dates reported by the Responding PAEs. 

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transactions that the FTC was able to match the reported acquisition data with the USPTO’s assignment 

data, 70% were reported to the USPTO within 90 days of the acquisition date reported by the 

Responding PAE, and 82.1% were recorded at the USPTO within one year. Table 5.1 reports the 

percentage of acquisitions that the FTC was able to match with USPTO assignments. The last two 

columns indicate what percentage of acquired patents were recorded within one year, and within 

90 days, of the reported acquisition date. Based on this analysis, the FTC found that Portfolio PAEs 

reported more of their patent acquisitions to the USPTO, and reported these acquisitions to the USPTO 

more quickly than did Litigation PAEs. 

Conclusion 

In analyzing patent characteristics, the Commission sought to provide a better understanding of the 

patents that PAEs monetize. In particular, the study found that the size of patent holdings differed 

significantly by PAE type. Regardless of type, the acquired patents were primarily in Computer & 

Communications and Electronics technology categories and Software-related classes. Although SSOs 

are relatively common in these technology categories, study patents were rarely identified as 

encumbered with commitments to SSOs. Study patents tended to have several years of their patent term 

remaining when acquired. Litigation PAE patents tended to receive more citations than Portfolio PAE 

patents, although the litigated patents of both PAE business models had more citations than the average 

in-force patent. Finally, most patent assignments were recorded with the USPTO, but there were 

differences in reporting frequency and speed by Responding PAE type. 

This chapter’s focus on the patents held by Study PAEs, together with the earlier chapters’ discussions 

of their business models and assertion behavior, sheds new light on PAE activity and monetization 

practices, which will contribute to informed policy decisions by the FTC and other stakeholders. 

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Appendix A: Glossary of Frequently Used Terms348 

“Acquire” and “acquisition” mean to purchase or obtain from another person any legal right to a patent, 

or to purchase or obtain a person who holds any legal right to a patent. This definition does not include
 

the assignment of legal rights to a patent by a firm employee who is bound to assign his or her legal 

rights to the firm at the time of invention.
 

“Affiliate” means a firm identified by a Responding Firm in response to Specification B.2 that
 

asserted patents during the study period.349 Specification B.2 required Responding Firms to identify 

all parents, wholly or partially owned subsidiaries, incorporated unincorporated divisions,
 

affiliates, branches, joint ventures, franchises, operations under assumed names, websites, or other
 

person(s) over which the firm exercises or has exercised supervision or control since January 1,
 

2009. There are 327 Affiliates in the study.
 

“Assert” and “assertion” mean: (i) any demand; (ii) any civil action threatened or commenced (by the
 

firm or other person) relating to any patent; or (iii) any investigation pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1337 

threatened or initiated (by the firms or other person) relating to any patent; and (iii) any license by the
 

patent holder to practice the claimed invention, including, but not limited to, a covenant not-to-sue and a
 

covenant not-to-assert. For Wireless Manufacturers, “assert” and “asserted” do not include sales of
	

products manufactured by the Wireless Manufacturer, or on its behalf, that practice the claimed 

invention.
 

“Case” means the unit of observation defined as a matter between a particular plaintiff and a particular 

defendant involving a particular set of asserted patents. The FTC refers to this unit of observation when 

presenting its litigation analysis. 

“Demand” means the first effort since January 1, 2009, to license any patent, in whole or in part, and 

any other attempt to generate revenue by authorizing a person outside the firm to practice an invention 

348 For reader ease, the FTC did not capitalize all defined terms in the report. These terms do not have another meaning, 

unless otherwise noted. 

349 Firms identified in response to Specification B.2 that held but did not assert patents are called “Holding Entities.” 

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claimed in a patent. Demand does not include complaints or pleadings filed with a United States District 

Court or the United States International Trade Commission. 

“Held” means to possess a legal right to a patent, where “legal right” means any ownership interest in, 

an exclusive license to, or other rights adequate to license or enforce a patent. 

“Holding Entity” means a firm identified by a Responding Firm in response to Specification B.2 

that held but did not assert patents during the study period. Specification B.2 required Responding 

Firms to identify all parents, wholly or partially owned subsidiaries, incorporated unincorporated 

divisions, affiliates, branches, joint ventures, franchises, operations under assumed names, 

websites, or other person(s) over which the firm exercises or has exercised supervision or control 

since January 1, 2009. (Firms identified in response to Specification B.2 that did assert patents are 

called “Affiliates.”) There are 2,189 Holding Entities in the study. 

“Litigation” means any civil action commenced in a United States District Court or with the United 

States International Trade Commission. 

“License” means authorization by the patent holder to practice the claimed invention, including, but not 

limited to, a covenant not-to-sue and a covenant not-to-assert. 

“Non-practicing entity” or “NPE” means patent owners that primarily seek to develop and transfer 

technology.350 For Chapter 4 only, “NPE” means an NPE whose data are reported in the Wireless Case 

Study. 

“Patent” means a United States patent or United States patent application as defined by 35 U.S.C. § 101, 

et seq. 

“Patent assertion entity” or “PAE” means a firm whose business model primarily focuses on purchasing 

and asserting patents.351 

350 FTC EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE REPORT, supra note 1 at 8 n 5. 

351 Id. 

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“PAE Special Order” means the information requests sent to Responding PAEs pursuant to Section 6(b) 

of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 46(b).352 

“Responding Firm” means any Responding PAE or any Wireless Manufacturer or NPE respondent from 

the Wireless Case Study. 

“Responding PAE” means one of the 22 PAEs who received the PAE Special Order and submitted 

information used in this study. 

“Standard setting organization” or “SSO” means any organization, group, joint venture, or consortium 

that develops standards for the design, performance, or other characteristics of products or technologies. 

“Study PAE” means any PAE for whom this study presents patent assertion data. The group of Study 

PAEs includes any Responding PAE or Affiliate that engaged in assertion activity. 

“Study period” means January 1, 2009, through September 15, 2014. 

“Subject Firm” means all firms that received a demand, were a defendant in patent litigation, or were a 

licensee of one (or more) of the Responding Firms or their Affiliates. 

“Wireless chipset” means any baseband processor, radio frequency transceiver, integrated circuit, chip, 

or chipset, or any combination thereof, and any related software, used to implement wireless 

communication. 

“Wireless communications device” means any device, including wireless chipsets, which implements 

wireless communication, including, but not limited to, software, user equipment, base stations, and 

network infrastructure. 

“Wireless Manufacturer” means, for purposes of the Wireless Case Study, a manufacturer whose 

data are reported in the Wireless Case Study. 

“Wireless patent” means any patent asserted against a wireless communication device. 

352 Appendix C reproduces the PAE Special Order. 

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“Wireless Respondents” includes all PAEs, Wireless Manufacturers, and NPEs discussed in the 

Wireless Case Study. 

“Wireless Case Study Special Order” means the information requests sent to Wireless Manufacturers 

and NPEs pursuant to Section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 46(b).353 

353 Appendix D reproduces the Wireless Case Study Special Order. 

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Appendix B: Methodology 

Introduction 

To collect information, the FTC sent Excel spreadsheets to Responding Firms354 reflecting a subset of 

the questions in the Special Orders.355 The Commission designed the spreadsheets to facilitate 

quantitative analysis by providing common definitions for variable construction and an identical format 

for responses. However, as is the case in any empirical study using data from multiple different 

respondents, in some cases we needed to modify or augment the submitted data for our statistical 

analyses. This Appendix highlights the major data-related challenges encountered in this study and 

describes how they were addressed. 

Differences in Response Rates by Question 

The Special Order directed Responding Firms to review their internal records including, but not limited 

to, patent license agreements, patent purchase agreements, litigations, patent holdings, patent demands, 

agreements with contingency counsel, and financial records to provide information to the FTC. 

Responding Firms had significantly different response rates to different Special Order questions. For 

example, Responding Firms did not have difficulty identifying whether licenses contained a field-of-use 

or geographic use restriction. For other questions however, a significant fraction of Responding Firms 

either did not maintain responsive data, or only maintained responsive data for only a subset of their 

records. The FTC discussed these issues with Responding Firms, and directed them to produce the 

information that they held. As a result of this reporting issue, the number of responses used to construct 

the statistics presented in the report varies by question. In each table or figure, the Commission reports 

the number (or fraction) of responses used to construct the statistic. 

354 For this methodological appendix, “Responding Firms” refers to all Responding PAEs from the general PAE study and all 

Wireless Manufacturer and NPE respondents from the Wireless Case Study. 

355 See Appendix C: PAE Special Order; Appendix D: Wireless Case Study Special Order. The associated spreadsheet 

templates are available on the study website. Patent Assertion Entities (PAE) study, FED. TRADE COMM’N, 

https://www.ftc.gov/policy/studies/patent-assertion-entities-pae-study. (PAE Study Response Workbook A was sent to 

Responding PAEs. PAE Study Response Workbook B was sent to Wireless Manufacturer and NPE respondents.) A number 

of the analyses conducted in this study use data from these spreadsheets. 

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Identifying Subjects of Patent Assertion 

For a number of the analyses in the report, the Commission needed to identify all of the firms that 

received demands from, were sued by, or entered into licenses with, Responding Firms. Two issues 

complicated our ability to identify these Subject Firms.356 First, in reviewing the data submitted, it was 

clear that the names associated with specific licensees, defendants, and/or demand recipients varied 

across Responding Firms and, in some cases, within the individual responses of a single Responding 

Firm. For example, one Responding Firm may refer to a licensee as “XYZ.com,” while another 

Responding Firm referred to the identical firm as “XYZ Inc.” Left uncorrected, these records would 

appear to be associated with different firms when in fact they represented the same Subject Firm. 

Second, Responding Firms may have named related entities as defendants in a lawsuit, or as licensees.357 

For example, a Responding Firm may have sued “ABC Holdings,” “ABC Manufacturing,” “ABC 

Distributing,” and “ABC Consulting” where all of the entities were controlled by ABC Holdings. Or, it 

may have named two defendants with seemingly unrelated names (CDE, Inc. and LMN Co.) when, in 

fact, both were subsidiaries of a common parent.358 Because the FTC wanted to focus on the number of 

independently operated entities affected by PAE assertion activity, and did not want to over-report 

activity because a Responding Firm named multiple related entities,359 we attempted to match all 

variations on a Subject Firm’s name to a single, common name, and to match all names of commonly 

owned firms to a single parent firm.360 In other cases, two entities with very similar names were 

unrelated. For instance, XYZ Manufacturing and XYZ Consulting Services may have been named as 

defendants, but they had no relationship to each other. In this case, the FTC did not match these names. 

Across all of the assertion spreadsheets (corresponding to demands, litigations and licensing), the data 

356 “Subject Firms” means all firms that received a demand, were a defendant in patent litigation, or were a licensee of one 

(or more) of the Responding Firms or their Affiliates. 

357 In general, a plaintiff in any litigation may name related firms as defendants. 

358 This discussion relates to multiple related defendants, not joinder of unrelated defendants addressed in the Leahy-Smith 

America Invents Act. See 35 U.S.C. § 299 (2012). 

359 If the FTC had simply counted the number of named firms in a litigation, or its related license, then it may have overreported activity based on the number of named related firms. 

360 For instances where names were similar but not identical, we conducted Internet searches to see if they represented the 

same or different firms. Likewise, when multiple defendants were listed in a litigation, we conducted an Internet search to 

determine whether they were related to a common parent. 

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contained more than 9,100 variants of firm names (either because of spelling or a related-entity 

relationship). We determined that these 9,100 names corresponded to approximately 4,950 

independently operated entities that were subjects of assertion. 

Transforming Docket-based Data Entries to Cases 

The FTC required Responding Firms to provide data describing all patent infringement litigations they 

commenced in U.S. District Court and investigations they started before the U.S. International Trade 

Commission (ITC) between January 1, 2009 and September 15, 2014 (the “study period”), with a 

separate spreadsheet entry for each defendant.361 After reviewing Responding Firms’ responses, the FTC 

addressed two general measurement issues before analyzing the data. 

First, Responding Firms that named multiple defendants in a single complaint did not always provide 

separate data entries for each defendant. The FTC separated these multi-defendant observations into 

separate observations for each defendant. In those records where multiple defendants were listed in a 

single observation, the Responding Firms indicated whether only some of the defendants settled, and 

which ones. Using this information, the FTC was able to attribute correctly outcomes to the defendants 

when we separated the multi-defendant observations into separate observations for each defendant. 

Second, the data request specified that Responding Firms provide a separate data entry for each docket 

in which they were a plaintiff. Reporting the data based on docket number created potential 

measurement problems. For example, when a case was filed in one jurisdiction and transferred to a 

second jurisdiction, there were two docket numbers associated with this single patent dispute. 

Alternatively, when a Responding Firm sued multiple defendants in separate actions and these cases 

were later joined, there were multiple docket numbers associated with the same patent dispute. To avoid 

incorrectly measuring the number of patent disputes, the FTC created a unit of observation defined as a 

matter between a particular plaintiff and a particular defendant involving a particular set of asserted 

patents. The FTC defines this unit of observation as a “case.” The FTC converted the docket-based data 

361 While some Responding Firms provided information regarding litigations filed after the study period, this information was 

not included in the data used for analysis. 

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entries to the case observations used in the analysis using the four rules specified below.362 These rules 

assured that the retained case observation had the appropriate consolidated information from the 

potentially multiple docket number-based entries. 

To transform the potentially multiple docket number-based data entries into a single case observation 

(i.e., a single observation for a dispute between a plaintiff and a defendant over specific patents-atissue), the FTC implemented four rules. First, the FTC identified the docket that represented the status 

of the litigation as of the close of our study period as the outcome of the litigation and kept this 

observation as the case observation. The information on the status of the litigation included the variables 

listed in the H.2 spreadsheet that describe the final disposition of the litigation.363 Second, to measure 

the duration of a case, the FTC defined the beginning of a case to be the first complaint date for any 

docket where the plaintiff sued the defendant for infringement on the specific asserted patents.364 Third, 

to measure the degree to which plaintiffs favored certain jurisdictions in filing infringement lawsuits, 

FTC retained the identity of the jurisdiction associated with the first complaint filed by the plaintiff 

against the defendant on the specific patents-at-issue (rather than the final jurisdiction where a lawsuit 

terminated) and associated that district with the case. Fourth, because patents may be added to or 

removed from litigation during the course of a patent dispute, the FTC created a new patent field for the 

case observation that consisted of the union of all patents-at-issue that were asserted against a defendant 

by a plaintiff as long as there was a single patent-at-issue in common across the dockets submitted by 

the Responding Firms. This new patent field allowed the tracking of a case over time even as the set of 

patents named in the litigation changed. The FTC considered observations with the same plaintiff and 

defendant but without any common patents-at-issue to be separate cases. Using these rules, the FTC 

created a case-based observation that reflects key characteristics of the patent dispute: plaintiff, 

defendant, patents-at-issue, initial complaint date, plaintiff’s selected district, and the outcome or status 

362 After separating multiple defendant observations into separate observations for each defendant, 22% of observations were 

dropped in reducing the data to a unique case. 

363 For example, variables could describe whether: the court awarded damages, the litigation was pending, there was a court 

order on the claims of asserted patents, there was a court decision on the merits, or if the litigation was settled with a patent 

license agreement, and the settlement date if the litigation settled. See Appendix C: PAE Special Order. 

364 This approach is similar to that employed by Gwendolyn G. Ball and Jay P. Kesan. Ball & Kesan, supra note 95; Kesan & 

Ball, supra note 208. 

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of the dispute as of the end of the study period. This case observation is the unit of observation applied 

in the litigation analysis in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. 

Identifying Unique Patent Licenses 

The FTC Special Order required Responding Firms to describe each license agreement separately for 

each unique licensee. For approximately 14% of responses, Responding Firms identified several unique 

licensees in the licensee field, but then described the characteristics of the licensees as a group.365 For 

example, a Responding Firm’s spreadsheet entry might identify six unique licensees in the licensee 

column, but then report the characteristics corresponding to the license agreement for all six licensees.366 

The FTC spoke to Responding Firms about this issue. In some instances, Responding Firms responded 

in this way because several parties were licensees to the same agreement. To address this issue, we 

created separate records for each licensee/licensor pair licensing a specific patent portfolio. Thus, in the 

example above, the FTC transformed the single license containing six licensees into six distinct licenses 

where all six licenses were assumed to have the same characteristics. For Figures 3.9 and 4.7, we further 

assumed that each licensee paid an equal patent license fee; that is, the license fee paid by a licensee was 

defined to be the total revenue associated with the license divided by the number of licensees listed in 

the record.367 In the aggregate, the data submitted to the FTC contained 2,346 records describing 

licensing agreements. When we transformed the data so that each observation corresponded to a distinct 

licensee/licensor licensing a specific set of patents, the number of records increased to 2,715. 

365 The fraction of multiple licensees that were listed in a single license agreement (14%) corresponds to the data set after it 

was modified to identify unique subjects of patent assertion as described in this Appendix. 

366 As discussed in the Chapter 3, virtually all Litigation PAEs obtained most (or all) of their patent license agreements after 

suing the licensee. Litigation PAEs often maintained their financial records to track the litigation they have engaged in. In 

reporting the terms of the license agreement, the information reported to the FTC was often aggregated to the level of the 

underlying litigation that generated the licensing agreement. 

367 The Commission used observations that had an imputed “average revenue” measure of the patent royalty in constructing 

the frequency distribution of all royalties paid in both Chapter 3 (Figure 3.9) and Chapter 4 (Figure 4.7). However, the 

Commission did not use these “average revenue” observations in analyzing the variation in patent payments (Figure 3.10a 

and Figure 3.10b). By construction, there was no variation in the imputed patent royalties in the context of “average revenue” 

observations for the firms identified in a single record. Including these “imputed royalties” in “average” observations would 

induce an important bias into the royalty variation analysis, likely substantially understating the degree of variation in patent 

royalties for identical patents. 

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PAE Patent Licenses with Zero Reported Revenue 

In approximately 12% of the licenses, the Responding PAEs attributed zero revenue to the license.368 

After talking to the Responding PAEs, the FTC identified two explanations for this attribution. In the 

first scenario, the Study PAE entered into a royalty-free license to settle litigation.369 In the second 

scenario, a Responding PAE or its Affiliates brought multiple patent infringement suits against the same 

defendant.370 Typically, different Affiliates were plaintiffs in these multiple suits. The defendant then 

settled all litigations simultaneously with the Responding PAE and/or its Affiliates. The FTC discussed 

this scenario with respondents and learned that when reporting this settlement to the FTC, the 

Responding PAE did not attribute all license revenue to all reported litigations. For example, Affiliate 1, 

Affiliate 2, and Affiliate 3 of Responding PAE 1 each may have sued United Manufacturing for patent 

infringement. The three Affiliates may then collectively have settled litigation in one license agreement 

valued at $1 million. When reporting this information to the FTC, the Study PAE attributed $750,000 to 

Affiliate 1, $250,000 to Affiliate 2, and zero dollars to Affiliate 3. Even though United Manufacturing 

paid $1 million to license patents from Affiliate 1, Affiliate, 2, and Affiliate 3, the Responding Firms 

records would indicate that one license carried zero value. To avoid inducing reporting measurement 

error into the report, we only used observations reporting positive license revenues when constructing 

revenue statistics for Study PAEs including: the size of a licensing payment, and whether licensing 

payments were lump sum and/or related to the ongoing sales of the licensed products. 

Identifying Subject Firms’ Industries 

To develop a better understanding of the industries that were subject to assertion by Responding Firms, 

we needed to assign each of the approximately 4,950 Subject Firms that received a demand, were a 

defendant in patent litigation, or were a licensee of one (or more) of the Responding Firms or their 

368 Wireless Manufacturers also frequently reported zero-royalty patent licenses. However, these agreements almost always 

included cross-licenses, and the cross-license likely generated the value of the patent license. 

369 Plaintiffs may accept a zero-value settlement to avoid the risk that the defendant will establish that the patents issue are 

invalid. 

370 We did not observe this behavior for Wireless Manufacturers or NPEs. 

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Affiliates to a single industry.371 To do this, the FTC adopted the U.S. Census’s North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS) to assign Subject Firms to industries.372 The NAICS 

categorizes industries at different levels of specificity, depending on the level of detail at which 

researchers want to study an industry. The broadest categorization of an industry by the NAICS is at the 

two-digit level, and the narrowest categorization is at the six-digit level.373 As is discussed in more detail 

below, we generally used the two-digit level but expanded our categorization to the three-digit level for 

the industries that had significant concentrations of Subject Firms. 

Many Subject Firms operated in multiple NAICS industries, which complicated the assignment of 

unique NAICS industry codes to the Subject Firms. For example, many Subject Firms manufactured 

computers and electronic products (NAICS code 334). While the primary business of these firms was 

manufacturing, many of these firms also provided services related to the products they sell. Since our 

goal was to provide the reader with general information about the industries that were most affected by 

PAE activity, we defined a Subject Firm’s industry as the industry that it “primarily” operated in; that is, 

the industry that accounted for most of its activity. We used LexisNexis’s Corporate Affiliations 

business database to build the correspondence between the Subject Firms in our data and their primary 

industry.374 

Approximately 22% of Subject Firms could not be matched to a NAICS code using the Corporate 

Affiliations business database. This problem was especially pronounced for the Wireless Manufacturer 

371 We assigned industry designations to the Subject Firms after eliminating duplicate names using the methodology 

described above. See supra notes 356–360 and accompanying text. 

372 The NAICS classification system maps economic activity to specific industries, and is the “standard used by Federal 

statistical agencies in classifying business establishment for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical 

data related to the U.S. business economy.” Introduction to NAICS, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 

http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/index.html. See also 2012 NAICS, supra note 200. 

373 For example, a firm engaged in automobile manufacturing would be categorized at the highest level as being in the 

“Manufacturing” industry (with a two-digit NAICS code of 33). Automobile manufacturing can then more precisely be 

defined as being in the “Transportation Equipment Manufacturing” industry (with a three digit NAICS code of 336), the 

“Motor Vehicle Manufacturing” industry (with a four digit NAICS code of 3361), the “Automobile and Light Duty Motor 

Vehicle Manufacturing” industry (with a five digit NAICS code of 33611), or the “Automobile Manufacturing” industry 

(with a six digit NAICS code of 336111). See id. 

374 LexisNexis’s Corporate Affiliations business data set reports primary and secondary NAICS codes for most firms 

operating in the United States. To determine the NAICS code corresponding to a Subject Firm in our sample, we entered a 

Subject Firm’s name into the database and recorded its NAICS code. See Corporate Affiliations: Content FAQs, LEXISNEXIS, 

http://www.corporateaffiliations.com/Nonsub/Bio/AboutContentFAQ. 

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and NPE demand recipients and licensees. We suspect that these firms were not assigned an NAICS 

code because they were relatively small foreign firms without U.S. operations (typically manufacturers 

of computer and electronics products). To increase the fraction of firms for which we could assign an 

industry, we conducted an Internet search to determine the primary industry of the unassigned Subject 

Firms and applied the industry definitions provided by the NAICS. Ultimately, we were able to match 

the vast majority of Subject Firms to primary industries. We matched 96% of Subject Firms described in 

Chapter 3, Patent Assertion, to their primary industries, and we matched 94% of Subject Firms described 

in Chapter 4, the Wireless Case Study, to their primary industries. 

As discussed above, the NAICS categorizes industries at different levels of specificity, ranging from the 

broadest two-digit level to the narrowest six-digit level. We used a data-driven approach to determine 

level of specificity that would best describe our data. We first categorized Subject Firms at the broadest 

level (two-digit) and noticed that a large proportion of firms in the sample fell into two broad industry 

categories: “Manufacturing” (NAICS codes 31–33) and “Information” (NAICS code 51). For Subject 

Firms in these two categories, we analyzed three-digit NAICS codes to gain more insight into which 

sub-industries appeared to be especially prominent in the sample. Among manufacturers, we found that 

a large fraction of firms operated in one three-digit industry category (“Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing”), and that the industries that other manufacturers operated in were quite diffuse. For this 

reason, we report data for two categories of manufacturers: “Computer & Electronic Product 

Manufacturing” (NAICS code 334) and “Manufacturing, all other,” defined as all manufacturers that do 

not have a three-digit NAICS code of 334. Similarly, within the “Information” industry, we noticed that 

there were a large number of firms operating in “Telecommunications” (NAICS 517) and 

“Broadcasting” (NAICS 515) industries. Because many of the firms categorized as being in the 

“Telecommunications” or “Broadcasting industries” were so similar (these firms tended to have large 

operations in both what the NAICS categorizes as “Telecommunications” and “Broadcasting”), we 

created a combined industry of “Telecommunications and Broadcasting” (NAICS 515 and 517). The 

remaining firms operating within the “Information” industry (NAICS two-digit code 51) but not having 

an NAICS code of 515 or 517 are reported as “Information, all other.”375 Finally, a relatively large 

number of the Subject Firms were classified as holding companies, which the NAICS places in an 

375 “Information (other)” industry includes, but is not limited to, firms operating as “Software Publishers” (NAICS 5112), 

“Motion Picture and Sound Recording firms” (512), and “Internet Publishing and Broadcasting and Web Search Portals” 

firms (51913). 2012 NAICS, supra note 200. 

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industry called “Management of Companies and Enterprises” (NAICS two-digit code 55). All or most of 

the Subject Firms that were holding companies operated in a single industry (typically “Finance and 

Insurance,” NAICS two-digit code 52, or “Retail Trade,” NAICS two-digit codes 44–45). To describe 

more accurately the industries in which the Subject Firms operated, we have recoded the industry 

classification of holding companies to be the holding company’s secondary industry code that 

corresponds to the industry in which that the holding company’s subsidiary firms operate. 

We constructed two data sets containing Subject Firms analyzed for Chapter 3 and the Subject Firms 

analyzed for Chapter 4. In each chapter, we reported the relative frequencies separately for the six 

industries that appeared most frequently in the assertion data and created seventh category “All Other 

Industries” to capture the remaining industries. For Chapter 3, the six largest industries were “Computer 

& Electronic Product Manufacturing,” “Manufacturing, all other,” “Retail Trade,” “Telecommunications 

and Broadcasting,” “Finance and Insurance,” and “Information, all other.” For Chapter 4, the six largest 

industries were “Computer & Electronic Product Manufacturing,” “Manufacturing, all other,” “Retail 

Trade,” “Telecommunications and Broadcasting,” “Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services,” 

and “Information, all other.” The relative frequencies were reported in Figures 3.3, 3.5b, 3.5c, 3.13, 4.2, 

4.4, and 4.8. 

Counting PAE Acquisitions Recorded at the USPTO 

All patent acquisition calculations were made at the level of a patent. There were two reasons for using a 

patent as the level of observation: (1) the data were reported by Responding PAEs and recorded by the 

USPTO on a patent by patent basis; and (2) for many transactions, most of the transferred patents were 

recorded at the USPTO but some of the patents in the same transfer did not have a USPTO record of that 

transaction. The inconsistencies of reporting for patents in the same transaction prevented any analysis 

at the level of a transaction. 

The full data set of patents reported to the FTC in response to the questions in Specification C or 

Specification F contained approximately 45,000 patents and applications. In measuring the fraction of 

patent acquisitions reported to the USPTO, the Commission included only patents acquired by 

Responding PAEs and their Affiliates and Holding Entities during the study period. Removing patents 

listed only in Specification C and patents with an acquisition date outside of the study period left 

approximately 25,000 patents and applications. 

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Patent applications listed by Responding PAEs in their acquisition data did not appear to match 

consistently to the USPTO assignment data. In particular, in a number of large patent transactions the 

FTC was able to match all of the included utility patents reported by the Responding PAE to an 

assignment in the USPTO data, while only matching a much lower percentage of the patent applications 

included in the transactions. For this reason, patent applications were not included in the analysis. 

Dropping patent applications left approximately 21,500 patents. Finally, PAEs can acquire the right to 

assert patents via exclusive licenses, which are not recorded in the USPTO assignment data. Removing 

patents that were obtained through an exclusive license rather than assignment left approximately 20,500 

patents for the assignment calculations. 

Responding PAEs provided data that contained the name of the entity that acquired the patents, the date 

of the transaction, and the name of the entity that transferred the patents. These fields allowed the 

Commission to match transactions between the data reported to the FTC and the USPTO using multiple 

variables. Since name matches can be missed due to slight differences in reporting (LLC vs L.L.C. or 

Inc.), the matching algorithm matched names based on the first word reported in the name field. 

Matches where the first word in a variable was two characters or less were expanded to include the first 

two words in the field to avoid over-matching on common terms (e.g., Dr. or Mr.). Manual inspection of 

a five percent sub-sample of patents showed that the first word or first two words were sufficient to 

match names accurately. 

Methodology to Select Study Subjects: Additional Information 

The FTC sought, and received, approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect 

the information discussed in this Report.376 As part of this process, the FTC described its methodology 

to select study subjects.377 The Commission explained that it would sample PAE subjects based on 

measures of patent holdings and litigation activity provided by Patent Freedom and RPX. The FTC 

further explained that after the initial sample was constructed, “[t]he FTC [would] then research whether 

376 Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. §§ 3501–21, federal agencies must obtain approval from OMB for each 

collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” means agency requests or requirements that 

members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. 44 U.S.C. § 3502(3) (2012); 5 

C.F.R. § 1320.3(c) (2016). 

377 See Fed. Trade Comm’n, Supporting Statement for a Paperwork Reduction Act Submission to OMB, FTC Study of Patent 

Assertion Entities, Part B, supra note 154 (describing the FTC’s selection methodology in more detail). 

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the selected firms meet the FTC’s definition of a PAE (i.e., firms with a business model based primarily 

on purchasing patents and attempting to generate revenue by asserting the intellectual property against 

persons who are already practicing the patented technology).”378 This section describes the further steps 

the Commission took to determine whether initially selected firms were PAEs.379 

After constructing the initial sample, the FTC used publicly available information to confirm that each 

identified firm met the FTC’s PAE definition. Using USPTO assignment data and U.S. federal district 

court litigation data, the FTC examined whether each firm acquired patents from a third-party and then 

asserted those patents. The FTC also used publicly available information to confirm that selected firms 

were not engaged in manufacturing. The FTC did not include several identified firms in the study 

because the research indicated that these firms were former operating companies who asserted patents 

developed internally and did not license patents acquired from third parties.380 

In addition to confirming that selected firms were engaged in PAE activity, the FTC also wanted to 

identify the firms’ controlling entities. The FTC’s Special Order required that the Responding PAE 

provide an answer on behalf of all of its related firms; therefore, the Commission needed to identify the 

controlling entity upon which to serve that request. The FTC also wanted to establish that such a person 

had control over information that it requested regarding each related firm. In addition, as a practical 

matter, the FTC required the name and address of a person or firm to hold accountable for each request. 

378 Id. at 3. 

379 When describing the selection methodology for NPEs in the Wireless Case Study, the FTC explained that, “[b]ecause the 

FTC is relying on third party estimates of NPEs for the initial selections, the FTC will select more NPEs than are ultimately 

included in each stratum to create a candidate sample. After the initial selection is complete, the FTC will sort the selected 

candidate sample NPEs within each stratum according to their activity score. FTC staff will then research whether the 

selected firms meet the FTC’s definition of an NPE (i.e., firms with a business model based primarily on developing and 

transferring their patented technologies) and whether the firm is asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector.” Id. at 6. 

Because the FTC used similar processes to identify whether initially selected firms were PAEs or NPEs, this methodology 

discussion also applies to NPE selection for the Wireless Case Study. For Manufacturing firms in the Wireless Case Study, 

the sample included eight manufacturers of wireless chipsets who collectively represent the majority of wireless chipsets 

manufacturing. Id. at 4. 

380 While the FTC screened each firm to ensure that it was a PAE before sending the Special Order, the FTC removed one 

firm from the study because nonpublic information received in response to the information requests indicated that the firm 

did not meet the definition of a PAE. The FTC also removed two firms from the study because the firms had wound down 

their operations and did not maintain adequate records to provide a full response to the information requests. 

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In some cases, the selected firm publicly disclosed information adequate to identify the controlling firm. 

Some firms were publicly traded and filed disclosures with the SEC, while others maintained websites. 

Several selected firms were mentioned in news articles or SEC filings. Most controlling firms, however, 

lacked any such public presence; the only public footprint of their activity consisted of pleadings filed 

by their related entities, typically limited-liability companies or corporations. Using the identity of the 

related entity as a starting point, the FTC collected information from a variety of public sources. 

First, the FTC reviewed assignment records reflecting each patent assignment to the identified firm. The 

USPTO maintains a publicly available database of patent assignment records. Recording patent 

assignments with the USPTO is voluntary: failure to record an assignment will not affect the validity of 

the assignment, if there is no competing claim to ownership of the patent.381 Assignment documents are 

available for inspection at the USPTO.382 The USPTO also maintains a website that provides some 

summary information regarding the recorded assignments.383 For each assignment, the website provides 

information regarding the patents transferred, date of the assignment, the name and address of the 

assignor and the assignee, and the name and address of the party to whom correspondence regarding the 

record should be mailed.384 The database can be searched using these fields. For each known related 

entity, the FTC would generally search first to identify all patents assigned to the related entity and then 

search to identify each firm in the chain of title for those patents. Depending on the nature of the chain 

of title, the FTC was also sometimes able to identify additional related entities by examining the 

assignment activity of firms in this chain of title. 

Next, the FTC identified the litigations filed by each identified firm and reviewed their dockets and case 

filings. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require litigants to provide basic information identifying 

related entities that may have an interest in the outcome of their litigation. Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure 7.1 requires parties to identify “any parent corporation and any publicly held corporation 

381 See 35 U.S.C. § 261 (2012); Mabbett v. Tandy Corp., 847 F.2d 841, 1988 WL 30045, at *2 n.2 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (“Legal 

title to a patent may pass despite a failure to record.”). 

382 37 C.F.R. § 1.12 (2016). Although available for inspection, the documents require the payment of a fee. In contrast, the 

data available in the online database are available free of charge. 

383 Assignment Search, U.S. PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE, http://assignment.uspto.gov/#/. 

384 See 37 C.F.R. § 3.31 (2016). 

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owning 10% or more of its stock.” Several jurisdictions have local rules that modify the language of 

Rule 7.1. The Northern District of California, for example, requires that parties “list all persons, 

associations of persons, firms, partnerships, and corporations ... that may have a pecuniary interest in 

the outcome of the case.”385 When necessary, the FTC obtained these disclosures, which would 

sometimes identify related firms. 

In some instances, identified firms also provided relevant information in connection with motion 

practice. On occasion, a plaintiff would provide a declaration with information regarding the acquisition 

and assignment of an asserted patent in opposition to a motion to dismiss for lack of standing due to a 

defective assignment. In other cases, parties would submit information regarding the scope and extent of 

a firm’s activities in conjunction with a motion to transfer venue. In addition, in the small handful of 

cases that proceeded to trial and the firm’s owner testified, that testimony offered a clear description of 

the history and activities of the firm. Finally, some identified firms were involved in unrelated 

litigation—such as fee disputes with their attorneys—that shed light on their activities. 

The FTC also performed an extensive search of corporate records with state departments of state. The 

information provided by each state varied considerably.386 Texas, for example, provided the principal 

place of business, names and addresses of each officer and member, the identity of the registered agent, 

and the identity of parent and subsidiary firms for each identified firm established in the state. Delaware, 

in contrast, would provide only the name and address of a registered agent. In some states, these 

databases were searchable and the FTC was able to identify additional firms by searching for the names 

of owners or officers.387 

The FTC conducted an extensive analysis of the material that it obtained from public sources. In some 

cases, this material would explicitly identify a parent firm and lead to the identification of other related 

firms. In other cases, the material pointed to a pattern of interactions that suggested common direction, 

but could not establish common ownership under one parent firm. For example, some entities acquired 

385 N.D. CAL. CIV. L.R. 7.1-1. 

386 There was often a fee associated with obtaining these records. 

387 The FTC observed that the different LLCs of the same PAE often had the same manager who would sign state filings on 

their behalf. 

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patents through one firm and then reassigned those patents to other firms that would litigate. In this case, 

the FTC could identify related firms through assignment records. The FTC also observed the practice of 

a group of individuals holding personal ownership interests or serving as officers of a group of related 

entities. In this case, the FTC searched secretary of state records, where available. In addition, in some 

cases, there was evidence that suggested a relationship but did not establish one.388 For example, the 

same attorney recorded several patent assignments over a short period to seemingly unrelated firms that 

shared the same address. From this, the FTC inferred a relationship that it then examined further using 

other sources of information.389 

The FTC had varying levels of success in identifying the party directing the activities of each firm under 

study. In many cases, the FTC successfully identified and served one party that was effectively 

exercising control over the identified firm’s activities. In several cases, the FTC served multiple entities 

that were part of the same firm separately because the publicly available information could not establish 

that any one firm exercised control over the entire scope of operations. There also were instances where 

related firms did not have a parent firm but rather shared owners or managers; in some cases, the FTC 

served the individuals with the information request in their personal capacity. Finally, in some cases, the 

FTC could not discern any parent company and served information requests only on the firm identified 

in commercial data; in some instances, the nonpublic information provided in response to the requests 

identified an unknown parent company whereas in others it did not. 

The FTC was able to identify a party to answer on behalf of each identified firm, although doing so 

required significant effort. Based upon this research, the FTC has observed that some Responding PAEs 

took steps that made it nearly impossible to discern their ownership from publicly available data. Some 

firms did not identify controlling firms in their Rule 7.1 declarations.390 Other firms utilized exclusive 

licenses instead of recorded assignments in the Patent Office. Finally, firms that used LLCs organized in 

388 The FTC observed that the use of the same mailing address and registered agent for different LLCs was commonplace. 

389 In some cases, the bulk download and analysis of assignment or litigation data facilitated identifying relationships that 

were otherwise difficult to discern. 

390 Rule 7.1 requires disclosure of “any parent corporation and any publicly held corporation owning 10% or more of its 

stock,” which would not cover all of the ownership arrangements encountered in the study. FED. R. CIV. P. 7.1. 

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Delaware avoided disclosing any information regarding their ownership in their state filings. Even when 

firms did not take these steps, the effort involved in identifying the controlling entity was substantial. 

Methods to Validate Study Responses 

Response by recipients of the information requests, pursuant to FTC Act Section 6(b), 15 U.S.C. 

§ 46(b), is mandatory.391 Respondents must certify, that the responses are, to the best of their 

knowledge, “true, correct, and complete.” 

The FTC, however, did not rely only on the mandatory nature of production to validate study responses. 

In designing the information requests, it asked for overlapping information through written responses 

and document production. By collecting information through multiple sources, FTC attorneys and 

economists were able to crosscheck and confirm information received, and clarify responses that 

appeared inconsistent. 

FTC staff also communicated directly with respondents before and after production. In pre-production 

calls, staff confirmed and/or clarified information sought in response to specific requests. For example, 

because the FTC sent identical survey instruments to multiple respondents, staff often discussed how 

certain questions would apply to a particular respondent’s method of maintaining survey information. As 

a general rule, staff indicated that respondents should produce information as maintained, but should not 

estimate or create data to respond to certain questions. This instruction applied particularly where 

respondents did not maintain forecasts of future revenues. FTC staff did not ask respondents to create 

forecasts specifically to respond to information requests. FTC staff met with respondents and their 

counsel, by telephone and in person, often several times per respondent. 

391 The recipient of a 6(b) order may file a petition to limit or quash, and the FTC may seek a federal court order requiring 

compliance. In addition, the FTC may commence suit in federal court under Section 10 of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 50 

(2012), against any party that fails to comply with a Section 6(b) order after receiving a notice of default from the FTC. 

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Appendix C: PAE SPECIAL ORDER 

C - 1
	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

SPECIFICATIONS 

A. Identification of Report Author: Identify by full name, title, business address, 

telephone number, email address, and official capacity the Person(s) who prepared or 

supervised the preparation of the Firm’s response to the Information Requests. 

B. Firm Information 

1.	 State the Firm’s complete legal name and all other names under which it has done 

business since January 1, 2009, its corporate mailing address, all addresses and 

websites from which it does or has done business since January 1, 2009, and the 

date(s) and state(s) of its incorporation. 

2.	 Describe the Firm’s business and corporate structure; provide an organizational chart 

stating the names of all parents, wholly or partially owned subsidiaries, incorporated 

or unincorporated divisions, affiliates, branches, joint ventures, franchises, operations 

under assumed names, websites, or other Person(s) over which the Firm exercises or 

has exercised supervision or control since January 1, 2009. When responding to these 

Information Requests, separately provide all information for the Firm and each 

related Person(s) identified in response to Request B2. 

3.	 Has more than one Person identified in response to Request B2 engaged in Assertions 

against the same Person? (Y/N) If yes, name the Person(s) identified in response to 

Request B2 that made the Assertions, name the Person subject to the Assertions, state 

the date of each Assertion; and identify the Patent(s) related to each Assertion. 

4.	 Identify each Person(s) with a contractual or other legal right or obligation to a share 

of revenues, profits, costs or other Economic Interest in the Firm. For each such 

Person, describe the Person’s relationship with the Firm, including their percentage of 

ownership, control, or other legal entitlement to a share of revenues, profits or 

financial performance of the Firm and, if relevant, their positions and responsibilities 

within the Firm. 

C. Patent Information 

1.	 For each Patent Held by the Firm since January 1, 2009 

a. State the Person within the Firm who Holds the Patent, e.g. if the Patent is 

Held by a Firm subsidiary, state the subsidiary. 

b. State the Patent number. 

c. State the Patent’s priority date. 

d. State the application to which the Patent claims earliest priority. 

e. Does the Patent expire either 17 years from the date of issuance, if the Patent 

was filed before June 7, 1995, or 20 years from the priority date, if the Patent 

was filed after June 7, 1995? (Y/N) If no: 

(1) state the Patent’s expiration date; and 

3 

C - 2
(2) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, Documents sufficient to demonstrate the Patent’s expiration 

date. 

f. Has the Patent been subject to review by the Patent and Trademark Office 

since January 1, 2009? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) provide the docket number for each review. 

g. Do(es) any Person(s) outside the Firm Hold any Legal Rights to the Patent? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(1) identify the Person(s) who Hold(s) any Legal Rights to the Patent; 

(2) for each Person identified above, provide a narrative response that 

identifies and describes the Legal Rights Held; and 

(3) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, all agreements relating to the Legal Rights Held. 

h. Do(es) any Person(s) outside the Firm Hold an Economic Interest in the 

Patent? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) identify the Person(s) who Hold(s) any Economic Interest in the 

Patent; 

(2) for each Person identified above, provide a narrative response that 

identifies and describes the Economic Interest Held; and 

(3) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, all agreements relating to the Economic Interest Held. 

i. Does the Firm have an exclusive License to the Patent? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, the agreement(s) providing the exclusive License; 

(2) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, all Reports that evaluate or analyze the Firm’s reasons for 

entering into the exclusive License; 

(3) if the exclusive License is limited by geography, list the geographic 

restrictions; and 

(4) if the exclusive License is limited by field of use: 

(a) state the specific field of use restriction; and 

(b) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) is the 

field of use restriction: Chemical, Computers & 

Communications, Drugs & Medical, Semiconductors, 

Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

j. Has the Firm Asserted the Patent? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state whether the patent is a Wireless Patent; and 

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(2) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) the Patent was 

Asserted: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, 

or Other. 

k. Has the Firm included the Patent in any Demand? (Y/N) 

l. Has the Firm brought Litigation involving the Patent? (Y/N) 

m.Has the Firm Licensed the Patent to any Person(s)? (Y/N) 

n. Has the Firm, or any other Person, assigned a value to the Patent? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

(1) state the date of the most recent valuation; 

(2) state the amount of the most recent valuation; 

(3) provide a narrative response identifying, by date and amount, all prior 

valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; and 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, all related Reports. 

o.	 State the number of known Assignments of the Patent before the Patent was 

Acquired by the Firm. As part of your response do not include the assignment 

of Legal Rights to a Patent by a Firm employee who is bound to assign Legal 

Rights to the Firm at the time of invention. 

p.	 Provide a narrative response identifying all Person(s) to whom the Patent was 

assigned before the Firm Acquired the Patent and the date(s) of each 

assignment. 

q. State whether the Patent was Asserted in Litigation before the Firm Acquired 

the Patent. (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the number of times the Patent was Asserted in Litigation before 

the Firm Acquired the Patent; 

(2) produce, and provide a narrative response that identifies by Reference 

Number, all agreements relating to the Litigation, including License, 

settlement, and non-disclosure agreements; and 

(3) for each Litigation provide a narrative response: 

(a) identifying the Person(s) who Asserted the Patent; 

(b) identifying the jurisdiction and docket number of each 

Litigation; 

(c) identifying all claims that were found infringed, valid, and 

enforceable; 

(d) stating whether an injunction or exclusion order issued; and 

(e) stating the amount of any damages awarded. 

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2.	 To the extent not otherwise identified in response to the Information Requests, if the 

Firm has entered into any agreement since January 1, 2009 relating to any Economic 

Interest or Legal Right to any Patent Held by the Firm, for each agreement 

a.	 Submit the agreement, and provide a narrative response that identifies it by 

Reference Number; and 

b.	 Submit all Reports that evaluate or analyze the reasons for entering into the 

agreement, and provide a narrative response that identifies the Reference 

Number(s) of the Reports. 

D. Standard Setting Commitments 

1.	 If any Person has committed to a Standard Setting Organization that it will License 

any Patent(s) Held by the Firm since January 1, 2009, for each commitment 

a.	 State the date the commitment was made. 

b.	 Identify the Person who made the commitment. 

c.	 Identify the Standard Setting Organization. 

d.	 Identify the standard(s) to which the commitment applies. 

e.	 Provide a narrative response identifying any Wireless Patents held by the Firm 

that are subject to the commitment. 

f.	 State whether the commitment is to License the Patent(s) or any Patent 

claim(s) on reasonable and non-discriminatory (RAND); fair, reasonable, and 

non-discriminatory (FRAND); royalty-free (RF); or other terms. 

(1) if the commitment is to License on terms other than RAND, FRAND, 

or RF, provide a narrative response describing the terms. 

g. Is the commitment subject to a field of use restriction? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the specific field of use restriction(s); and 

(2) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) is the field of use 

restriction: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, 

or Other. 

h.	 Provide a narrative response listing all Patent(s) that any Person has declared, 

or otherwise identified to any Person, as subject to the commitment. 

i.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all agreements embodying the commitment. 

E. Patent Portfolio Information 

1.	 For each Patent Portfolio Held by the Firm since January 1, 2009 

a. Has the Firm organized the Portfolio by field of use? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the specific field of use; and 

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(2) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) is the field of use: 

Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & Medical, 

Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

b.	 Does the Firm identify the Patent(s) included in the Patent Portfolio? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

(1) provide a narrative response stating the numbers of the Patents 

included in the Patent Portfolio. 

c. Has the Firm assigned a value to the Patent Portfolio? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the date of the most recent valuation; 

(2) state the amount of the most recent valuation; 

(3) provide a narrative response identifying, by date and amount, all prior 

valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; and 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports. 

d.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports that evaluate how the Firm organizes and names the Portfolio and 

the Firm’s reasons or business strategy for organizing the Patent Portfolio and 

for allocating specific Patent(s) into any identified Patent Portfolio. 

e.	 To the extent not identified above, provide a narrative response describing 

how the Firm organizes and names the Portfolio. 

F. Patent Acquisition Information 

1. For each transaction in which the Firm Acquired Patent(s) since January 1, 2009 

a.	 State the date of the transaction. 

b.	 State the Person who Acquired the Patent(s). 

c.	 State the Person(s) from whom the Patent(s) were Acquired. 

(1) did the Firm Acquire the Patent(s) from a named inventor of the 

Patent? (Y/N) 

(2) did the Firm Acquire the Patent(s) from an employer of the named 

inventor? (Y/N) 

(3) did the Firm Acquire the Patent from a Person that the Firm identifies 

as a Patent Assertion Entity? (Y/N) 

d.	 State the total number of Patents Acquired in this transaction. 

e.	 Did the Firm Acquire any Wireless Patent(s) in this transaction? (Y/N) 

f.	 For each Patent Acquired in the transaction: 

(1) state the Patent Number. 

(2) did the Firm assign the Patent in connection with this transaction? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

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(a) was the assignment recorded with the United States Patent 

and Trademark Office? (Y/N) 

(3) did the Firm obtain an exclusive License to the Patent in connection 

with the transaction? (Y/N) 

(4) did the Firm License the Patent back to its previous owner? (Y/N) 

g.	 Did the Firm assume existing License obligations for the Patent(s)? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

(1) state the total number of License obligations assumed; 

(2) state the total revenue obtained by the Firm as a result of assuming 

existing License obligations to the date of this request; and 

(3) state the total revenue expected to be obtained by the Firm in the 

future as a result of assuming existing License obligations. 

h.	 Did the Firm Acquire the Patent(s) in connection with any proceeding before a 

United States Bankruptcy Court? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the jurisdiction; and 

(2) state the docket number. 

i.	 For each Person receiving payment as a result of this transaction: 

(1) state the Person to whom the payment was made. 

(a) was the Person a named inventor of a Patent included in the 

transaction? (Y/N) 

(b) was the Person an employer of a named inventor of a 

Patent included in the transaction? (Y/N) 

(c) was the Patent(s) Acquired from the Person? (Y/N) 

(2) did the Firm make a lump-sum payment(s), i.e. a payment not directly 

affected by the Firm’s future revenue or unit sales, to this Person to 

Acquire the Patents? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total amount of the lump-sum payment(s) made; 

(b) state the total amount of the lump-sum payment(s) expected 

to be made in the future; 

(c) if any agreement defines the lump-sum payment terms, 

produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, the agreement; and 

(d) provide a narrative response describing the method for 

calculating the payment. 

(3) did the Firm pay, or is the Firm expecting to pay, an on-going 

payment, i.e., a payment that is directly affected by either the Firm’s 

future revenue or unit sales, to this Person to Acquire the Patent(s)? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

8 

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(a) state the total amount paid in on-going payments, by 

calendar year, to the date of this Request; 

(b) state the total amount from on-going payments expected to 

be made in the future derived from the Patents Acquired; 

(c) if any agreement defines the payment terms, produce, and 

provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, the agreement; and 

(d) provide a narrative response describing the method for 

calculating the past and future ongoing payment(s). 

j.	 Does the Acquisition involve a cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the date of the cross-License agreement. 

(2) has the Firm assigned a value to the cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the most recent valuation; 

(b) state the amount of the most recent valuation; 

(c) provide a narrative response identifying , by date and 

amount, all prior valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; 

and 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all related Reports. 

(3) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, the cross-License; and 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports. 

k.	 Did any Person outside the Firm financially contribute to the Acquisition? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the Person(s) who contributed to the Acquisition; 

(2) state the total amount contributed by other Person(s) to the 

Acquisition; 

(3) state the total amount expected to be contributed by other Person(s) in 

the future as a result of the Acquisition; 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related agreements; 

(5) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports; and 

(6) for each Person identified, provide a narrative response stating each 

Person’s financial contribution, the method for calculating this 

amount, and each Person’s Legal Right to the Patent(s). 

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l.	 Do(es) any Person(s) outside the Firm Hold any Legal Rights to any of the 

Patents Acquired in this transaction? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the Person(s) who Holds any Legal Rights to any Acquired 

Patents; 

(2) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related agreements; 

(3) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports; and 

(4) for each Person identified, provide a narrative response identifying 

each Person’s Legal Rights, and the Patent(s) to which the Person 

Holds each Legal Right. 

m. Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the Acquisition. 

n.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all agreements related to the Acquisition. 

2.	 To the extent not identified in these Information Requests, produce, and provide a 

narrative response identifying by Reference Number, all agreements between the 

Firm and any Person executed since January 1, 2009 relating to any Acquisition by 

the Firm of any Legal Right to a Patent 

a.	 for any such agreement produced, also produce, and provide a narrative 

response identifying by Reference Number, all Reports that (i) evaluate or 

analyze the reasons for entering into the agreement or (ii) evaluate or analyze 

the calculation of any payment relating to the Acquisition. 

G. Patent Transfer Information 

1. For each transaction in which the Firm Transferred Patent(s) since January 1, 2009 

a.	 State the date of the transaction. 

b.	 State the Person(s) who Transferred the Patent(s). 

c.	 State the Person(s) to whom the Patent(s) were Transferred. 

(1) did the Firm Transfer the Patent(s) to a Person that the Firm identifies 

as a Patent Assertion Entity? (Y/N) 

d.	 State the total number of Patent(s) Transferred in the transaction. 

e.	 Did the Firm transfer any Wireless Patent(s) in this transaction? (Y/N) 

f.	 For each Patent Transferred in the transaction: 

(1) state the Patent number. 

(2) did the Firm assign the Patent in connection with the transaction? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) was the assignment recorded with the United States Patent 

and Trademark Office? (Y/N) 

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(3) did the Firm grant an exclusive License to the Patent(s) in connection 

with the transaction? (Y/N) 

g.	 Did the Firm transfer existing License obligations to the Patent(s)? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

(1) state the total number of License obligations transferred; and 

(2) state the total revenue received by the Firm from these Licenses. 

h.	 Did the Firm Transfer the Patent(s) in connection with any proceeding before 

a United States Bankruptcy Court? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the jurisdiction; and 

(2) state the docket number. 

i.	 Was the Firm paid a lump-sum payment(s), i.e. a payment not directly 

affected by the transferee’s future revenue or unit sales, to Transfer the 

Patent(s)? (Y/N) If yes, for each Person making payments to the Firm: 

(1) state the Person from whom the payment(s) was received; 

(2) state the total amount of the lump-sum payment(s) received; 

(3) state the total amount of the lump-sum payment(s) expected to be 

received in the future; 

(4) if any agreement(s) define(s) the payment terms, produce, and provide 

a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, the 

agreement(s); and 

(5) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

payment(s). 

j.	 Did the Firm receive, or is it receiving, an on-going payment, i.e., a payment 

that is directly affected by either the transferee’s future revenue or unit sales, 

from the Person(s) receiving the Patent(s)? (Y/N) If yes, for each Person 

making payments to the Firm: 

(1) state the Person(s) from whom the payment(s) are received; 

(2) state the total amount of the on-going payments received from this 

Person(s), by calendar year, made to the date of this Request; 

(3) state the total amount of on-going payments expected to be received in 

the future; 

(4) if any agreement(s) define(s) the payment terms, produce, and provide 

a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, the 

agreement(s); and 

(5) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

on-going payment(s). 

k.	 Does the Transfer involve a cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the date of the cross-License agreement; 

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(2) has the Firm assigned a value to the cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the most recent valuation; 

(b) state the amount of the most recent valuation; 

(c) provide a narrative response identifying, by date and 

amount,, all prior valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; 

and 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all related Reports. 

(3) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, the cross-License; and 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports. 

l.	 Did any Person outside the Firm share in the proceeds from the Transfer? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the Person(s) who shared in the proceeds from the Transfer; 

(2) state the total amount shared with other Person(s) to the date of this 

Request; 

(3) state the total amount expected to be shared with other Person(s) in the 

future; 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related agreements; 

(5) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports; and 

(6) for each Person identified, provide a narrative response stating the 

amount shared with each Person, the amount expected to be shared in 

the future, and the method for calculating this amount. 

m. Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the Transfer. 

n.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all agreements related to the Transfer. 

2.	 To the extent not identified in these Information Requests, produce, and provide a 

narrative response identifying by Reference Number, all agreements between the 

Firm and any Person executed since January 1, 2009 relating to any Transfer by the 

Firm of any Legal Right to a Patent 

a.	 For any such agreement produced, also produce, and provide a narrative 

response identifying by Reference Number, all Reports that (i) evaluate or 

analyze the reasons for entering into the agreement or (ii) evaluate or analyze 

the calculation of any payment relating to the Acquisition. 

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H. Patent Assertion Information 

1.	 Demand Information: For each Demand made by, or on behalf of, the Firm since 

January 1, 2009 

a. State the date of the Demand. 

b. State the Person(s) who made the Demand, e.g. the Firm or one of its related 

Person(s). 

c. State the Person(s) to whom the Demand was made. 

d. State the Patent(s) that formed the basis of the Demand. 

e. Did the Demand relate to a Wireless Patent? (Y/N) 

f. Identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) the Demand was made: 

Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & Medical, 

Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

g. Was the Demand limited to geographic area(s)? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) identify the geographic area(s). 

h. State all accused product(s) relating to the Demand. 

i. Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, a 

copy of each Demand Document and all appendices, including, but not limited 

to, claim charts, and all Reports related to the Demand. 

2.	 Litigation Information: For each Litigation commenced since January 1, 2009 relating 

to a Patent Held by the Firm, or a Patent in which the Firm has an Economic Interest, 

separately for each Person (collectively including its parents, subsidiaries, and 

affiliates) named as a defendant (if the Firm is a plaintiff) or as a declaratory 

judgment plaintiff (if the Firm is a defendant) 

a.	 State the jurisdiction in which the Litigation was commenced. 

b.	 State the docket number of the Litigation. 

c.	 State the date the Litigation was commenced. 

d.	 State all plaintiffs named or otherwise joined in the Litigation. 

e.	 State the defendant (including parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates) named or 

otherwise joined in the Litigation. 

f.	 State all Patents Asserted. 

g.	 Was any Patent Asserted a Wireless Patent? (Y/N) 

h.	 Identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) the Patents were asserted: 

Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & Medical, 

Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

i.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all orders relating to all dispositive motions. 

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j.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all expert reports exchanged during Litigation that offer an opinion related to 

the valuation of the Patent(s) or damages relating to the Litigation. 

k.	 Is the Litigation pending? (Y/N) If no: 

(1) state the date of termination. 

(2) state whether the Litigation terminated upon successful dispositive 

motion, jury verdict, judgment following trial on the merits, appeal, 

settlement, or other (if other, explain). 

(3) provide a narrative response identifying all Patent claims found 

infringed, valid, and enforceable. 

(4) did a permanent injunction, exclusion order, or cease and desist order 

issue? (Y/N) 

(5) did the court award damages? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the amount awarded; and 

(b) state the amount actually paid to the prevailing party. 

(6) did the court award fees pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 285? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the fees awarded; and 

(b) state the amount actually paid to the prevailing party. 

(7) did the court issue sanctions pursuant to Rule 11 of the Federal Rules 

of Civil Procedure? (Y/N) 

(8) did the Litigation terminate upon exhaustion of appellate process? 

(Y/N) 

l.	 Did the Litigation settle? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) did the settlement result in a License agreement? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the License agreement; 

(b) state the Licensee; and 

(c) state the Licensor. 

(2) when was settlement reached: after the complaint was filed; after a 

successful dispositive motion, after a jury verdict, after judgment 

following trial on the merits, after appeal, or other (if other, explain)? 

(3) did the Court issue an order construing any claim(s) of the Patent(s) 

Asserted before settlement was reached? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, the order. 

(4) state the total revenue the Firm has received under the terms of the 

settlement agreement from January 1, 2009 to the date of this Request. 

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Do not report revenue reported for any License identified in response 

to H.3 below. 

(a) was any part of this revenue received as a lump-sum 

payment, i.e. a payment not directly affected by the 

defendant’s future revenue or unit sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1)	 state the total revenue the Firm has received to the 

date of this request in lump-sum payments; and 

(2)	 state the total revenue the Firm expects to receive in 

the future in lump-sum payments. 

(b) was any part of this revenue received as an on-going 

payment, i.e., a payment that is directly affected by either 

the defendant’s future revenue or unit sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1)	 state the total revenue the Firm has received to the 

date of this request in on-going payments; and 

(2)	 state the total revenue the Firm expects to receive in 

the future as on-going payments. 

(c) is this revenue shared with anyone outside the Firm? (Y/N) 

If yes: 

(1)	 state the total amount shared outside the Firm. 

(2) if the revenue is part of an ongoing payment, state 

the total amount the Firm expects to share in the 

future. 

(3) is any revenue shared pursuant to a contingency fee 

or risk-sharing agreement? (Y/N) If yes: 

(A)state the total amount shared pursuant to a 

contingency fee or risk-sharing agreement; 

(B) state the Person(s) outside the Firm who is 

party to the agreement; and 

(C) provide a narrative response stating the 

amount the Firm shared with each Person, 

the amount the Firm expects to share in the 

future, and describing the method for 

calculating this amount. 

(4) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is 

shared. 

(A) are any of these Person(s) the named 

inventor of any Patent Asserted in the 

Litigation? (Y/N) 

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(B) are any of these Person(s) the employer of 

the named inventor of any Patent Asserted 

in the Litigation? (Y/N) 

(5) produce, and provide a narrative response 

identifying by Reference Number, all revenue 

sharing agreements. 

(6) provide a narrative response stating the amount 

shared with each Person and describing the method 

for calculating this amount. 

m. State the Firm’s total expenses relating to the Litigation from January 1, 2009 

to the date of this Request. 

(1) are these expenses shared with any Person(s) outside the Firm? (Y/N) 

If yes: 

(a) state the total amount of expenses shared outside the Firm; 

(b) identify all Person(s) with whom expenses are shared; 

(c) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all expense sharing agreements; 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all Reports related to all expense 

sharing agreements; and 

(e) provide a narrative response stating the amount shared with 

each Person and describing the method for calculating this 

amount. 

n.	 State all projected revenues relating to the Litigation from the date of this 

Request. 

(1) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

projected revenue, e.g. as a fraction of revenue or a fee per unit sold. 

o.	 To the extent not identified above, produce, and provide a narrative response 

identifying by Reference Number, all agreements related to the Litigation and 

produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the Litigation. 

3.	 License Information: For each License executed since January 1, 2009 relating to a 

Patent Held by the Firm or a Patent in which the Firm has an Economic Interest 

a.	 Who is the Licensor(s)? 

b.	 Who is the Licensee(s)? 

c.	 Identify all Patent(s) Licensed. 

d.	 What is the effective date of the License agreement? 

e.	 Does the License relate to a Patent Held by the Firm? (Y/N) 

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f.	 Does the License relate to a Wireless Patent Held by the Firm? (Y/N) 

g.	 Does the License relate to a Patent in which the Firm has an Economic 

Interest? (Y/N) 

h.	 Does the License relate to a Wireless Patent in which the Firm has an 

Economic Interest? (Y/N) 

i.	 For each Litigation related to the License: 

(1) state the jurisdiction in which the Litigation was commenced. 

(2) state the docket number of the Litigation. 

j.	 Does the License contain a field of use restriction? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the specific field of use restriction ; and 

(2) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) is the field of use 

restriction: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, 

or Other. 

k.	 Does the License contain a geographic restriction? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) identify the geographic restriction(s). 

l.	 State the duration of the License agreement? 

m. State the Licensed products or services. 

n.	 Does the License include any cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) has the Firm assigned a value to the cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the most recent valuation; and 

(b) state the amount of the most recent valuation; and 

(c) provide a narrative response identifying by date and 

amount all prior valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; 

and 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all related Reports. 

(2) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, the cross-License. 

(3) provide a narrative response identifying the number of Patents crossLicensed, as well as whether the cross-License is exclusive, whether 

there are any geographic limitations to the cross-License, whether 

there are any field of use limitations to the cross-License, and whether 

the field of use restriction is in the following sectors: Chemical, 

Computers & Communications, Drugs & Medical, Semiconductors, 

Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

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o. State the total revenue the Firm has received under the terms of the License 

from January 1, 2009 to the date of this Request. 

(1) was any part of this revenue received as a lump-sum payment, i.e. a 

payment not directly affected by the defendant’s future revenue or unit 

sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total revenue the Firm has received to the date of 

this request in lump-sum payments. 

(2) was any part of this revenue received as an on-going payment, i.e., a 

payment that is directly affected by either the defendant’s future 

revenue or unit sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total revenue the Firm has received to the date of 

this request in on-going payments. 

(3) is this revenue shared with anyone outside the Firm? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total amount shared outside the Firm. 

(b) if the revenue is part of an ongoing payment, state the total 

amount the Firm expects to share in the future. 

(c) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared. 

(1) are any of these Person(s) the named inventor of 

any of the Licensed Patents? (Y/N) 

(2) are any of these Person(s) the employer of the 

named inventor of any of the Licensed Patents? 

(Y/N) 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all revenue sharing agreements. 

(e) provide a narrative response stating the amount the Firm 

shared with each Person and the amount the Firm expects 

to share in the future and describing the method for 

calculating this amount. 

p.	 State the Firm’s total expenses relating to the License agreement from January 

1, 2009 to the date of this Request. 

(1) are these expenses shared with any Person(s) outside the Firm? (Y/N) 

If yes: 

(a) state the total amount of expenses shared outside the Firm; 

(b) identify all Person(s) with whom expenses are shared; 

(c) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all expense sharing agreements; 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all Reports related to all expense 

sharing agreements; and 

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(e) provide a narrative response stating the amount of expenses 

shared with each Person and describing the method for 

calculating this amount. 

q.	 State all projected revenues relating to the License from the date of this 

Request. 

(1) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

projected revenue, e.g. as a fraction of revenue or a fee per unit sold. 

r.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the License. 

s.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all agreements related to the License. 

4.	 To the extent not identified above, produce, and provide a narrative response 

identifying by Reference Number, all agreements related to any Assertion relating to 

a Patent Held by the Firm, or a Patent in which the Firm has an Economic Interest and 

produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, all 

related Reports 

I.	 Aggregate Cost Information 

1.	 Separately, for each year since January 1, 2009 

a. State the total cost to the Firm relating to all Acquisitions identified in 

response to Request F. 

(1) did the Firm share Acquisition costs with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom these costs are shared; 

(b) state the total amount paid by Person(s) outside the Firm; 

and 

(c) state the total amount paid by the Firm. 

b. State the total cost to the Firm relating to all Litigations identified in response 

to Request H.2. 

(1) did the Firm share Litigation costs with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom these costs are shared; 

(b) state the total amount paid by Person(s) outside the Firm; 

and 

(c) state the total amount paid by the Firm. 

c.	 State the total cost to the Firm relating to all Licenses identified in response to 

Request H.3. 

(1) did the Firm share License costs with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

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(a) state all Person(s) with whom these costs are shared; 

(b) state the total amount paid by Person(s) outside the Firm; 

and 

(c) state the total amount paid by the Firm. 

2.	 For all forecasted costs expected to be paid after the date of this Request 

a.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by the Firm relating to all Acquisitions 

identified in Request F. 

b.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by all other Person(s) outside the Firm 

relating to all Acquisitions identified in Request F. 

c.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by the Firm relating to all Litigations 

identified in Request H.2. 

d.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by all other Person(s) outside the Firm 

relating to all Litigations identified in Request H.2. 

e.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by the Firm relating to all License 

Agreements identified in Request H.3. 

f.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by all other Person(s) outside with the 

Firm relating to all License Agreements identified in Request H.3. 

g.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to all forecasted costs identified in response to this 

Request. 

3.	 Since January 1, 2009, has the Firm engaged in any research and development related 

to the Patents identified in Request C? (Y/N) If yes: 

a.	 What is the total cost of the Firms’ research and development activity? 

b.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

Documents sufficient to show the total cost of the Firms’ research and 

development activity. 

4.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

Documents sufficient to show all costs and payments identified in response to 

Request I 

5.	 Has the Firm made any payment related to the Acquisition of any Patent by any 

Person not otherwise identified in response to these Requests? (Y/N) If yes: 

a.	 State the Person(s) to whom the payments were made; 

b.	 State the total amount paid; 

c.	 State the total amount expected to be paid in the future; and 

d.	 For each Person who received payments from the Firm, provide a narrative 

response identifying the amount paid, identifying the amount expected to be 

paid in the future, and describing the Acquisition. 

J.	 Aggregate Revenue Information 

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1.	 Separately, for each year since January 1, 2009 

a.	 State the total revenue received by the Firm relating to all Transfers identified 

in response to Request G. 

(1) did the Firm share Transfer revenue with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared; 

(b) state the amount of revenue shared with Person(s) outside 

the Firm; and 

(c) state the amount retained by the Firm. 

b. State the total revenue received by the Firm relating to all Litigations 

identified in response to Request H.2. 

(1) did the Firm share Litigation revenue with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared; 

(b) state the total revenue shared with Person(s) outside the 

Firm; and 

(c) state the amount retained by the Firm. 

c.	 State the total revenue received by the Firm relating to all Licenses identified 

in response to Request H.3. 

(1) did the Firm share License revenue with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared; 

(b) state the total revenue shared with Person(s) outside the 

Firm; and 

(c) state the amount retained by the Firm. 

2.	 For all forecasted revenues expected to be received by the Firm after the date of this 

Request 

a.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by the Firm relating to all 

Transfers identified in Request G. 

b.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by all other Person(s) outside 

the Firm relating to all Transfers identified in Request G. 

c.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by the Firm relating to all 

Litigations identified in Request H. 

d.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by all other Person(s) outside 

the Firm relating to all Litigations identified in Request H.2. 

e.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by the Firm relating to all 

License Agreements identified in Request H.3. 

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f.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by all other Person(s) outside 

the Firm relating to all License Agreements identified in Request H.3. 

3.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

Documents sufficient to show all revenue identified in response to Request J 

4.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, all 

Reports related to all forecasted revenues identified in response to Request J 

5.	 Has the Firm received any revenue, either directly or indirectly, from the Assertion of 

any Patent by any Person not otherwise identified in response these requests? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

a.	 State the Person(s) who paid this revenue to the Firm; 

b.	 State the total amount of revenue received; 

c.	 State the total amount of revenue expected to be received in the future; and 

d.	 For each Person who paid this revenue to the Firm, provide a narrative 

response identifying the amount paid, identifying the amount expected to be 

paid in the future, and describing the Assertion. 

6.	 Has the Firm received any revenue, either directly or indirectly, from the Acquisition 

of any Patent by any Person not otherwise identified in response these requests? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

a.	 State the Person(s) who paid this revenue to the Firm; 

b.	 State the total amount of revenue received; 

c.	 State the total amount of revenue expected to be received in the future; and 

d.	 For each Person who paid this revenue to the Firm, provide a narrative 

response identifying the amount paid, identifying the amount expected to be 

paid in the future, and describing the Acquisition. 

7.	 Has the Firm received any revenue, either directly or indirectly, from the Transfer of 

any Patent by any Person not otherwise identified in response these requests? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

a.	 State the Person(s) who paid this revenue to the Firm; 

b.	 State the total amount of revenue received; 

c.	 State the total amount of revenue expected to be received in the future; and 

d.	 For each Person who paid this revenue to the Firm, provide a narrative 

response identifying the amount paid, identifying the amount expected to be 

paid in the future, and describing the Transfer. 

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APPENDIX A 

A. General Instructions 

1.	 The Firm’s Special Report must be filed by November 21, 2014. 

2.	 The Special Report must restate each item of the Information Requests with which the 

corresponding answer is identified. 

3.	 The Special Report shall be entered into the Microsoft Excel workbook spreadsheets at 

http://go.usa.gov/V6vA with this Order whenever possible. The FTC has entered the 

information request numbers and the type of information that must be provided in the 

header row of each column. When it is not possible to enter the required answer or 

information into the applicable worksheet, the Firm shall provide the required answer in a 

Microsoft Word document. 

4.	 Requests that require narrative responses shall be provided in a Microsoft Word 

document. 

5.	 Requests that require a narrative response that identifies Reference Numbers shall be 

submitted in a Microsoft Word table, with two columns. The left column shall contain the 

request number, and the right column shall contain all responsive Document IDs or 

Document ID ranges. Where the same request requires multiple responses (e.g., where a 

request requires a separate response for each relevant person), provide each response in a 

separate row and note in brackets a differentiating characteristic following the Request 

Number. 

REQUEST 

NUMBER 

DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

or 

REQUEST DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

NUMBER[PERSON_1] DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

REQUEST DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

NUMBER[PERSON_2] DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

REQUEST DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

NUMBER[PERSON_3] DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

6.	 If any requested information cannot be provided fully, give the information that is 

available and explain in detail in what respects and why the response is incomplete. 

7.	 The Firm shall submit all written responses in native electronic format. For narrative 

responses or responses identifying Reference Numbers, the Firm shall provide both 

23 

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Microsoft Word and PDF versions. For all responses to be submitted via spreadsheet, the 

Firm shall submit its responses in native Microsoft Excel format. 

B. Definitions 

“Acquire” and “Acquisition” mean to purchase or obtain from another Person any Legal Right 

to a Patent, or to purchase or obtain a Person who Holds any Legal Right to a Patent. This 

definition does not include the assignment of Legal Rights to a Patent by a Firm employee who 

is bound to assign his or her Legal Rights to the Firm at the time of invention. 

“Assert” and “Assertion” mean: (i) any Demand; (ii) any civil action threatened or commenced 

(by the Firm or other Person) relating to any Patent; or (iii) any investigation pursuant to 19 

U.S.C. 1337 threatened or initiated (by the Firm or other Person) relating to any Patent. For 

Manufacturing Firms, “Assert” and “Asserted” do not include sales of products manufactured 

by the Firm, or on behalf of the Firm, that practice the claimed invention. 

“Class” and “Subclass” have the meanings defined by the United States Patent and Trademark 

Office (USPTO). 

“Demand” means any effort since January 1, 2009 to License any Patent, in whole or in part, 

and any other attempt to generate revenue by authorizing a Person outside the Firm to practice an 

invention claimed in a Patent. Demand does not include complaints or pleadings filed with a 

United States District Court or the United States International Trade Commission. 

“Documents” means all electronically stored information, and written, recorded, and graphic 

materials of every kind in the possession, custody, or control of the Firm. Unless otherwise 

specified, the term “Documents” excludes: (i) bills of lading, invoices, purchase orders, customs 

declarations, and other similar documents of a purely transactional nature; (ii) architectural plans 

and engineering blueprints; and (iii) documents solely relating to environmental, human 

resources, OSHA, or ERISA compliance. 

“Economic Interest” means any right or claim to current or future revenues derived from a 

Patent, including, but not limited to: lump-sum payments; royalties; access to other Patent(s) as 

part of a cross-Licensing agreement; a debt or equity interest in a Person that Asserts Patents; use 

of the Firm’s Legal Rights to any Patent as collateral for a Person’s loan or investment; or any 

other form of compensation relating to the Assertion, Acquisition, or Transfer of Patents Held by 

the Firm. “Economic Interest” does not include shareholders of publicly traded Firms that own 

less than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of stock in the Firm. 

“Firm” means the Person served with the information requests described in this notice. 

“Hold” and “Held” mean to possess a Legal Right to a Patent. 

“Legal Right” means any ownership interest in, an exclusive License to, or other rights adequate 

to License or enforce a Patent. 

“Litigation” means any civil action commenced in a United States District Court or with the 

United States International Trade Commission. 

“License” means authorization by the Patent holder to practice the claimed invention, including, 

but not limited to, a covenant not to sue and a covenant not to assert. 

“Maintenance Fee(s)” has the meaning defined by the USPTO. 

24 

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“Patent” means a United States patent or United States patent application as defined by 35 

U.S.C. 101, et seq. 

“Patent Portfolio” means a collection of patents Held by the Firm, including all of the patents 

Held by the Firm and any sub-groups into which the Firm organizes its patents. 

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, association, firm, partnership, joint venture, 

trust, estate, agency, department, bureau, governmental, judicial, or legal entity, however 

organized or established. 

“Reference Number” means a Bates number or other sequential identification number. 

“Report” means all studies, analyses, and reports which were prepared by or for any officer(s) or 

director(s) of a corporate entity (or, in the case of unincorporated entities, individuals exercising 

similar functions) or presented to any Person outside the Firm (including, but not limited to, 

investment presentations and documents filed with the United States Internal Revenue Service or 

Securities and Exchange Commission). 

“Standard Setting Organization” or “SSO” means any organization, group, joint venture, or 

consortium that develop standards for the design, performance, or other characteristics of 

products or technologies. 

“Transfer” means the sale or exchange of any Legal Right to a Patent, including for monetary or 

other consideration or for no compensation. 

“Wireless Chipset” means any baseband processor, radio frequency transceiver, integrated 

circuit, chip, or chipset, or any combination thereof, and any related software, used to implement 

wireless communication. 

“Wireless Communications Device” means any device, including wireless chipsets, which 

implements wireless communication, including, but not limited to, software, user equipment, 

base stations, and network infrastructure. 

“Wireless Patent” means any Patent Asserted against a Wireless Communication Device. 

C. Data Submissions 

1. Numerical Data 

Unless modified by agreement in writing with the Office of Policy Planning Deputy Director, 

all requests for dollar amounts shall be entered as rounded to the nearest whole dollar, 

without commas or dollar signs. 

Percentages shall be entered as a decimal, i.e., fifty percent shall be entered as <0.50>. 

Dates shall be entered as <MM/DD/YYYY>. 

2. Patents and Patent Applications 

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U.S. Patent numbers shall be provided as a seven-digit number <9999999>, without commas 

or spaces. 

Reissue patents shall be provided as a six-digit number following the prefix “RE”: 

<RE999999>. Leading zeroes must be entered between “RE” and the number to create six 

digits. 

Design patents shall be provided as a seven-digit number following the prefix “D”: 

<D9999999>. Leading zeroes must be entered between “D” and the number to create seven 

digits. 

U.S. Patent application numbers shall be provided using the two-digit series code followed 

by the six-digit serial number assigned by the USPTO, in the following format: 

<99/999999>. 

PCT or International Applications can be entered in either the old (14 character) or new 

WIPO formats. The old (14 character) format includes a two-digit year and five-character 

sequence number, e.g., ‘PCT/US99/12345’. The new (17 character) format includes a fourdigit year, e.g., ‘PCT/US1999/123456’. The acceptable formats are as follows: 

<PCT/CCYY/99999 or PCT/CCYYYY/999999>, where 

PCT = “PCT” 

CC = 2 character Country Code 

YY – last 2 digits of the year filed 

YYYY = four digit year filed 

99999, 999999 = is the 5 or 6 digit sequence number. 

3. Jurisdiction and Docket Information 

Responses to requests for the jurisdiction of a Litigation or bankruptcy proceeding should use 

the following formats: 

For district court cases, give the district but not the division: 

E.g., D.N.J.; or D.D.C.; or C.D. Cal. 

For bankruptcy court cases, write the term “Bankr.” followed by the federal district 

name: 

E.g., Bankr. D.N.J.; Bankr. D.D.C. 

For International Trade Commission cases, write “USITC”. 

Responses to requests for docket number shall be provided as follows: 

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C - 25
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

	 

	 

	 

For district court and bankruptcy cases, provide the docket number in any of the 

following formats: 

<YY-NNNNN>
 

<YY-TP-NNNNN>
 

<YY TP NNNNN>
 

<YYTPNNNNN>
 

<O:YY-NNNNN>
 

<O:YY-TP-NNNNN>
 

<O:YY TP NNNNN>
 

<O:YYTPNNNNN>, where 

YY = Two or four digit code for the year filed 

NNNNN = Case number (up to five digits) 

TP = Case type (up to two characters) 

O = Office where the case was filed (1 digit) 

For International Trade Commission Cases, write the Investigation Number: 

E.g., No. 731-TA-1070B 

For proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the United States Patent and 

Trademark Office, provide the docket number as <Proceeding Type><Year>-<Number>: 

E.g., CBM2012-0001; or IPR2012-00001 

For proceedings before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences at the United 

States Patent and Trademark Office, provide the docket number as: 

BPAI<Year>-<Appeal Number>, where 

<Year> = four digit number 

<Appeal Number> = six digit number, with leading zeroes where necessary. 

D. Production of Documents 

1.	 Form of Production. The Firm shall submit documents as instructed below absent written 

consent signed by an Office of Policy Planning Deputy Director. 

(a)	 Documents stored in electronic or hard copy formats in the ordinary course of 

business shall be submitted in the following electronic format provided that such 

copies are true, correct, and complete copies of the original documents: 

(i)	 Submit Microsoft Excel, Access, and PowerPoint files in native format 

with extracted text and metadata. 

27 

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(ii) Submit emails in image format with extracted text and the following 

metadata and information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference 

Number 

The beginning Reference Number of the 

document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

To Recipients(s) of the email. 

From The person who authored the email. 

CC Person(s) copied on the email. 

BCC Person(s) blind copied on the email. 

Subject Subject line of the email. 

Date Sent Date the email was sent. 

Time Sent Time the email was sent. 

Date Received Date the email was received. 

Time Received Time the email was received. 

Attachments The Document ID of attachment(s). 

Mail Folder Path Location of email in personal folders, 

subfolders, deleted items or sent items. 

Message ID Microsoft Outlook Message ID or similar 

value in other message systems. 

(iii)	 Submit email attachments other than those identified in subpart (a)(i) in 

image format with extracted text and the following metadata and 

information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference The beginning Reference Number of the 

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Number document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

Parent Email The Document ID of the parent email. 

Modified Date The date the file was last changed and saved. 

Modified Time The time the file was last changed and saved. 

Filename with extension The name of the file including the extension 

denoting the application in which the file was 

created. 

Originating Path File path of the file as it resided in its original 

environment. 

Production Link Relative file path to production media of 

submitted native files. Example: 

FTC-001\NATIVE\001\FTC-00003090.xls. 

Hash The Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) value for 

the original native file. 

(iv)	 Submit all other electronic documents other than those described in 

subpart (a)(i) in image format accompanied by extracted text and the 

following metadata and information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference 

Number 

The beginning Reference Number of the 

document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

Modified Date The date the file was last changed and saved. 

Modified Time The time the file was last changed and saved. 

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Filename with extension The name of the file including the extension 

denoting the application in which the file was 

created. 

Production Link Relative file path to production media of 

submitted native files. Example: 

FTC-001\NATIVE\001\FTC-00003090.xls. 

Hash The Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) value for 

the original native file. 

(v) Submit documents stored in hard copy in image format accomplished by 

OCR with the following information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference 

Number 

The beginning Reference Number of the 

document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

(vi)	 Submit redacted documents in PDF format accompanied by OCR with the 

metadata and information required by relevant document type in subparts 

(a)(i) through (a)(v) above. For example, if the redacted file was 

originally an attachment to an email, provide the metadata and information 

specified in subpart (a)(iii) above. Additionally, please provide a basis for 

each privilege claim as detailed in Instruction D.2. 

(b)	 Submit data compilations in electronic format, specifically Microsoft Excel 

spreadsheets or delimited text formats, with all underlying data un-redacted and 

all underlying formulas and algorithms intact. 

(c)	 If the Firm intends to utilize any de-duplication or email threading software or 

services when collecting or reviewing information that is stored in the Company’s 

computer systems or electronic storage media, or if the Firm’s computer systems 

contain or utilize such software, the Firm must contact the Commission to 

determine, with the assistance of the appropriate Commission representative, 

whether and in what manner the Firm may use such software or services when 

producing materials in response to this Order. 

(d)	 Produce electronic file and image submissions as follows: 

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(i)	 For productions over 10 gigabytes, use hard disk drives, formatted in 

Microsoft Windows-compatible, uncompressed data in USB 2.0 or 3.0 

external enclosure; 

(ii)	 For productions under 10 gigabytes, CD-R CD-ROM optical disks, DVDROM optical disks for Windows-compatible personal computers, and 

USB 2.0 Flash Drives are acceptable storage formats; and 

(iii)	 All documents produced in electronic format shall be scanned for and free 

of viruses prior to submission. The Commission will return any infected 

media for replacement, which may affect the timing of the Firm’s 

compliance with this Order. 

(iv)	 Encryption of productions using NIST FIPS-Compliant cryptographic 

hardware or software modules, with passwords sent under separate cover, 

is strongly encouraged. 

(e)	 Each production shall be submitted with a transmittal letter that includes the FTC 

matter number; production volume name; encryption method/software used; 

passwords for any password protected files; total number of documents; and a list 

of load file fields in the order in which they are organized in the load file. 

2.	 Privileged Material 

(a) Privilege Log 

(i) If any documents are withheld from production based on a claim of 

privilege, provide a statement of the claim of privilege and all facts 

relied upon in support thereof, in the form of a log that includes 

each document's authors, addressees, date, a description of each 

document, and all recipients of the original and any copies. 

(ii) Attachments to a document should be identified as such and 

entered separately on the log. 

(iii)	 For each author, addressee, and recipient, state the person's full 

name, title, and employer or firm, and denote all attorneys with an 

asterisk. 

(iv) The description of the subject matter shall describe the nature of 

each document in a manner that, though not revealing information 

itself privileged, provides sufficiently detailed information to enable 

Commission staff, the Commission, or a court to assess the 

applicability of the privilege claimed. 

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(v) For each document withheld under a claim that it constitutes or 

contains attorney work product, also state whether the company 

asserts that the document was prepared in anticipation of litigation 

or for trial and, if so, identify the anticipated litigation or trial upon 

which the assertion is based. 

(vi)	 Submit all non-privileged portions of any responsive document 

(including non-privileged or redactable attachments) for which a 

claim of privilege is asserted (except where the only nonprivileged 

information has already been produced in response to this 

instruction), noting where redactions in the document have been 

made. On the log, list the Reference Number of the non-privileged 

portions of such responsive documents. 

3.	 All documents responsive to this Order: 

(a)	 Shall be produced in complete form, unredacted unless privileged, and in the 

order in which they appear in the Firm’s files; 

(b)	 Shall be marked on each page with corporate identification and consecutive 

document control numbers when produced in image format; 

(c)	 Shall be produced in color where necessary to interpret the document (if the 

coloring of any document communicates any substantive information, or if blackand-white photocopying or conversion to TIFF format of any document (e.g., a 

chart or graph), makes any substantive information contained in the document 

unintelligible, the Firm must submit the original document, a like-colored 

photocopy, or a JPEG format image); 

(d)	 Shall be accompanied by an affidavit of an officer of the Firm stating that the 

copies are true, correct, and complete copies of the original documents; and 

(e)	 Shall be accompanied by an index that identifies (i) the name of each person from 

whom responsive documents are submitted; and (ii) the corresponding 

consecutive document control numbers(s) used to identify that person’s 

documents. The Commission representative will provide a sample index upon 

request. 

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____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

APPENDIX B 

Certification 

This Special Report, together with any and all appendices and attachments thereto, was prepared 

and assembled under my supervision in accordance with instructions issued by the Federal Trade 

Commission in its Special Orders for the Patent Assertion Entity Study. Subject to the 

recognition that, where so indicated, reasonable estimates have been made because books and 

records do not provide the required information, the information is, to the best of my knowledge, 

true, correct, and complete. Where copies rather than original documents have been submitted, 

the copies are true, correct, and complete. 

Type or Print Name and Title 

Type or Print Firm Name and Address 

Type or Print Phone Number and Email Address 

(Signature) 

Subscribed and sworn to before me at the City of _________________________. 

State of ____________________, this, _____ day of _________, 201___. 

(Notary Public) 

My Commission Expires: _______________________ 

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APPENDIX D: WIRELESS CASE STUDY 

SPECIAL ORDER 

D - 1
	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

SPECIFICATIONS 

A. Identification of Report Author: Identify by full name, title, business address, 

telephone number, email address, and official capacity the Person(s) who prepared or 

supervised the preparation of the Firm’s response to the Information Requests. 

B. Firm Information 

1.	 State the Firm’s complete legal name and all other names under which it has done 

business since January 1, 2009, its corporate mailing address, all addresses and 

websites from which it does or has done business since January 1, 2009, and the 

date(s) and state(s) of its incorporation. 

2.	 Describe the Firm’s business and corporate structure, provide an organizational 

chart stating the names of all parents, wholly or partially owned subsidiaries, 

incorporated or unincorporated divisions, affiliates, branches, joint ventures, 

franchises, operations under assumed names, websites, or other Person(s) over 

which the Firm exercises or has exercised supervision or control since January 1, 

2009 who Assert Wireless Patents. When responding to these Information 

Requests, separately provide all information for the Firm and each related 

Person(s) identified in response to Request B2. 

3.	 Has more than one Person identified in response to Request B2 engaged in 

Assertions relating to Wireless Patents against the same Person. (Y/N) If yes, 

name the Person(s) identified in response to Request B2 that made the Assertions, 

name the Person subject to the Assertions, state the date of each Assertion; and 

identify the Wireless Patent(s) related to each Assertion. 

4.	 If the Firm is an exclusive Licensee to any Wireless Patent(s), produce, and 

provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, the License, state 

whether there are any geographic limitations to the License, whether there are any 

field of use limitations to the License, and whether the field of use restriction is in 

the following sectors: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other, 

and produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all related Reports. 

C. Standard Setting Commitments 

1.	 If any Person has committed to a Standard Setting Organization that it will License 

any Wireless Patent(s) Held by the Firm since January 1, 2009, for each commitment 

a.	 State the date the commitment was made. 

b.	 Identify the Person who made the commitment. 

c.	 Identify the Standard Setting Organization. 

d.	 Identify the standard(s) to which the commitment applies. 

e.	 State whether the commitment is to License the Wireless Patent(s) or any 

Patent claim(s) on reasonable and non-discriminatory (RAND); fair, 

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reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND); royalty-free (RF); or other 

terms. 

(1) if the commitment is to License on terms other than RAND, FRAND, 

or RF, provide a narrative response describing the terms. 

f. Is the commitment subject to a field of use restriction? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the specific field of use restriction(s); and 

(2) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) is the field of use 

restriction: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, 

or Other. 

g.	 Provide a narrative response listing all Patent(s) that any Person has declared, 

or otherwise identified to any Person, as subject to the commitment. 

h.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all agreements embodying the commitment. 

D. Patent Transfer Information 

1.	 For each transaction in which the Firm Transferred Wireless Patent(s) since January 

1, 2009 

a.	 State the date of the transaction. 

b.	 State the Person(s) who Transferred the Patent(s). 

c.	 State the Person(s) to whom the Patent(s) were Transferred. 

(1) did the Firm Transfer the Patent(s) to a Person that the Firm identifies 

as a Patent Assertion Entity? (Y/N) 

d.	 State the total number of Patent(s) Transferred in the transaction. 

e.	 For each Patent Transferred in the transaction: 

(1) state the Patent number. 

(2) did the Firm assign the Patent in connection with the transaction? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) was the assignment recorded with the United States Patent 

and Trademark Office? (Y/N) 

(3) did the Firm grant an exclusive License to the Patent(s) in connection 

with the transaction? (Y/N) 

f.	 Did the Firm transfer existing License obligations to the Patent(s)? (Y/N) If 

yes: 

(1) state the total number of License obligations transferred; and 

(2) state the total revenue received by the Firm from these Licenses. 

g.	 Did the Firm Transfer the Patent(s) in connection with any proceeding before 

a United States Bankruptcy Court? (Y/N) If yes: 

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(1) state the jurisdiction; and 

(2) state the docket number. 

h.	 Was the Firm paid a lump-sum payment(s), i.e. a payment not directly 

affected by the transferee’s future revenue or unit sales, to Transfer the 

Patent(s)? (Y/N) If yes, for each Person making payments to the Firm: 

(1) state the Person from whom the payment was received; 

(2) state the total amount of the lump-sum payment(s) received; 

(3) state the total amount of the lump-sum payment(s) expected to be 

received in the future; 

(4) if any agreement(s) define(s) the payment terms, produce, and provide 

a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, the 

agreement(s); and 

(5) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

payment(s). 

i.	 Did the Firm receive, or is it receiving, an on-going payment, i.e., a payment 

that is directly affected by either the transferee’s future revenue or unit sales, 

from the Person(s) receiving the Patent(s)? (Y/N) If yes, for each Person 

making payments to the Firm: 

(1) state the Person(s) from whom the payment(s) are received; 

(2) state the total amount of the on-going payments received from this 

Person(s), by calendar year, made to the date of this Request; 

(3) state the total amount of payments expected to be received in the 

future; 

(4) if any agreement(s) define(s) the payment terms, produce, and provide 

a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, the 

agreement(s); and 

(5) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

on-going payment(s). 

j.	 Does the Transfer involve a cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the date of the cross-License agreement. 

(2) Has the Firm assigned a value to the cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the most recent valuation; 

(b) state the amount of the most recent valuation; 

(c) provide a narrative response identifying by date and 

amount all prior valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; 

and 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all related Reports. 

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(3) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, the cross-License; and 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports. 

k.	 Did any Person outside the Firm share in the proceeds from the Transfer? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the Person(s) who shared in the proceeds from the Transfer; 

(2) state the total amount shared with other Person(s) to the date of this 

Request; 

(3) state the total amount expected to be shared with other Person(s) in the 

future; 

(4) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related agreements; 

(5) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all related Reports; and 

(6) for each Person identified, provide a narrative response stating the 

amount shared with each Person, the amount expected to be shared in 

the future, and the method for calculating this amount. 

l.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the Transfer. 

m. Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, all agreements related to the Transfer. 

2.	 To the extent not identified in these Information Requests, produce, and provide a 

narrative response identifying by Reference Number, all agreements between the 

Firm and any Person executed since January 1, 2009 relating to any Transfer by the 

Firm of any Legal Right to a Patent 

a.	 For any such agreement produced, also produce, and provide a narrative 

response identifying by Reference Number, all Reports that (i) evaluate or 

analyze the reasons for entering into the agreement or (ii) evaluate or analyze 

the calculation of any payment relating to the Acquisition. 

E. Patent Assertion Information 

1.	 Demand Information: For each Demand made by, or on behalf of, the Firm since 

January 1, 2009, relating to Wireless Patent(s) 

a.	 State the date of the Demand. 

b.	 State the Person(s) who made the Demand, e.g. the Firm or one of its related 

Person(s). 

c.	 State the Person(s) to whom the Demand was made. 

d.	 State the Patent(s) that formed the basis of the Demand. 

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e.	 Identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) the Demand was made: 

Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & Medical, 

Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

f.	 Was the Demand limited to geographic area(s)? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) identify the geographic area(s). 

g.	 State all accused product(s) relating to the Demand. 

h.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, a 

copy of each Demand Document and all appendices, including, but not limited 

to, claim charts, and all Reports related to the Demand. 

2.	 Litigation Information: For each Litigation commenced since January 1, 2009 relating 

to a Wireless Patent Held by the Firm, or a Wireless Patent in which the Firm has an 

Economic Interest, separately for each Person (collectively including its parents, 

subsidiaries, and affiliates) named as a defendant (if the Firm is a plaintiff) or as a 

declaratory judgment plaintiff (if the Firm is a defendant) 

a.	 State the jurisdiction in which the Litigation was commenced. 

b.	 State the docket number of the Litigation. 

c.	 State the date the Litigation was commenced. 

d.	 State all plaintiffs named or otherwise joined in the Litigation. 

e.	 State the defendant (including parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates) named or 

otherwise joined in the Litigation. 

f.	 State all Patents Asserted. 

g.	 Identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) the Patents were asserted: 

Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & Medical, 

Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or Other. 

h.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all orders relating to all dispositive motions. 

i.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all expert reports exchanged during Litigation that offer an opinion related to 

the valuation of the Patent(s) or damages relating to the Litigation. 

j.	 Is the Litigation pending? (Y/N) If no: 

(1) state the date of termination. 

(2) state whether the Litigation terminated upon successful dispositive 

motion, jury verdict, judgment following trial on the merits, appeal, 

settlement, or other (if other, explain). 

(3) provide a narrative response identifying all Patent claims found 

infringed, valid, and enforceable. 

(4) did a permanent injunction, exclusion order, or cease and desist order 

issue? (Y/N) 

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(5) did the court award damages? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the amount awarded; and 

(b) state the amount actually paid to the prevailing party. 

(6) did the court award fees pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 285? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the fees awarded; and 

(b) state the amount actually paid to the prevailing party. 

(7) did the court issue sanctions pursuant to Rule 11 of the Federal Rules 

of Civil Procedure? (Y/N) 

(8) did the Litigation terminate upon exhaustion of appellate process? 

(Y/N) 

k. Did the Litigation settle? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) did the settlement result in a License agreement? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the License agreement; 

(b) state the Licensee; and 

(c) state the Licensor. 

(2) when was settlement reached: after the complaint was filed; after a 

successful dispositive motion, after a jury verdict, after judgment 

following trial on the merits, after appeal, or other (if other, explain)? 

(3) did the Court issue an order construing any claim(s) of the Patent(s) 

Asserted before settlement was reached? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, the order. 

(4) state the total revenue the Firm has received under the terms of the 

settlement agreement from January 1, 2009 to the date of this Request. 

Do not report revenue reported for any License identified in response 

to D.3 below. 

(a) was any part of this revenue received as a lump-sum 

payment, i.e. a payment not directly affected by the 

defendant’s future revenue or unit sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1)	 state the total revenue the Firm has received to the 

date of this request in lump-sum payments; and 

(2)	 state the total revenue the Firm expects to receive in 

lump-sum payments in the future. 

(b) was any part of this revenue received as an on-going 

payment, i.e., a payment that is directly affected by either 

the defendant’s future revenue or unit sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

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(1)	 state the total revenue the Firm has received to the 

date of this request in on-going payments; and 

(2)	 state the total revenue the Firm expects to receive in 

on-going payments in the future. 

(c) is this revenue shared with anyone outside the Firm? (Y/N) 

If yes: 

(1)	 state the total amount shared outside the Firm. 

(2) if the revenue is part of an ongoing payment, state 

the total amount the Firm expects to share in the 

future. 

(3) is any revenue shared pursuant to a contingency fee 

or risk-sharing agreement? (Y/N) If yes: 

(A)state the total amount shared pursuant to a 

contingency fee or risk-sharing agreement; 

(B) state the Person(s) outside the Firm who is 

party to the agreement; and 

(C) provide a narrative response stating the 

amount the Firm shared with each Person, 

the amount the Firm expects to share in the 

future, and describing the method for 

calculating this amount. 

(4) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is 

shared. 

(A) are any of these Person(s) the named 

inventor of any Patent Asserted in the 

Litigation? (Y/N) 

(B) are any of these Person(s) the employer of 

the named inventor of any Patent Asserted 

in the Litigation? (Y/N) 

(5) produce, and provide a narrative response 

identifying by Reference Number, all revenue 

sharing agreements. 

(6) provide a narrative response stating the amount 

shared with each Person and describing the method 

for calculating this amount. 

l.	 State the Firm’s total expenses relating to the Litigation from January 1, 2009 

to the date of this Request. 

(1) are these expenses shared with any Person(s) outside the Firm? (Y/N) 

If yes: 

(a) state the total amount of expenses shared outside the Firm; 

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(b) identify all Person(s) with whom expenses are shared; 

(c) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all expense sharing agreements; 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all Reports related to all expense 

sharing agreements; and 

(e) provide a narrative response stating the amount shared with 

each Person and describing the method for calculating this 

amount. 

m. State all projected revenues relating to the Litigation from the date of this 

Request. 

(1) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

projected revenue, e.g. as a fraction of revenue or a fee per unit sold. 

n.	 To the extent not identified above, produce, and provide a narrative response 

identifying by Reference Number, all agreements related to the Litigation and 

produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the Litigation. 

3.	 License Information: For each License executed since January 1, 2009 relating to a 

Wireless Patent Held by the Firm or a Wireless Patent in which the Firm has an 

Economic Interest 

a.	 Who is the Licensor? 

b.	 Who is the Licensee? 

c.	 Identify all Patent(s) Licensed. 

d.	 What is the effective date of the License agreement? 

e.	 Does the License relate to a Wireless Patent Held by the Firm? (Y/N) 

f.	 Does the License relate to a Wireless Patent in which the Firm has an 

Economic Interest? (Y/N) 

g.	 For each Litigation related to the License: 

(1) State the jurisdiction in which the Litigation was commenced. 

(2) State the docket number of the Litigation. 

h.	 Does the License contain a field of use restriction? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) state the specific field of use restriction ; and 

(2) identify, from the following list, in which sector(s) is the field of use 

restriction: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, 

or Other. 

i.	 Does the License contain a geographic restriction? (Y/N) If yes: 

10 

D - 9
	 

(1) identify the geographic restriction(s). 

j. State the duration of the License agreement? 

k. State the Licensed products or services. 

l. Does the License include any cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(1) has the Firm assigned a value to the cross-License? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the date of the most recent valuation; and 

(b) state the amount of the most recent valuation; and 

(c) provide a narrative response identifying by date and 

amount all prior valuations by, or on behalf of, the Firm; 

and 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all related Reports. 

(2) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference 

Number, the cross-License. 

m. Provide a narrative response identifying the number of Patents cross-Licensed, 

as well as whether the cross-License is exclusive, whether there are any 

geographic limitations to the cross-License, whether there are any field of use 

limitations to the cross-License, and whether the field of use restriction is in 

the following sectors: Chemical, Computers & Communications, Drugs & 

Medical, Semiconductors, Other Electrical & Electronic, Mechanical, or 

Other. 

n.	 State the total revenue the Firm has received under the terms of the License 

from January 1, 2009 to the date of this Request. 

(1) was any part of this revenue received as a lump-sum payment, i.e. a 

payment not directly affected by the defendant’s future revenue or unit 

sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total revenue the Firm has received to the date of 

this request in lump-sum payments. 

(2) was any part of this revenue received as an on-going payment, i.e., a 

payment that is directly affected by either the defendant’s future 

revenue or unit sales? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total revenue the Firm has received to the date of 

this request in on-going payments. 

(3) is this revenue shared with anyone outside the Firm? (Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state the total amount shared outside the Firm. 

(b) if the revenue is part of an ongoing payment, state the total 

amount the Firm expects to share in the future. 

(c) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared. 

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(1) are any of these Person(s) the named inventor of 

any of the Licensed Patents? (Y/N) 

(2) are any of these Person(s) the employer of the 

named inventor of any of the Licensed Patents? 

(Y/N) 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all revenue sharing agreements. 

(e) provide a narrative response stating the amount the Firm 

shared with each Person and the amount the Firm expects 

to share in the future and describing the method for 

calculating this amount. 

o.	 State the Firm’s total expenses relating to the License agreement from January 

1, 2009 to the date of this Request. 

(1) are these expenses shared with any Person(s) outside the Firm? (Y/N) 

If yes: 

(a) state the total amount of expenses shared outside the Firm; 

(b) identify all Person(s) with whom expenses are shared; 

(c) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all expense sharing agreements; 

(d) produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all Reports related to all expense 

sharing agreements; and 

(e) provide a narrative response stating the amount of expenses 

shared with each Person and describing the method for 

calculating this amount. 

p.	 State all projected revenues relating to the License from the date of this 

Request. 

(1) provide a narrative response describing the method for calculating the 

projected revenue, e.g. as a fraction of revenue or a fee per unit sold. 

q.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to the License. 

r.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all agreements related to the License. 

4.	 To the extent not identified above, produce, and provide a narrative response 

identifying by Reference Number, all agreements related to any Assertion relating to 

a Wireless Patent Held by the Firm, or a Wireless Patent in which the Firm has an 

Economic Interest and produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by 

Reference Number, all related Reports. 

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F. Aggregate Cost Information 

1.	 Separately, for each year since January 1, 2009 

a. State the total cost to the Firm relating to all Litigations identified in response 

to Request E.2. 

(1) did the Firm share Litigation costs with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom these costs are shared; 

(b) state the total amount paid by Person(s) outside the Firm; 

and 

(c) state the total amount paid by the Firm. 

b.	 State the total cost to the Firm relating to all Licenses identified in response to 

Request E.3. 

(1) did the Firm share License costs with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom these costs are shared; 

(b) state the total amount paid by Person(s) outside the Firm; 

and 

(c) state the total amount paid by the Firm. 

2.	 For all forecasted costs expected to be paid after the date of this Request 

a.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by the Firm relating to all Litigations 

identified in Request E.2. 

b.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by all other Person(s) outside the Firm 

relating to all Litigations identified in Request E.2. 

c.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by the Firm relating to all License 

Agreements identified in Request E.3. 

d.	 State the total cost expected to be paid by all other Person(s) outside the Firm 

relating to all License Agreements identified in Request E.3. 

e.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

all Reports related to all forecasted costs identified in response to this 

Request. 

3.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

Documents sufficient to show all costs and payments identified in response to this 

Request 

G. Aggregate Revenue Information 

1.	 Separately, for each year since January 1, 2009 

a. State the total revenue received by the Firm relating to all Transfers identified 

in response to Request D. 

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(1) did the Firm share Transfer revenue with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared; 

(b) state the amount of revenue shared with Person(s) outside 

the Firm; and 

(c) state the amount retained by the Firm. 

b. State the total revenue received by the Firm relating to all Litigations 

identified in response to Request E.2. 

(1) did the Firm share Litigation revenue with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared; 

(b) state the total revenue shared with Person(s) outside the 

Firm; and 

(c) state the amount retained by the Firm. 

c.	 State the total revenue received by the Firm relating to all Licenses identified 

in response to Request E.3. 

(1) did the Firm share License revenue with Person(s) outside the Firm? 

(Y/N) If yes: 

(a) state all Person(s) with whom this revenue is shared; 

(b) state the total revenue shared with Person(s) outside the 

Firm; and 

(c) state the amount retained by the Firm. 

2.	 For all forecasted revenues expected to be received by the Firm after the date of this 

Request 

a.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by the Firm relating to all 

Transfers identified in Request D. 

b.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by all other Person(s) outside 

the Firm relating to all Transfers identified in Request D. 

c.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by the Firm relating to all 

Litigations identified in Request E.2. 

d.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by all other Person(s) outside 

the Firm relating to all Litigations identified in Request E.2. 

e.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by the Firm relating to all 

License Agreements identified in Request E.3. 

f.	 State the total revenue expected to be received by all other Person(s) outside 

the Firm relating to all License Agreements identified in Request E.3. 

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3.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, 

Documents sufficient to show all revenue identified in response to Request G 

4.	 Produce, and provide a narrative response identifying by Reference Number, all 

Reports related to all forecasted revenues identified in response to Request G 

5.	 Has the Firm received any revenue, either directly or indirectly, from the Assertion of 

any Wireless Patent by any Person not otherwise identified in response these 

requests? (Y/N) If yes: 

a.	 state the Person(s) who paid this revenue to the Firm; 

b.	 state the total amount of revenue received; 

c.	 state the total amount of revenue expected to be received in the future; and 

d.	 for each Person who paid this revenue to the Firm, provide a narrative 

response identifying the amount paid, identifying the amount expected to be 

paid in the future, and describing the Assertion. 

6.	 Has the Firm received any revenue, either directly or indirectly, from the Transfer of 

any Wireless Patent by any Person not otherwise identified in response these 

requests? (Y/N) If yes: 

a.	 state the Person(s) who paid this revenue to the Firm; 

b.	 state the total amount of revenue received; 

c.	 state the total amount of revenue expected to be received in the future; and 

d.	 for each Person who paid this revenue to the Firm, provide a narrative 

response identifying the amount paid, identifying the amount expected to be 

paid in the future, and describing the Transfer. 

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APPENDIX A 

A. General Instructions 

1.	 The Firm’s Special Report must be filed by November 21, 2014. 

2.	 The Special Report must restate each item of the Information Requests with which the 

corresponding answer is identified. 

3.	 The Special Report shall be entered into the Microsoft Excel workbook spreadsheets at 

http://go.usa.gov/V6wB with this Order whenever possible. The FTC has entered the 

information request numbers and the type of information that must be provided in the 

header row of each column. When it is not possible to enter the required answer or 

information into the applicable worksheet, the Firm shall provide the required answer in a 

Microsoft Word document. 

4.	 Requests that require narrative responses shall be provided in a Microsoft Word 

document. 

5.	 Requests that require a narrative response that identifies Reference Numbers shall be 

submitted in a Microsoft Word table, with two columns. The left column shall contain the 

request number, and the right column shall contain all responsive Document IDs or 

Document ID ranges. Where the same request requires multiple responses (e.g., where a 

request requires a separate response for each relevant person), provide each response in a 

separate row and note in brackets a differentiating characteristic following the Request 

Number. 

REQUEST 

NUMBER 

DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

or 

REQUEST DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

NUMBER[PERSON_1] DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

REQUEST DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

NUMBER[PERSON_2] DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

REQUEST DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX; DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX; 

NUMBER[PERSON_3] DOCUMENT_ID_XXXX-XX 

6.	 If any requested information cannot be provided fully, give the information that is 

available and explain in detail in what respects and why the response is incomplete. 

7.	 The Firm shall submit all written responses in native electronic format. For narrative 

responses or responses identifying Reference Numbers, the Firm shall provide both 

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Microsoft Word and PDF versions. For all responses to be submitted via spreadsheet, the 

Firm shall submit its responses in native Microsoft Excel format. 

B. Definitions 

“Acquire” and “Acquisition” mean to purchase or obtain from another Person any Legal Right 

to a Patent, or to purchase or obtain a Person who Holds any Legal Right to a Patent. This 

definition does not include the assignment of Legal Rights to a Patent by a Firm employee who 

is bound to assign his or her Legal Rights to the Firm at the time of invention. 

“Assert” and “Assertion” mean: (i) any Demand; (ii) any civil action threatened or commenced 

(by the Firm or other Person) relating to any Patent; or (iii) any investigation pursuant to 19 

U.S.C. 1337 threatened or initiated (by the Firm or other Person) relating to any Patent. For 

Manufacturing Firms, “Assert” and “Asserted” do not include sales of products manufactured 

by the Firm, or on behalf of the Firm, that practice the claimed invention. 

“Class” and “Subclass” have the meanings defined by the United States Patent and Trademark 

Office (USPTO). 

“Demand” means any effort since January 1, 2009 to License any Patent, in whole or in part, 

and any other attempt to generate revenue by authorizing a Person outside the Firm to practice an 

invention claimed in a Patent. Demand does not include complaints or pleadings filed with a 

United States District Court or the United States International Trade Commission. 

“Documents” means all electronically stored information, and written, recorded, and graphic 

materials of every kind in the possession, custody, or control of the Firm. Unless otherwise 

specified, the term “Documents” excludes: (i) bills of lading, invoices, purchase orders, customs 

declarations, and other similar documents of a purely transactional nature; (ii) architectural plans 

and engineering blueprints; and (iii) documents solely relating to environmental, human 

resources, OSHA, or ERISA compliance. 

“Economic Interest” means any right or claim to current or future revenues derived from a 

Patent, including, but not limited to: lump-sum payments; royalties; access to other Patent(s) as 

part of a cross-Licensing agreement; a debt or equity interest in a Person that Asserts Patents; use 

of the Firm’s Legal Rights to any Patent as collateral for a Person’s loan or investment; or any 

other form of compensation relating to the Assertion, Acquisition, or Transfer of Patents Held by 

the Firm. “Economic Interest” does not include shareholders of publicly traded Firms that own 

less than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of stock in the Firm. 

“Firm” means the Person served with the information requests described in this notice. 

“Hold” and “Held” mean to possess a Legal Right to a Patent. 

“Legal Right” means any ownership interest in, an exclusive License to, or other rights adequate 

to License or enforce a Patent. 

“Litigation” means any civil action commenced in a United States District Court or with the 

United States International Trade Commission. 

“License” means authorization by the Patent holder to practice the claimed invention, including, 

but not limited to, a covenant not to sue and a covenant not to assert. 

“Maintenance Fee(s)” has the meaning defined by the USPTO. 

17 

D - 16
“Patent” means a United States patent or United States patent application as defined by 35 

U.S.C. 101, et seq. 

“Patent Portfolio” means a collection of patents Held by the Firm, including all of the patents 

Held by the Firm and any sub-groups into which the Firm organizes its patents. 

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, association, firm, partnership, joint venture, 

trust, estate, agency, department, bureau, governmental, judicial, or legal entity, however 

organized or established. 

“Reference Number” means a Bates number or other sequential identification number. 

“Report” means all studies, analyses, and reports which were prepared by or for any officer(s) or 

director(s) of a corporate entity (or, in the case of unincorporated entities, individuals exercising 

similar functions) or presented to any Person outside the Firm (including, but not limited to, 

investment presentations and documents filed with the United States Internal Revenue Service or 

Securities and Exchange Commission). 

“Standard Setting Organization” or “SSO” means any organization, group, joint venture, or 

consortium that develop standards for the design, performance, or other characteristics of 

products or technologies. 

“Transfer” means the sale or exchange of any Legal Right to a Patent, including for monetary or 

other consideration or for no compensation. 

“Wireless Chipset” means any baseband processor, radio frequency transceiver, integrated 

circuit, chip, or chipset, or any combination thereof, and any related software, used to implement 

wireless communication. 

“Wireless Communications Device” means any device, including wireless chipsets, which 

implements wireless communication, including, but not limited to, software, user equipment, 

base stations, and network infrastructure. 

“Wireless Patent” means any Patent Asserted against a Wireless Communication Device. 

C. Data Submissions 

1. Numerical Data 

Unless modified by agreement in writing with the Office of Policy Planning Deputy Director, 

all requests for dollar amounts shall be entered as rounded to the nearest whole dollar, 

without commas or dollar signs. 

Percentages shall be entered as a decimal, i.e., fifty percent shall be entered as <0.50>. 

Dates shall be entered as <MM/DD/YYYY>. 

2. Patents and Patent Applications 

18 

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U.S. Patent numbers shall be provided as a seven-digit number <9999999>, without commas 

or spaces. 

Reissue patents shall be provided as a six-digit number following the prefix “RE”: 

<RE999999>. Leading zeroes must be entered between “RE” and the number to create six 

digits. 

Design patents shall be provided as a seven-digit number following the prefix “D”: 

<D9999999>. Leading zeroes must be entered between “D” and the number to create seven 

digits. 

U.S. Patent application numbers shall be provided using the two-digit series code followed 

by the six-digit serial number assigned by the USPTO, in the following format: 

<99/999999>. 

PCT or International Applications can be entered in either the old (14 character) or new 

WIPO formats. The old (14 character) format includes a two-digit year and five-character 

sequence number, e.g., ‘PCT/US99/12345’. The new (17 character) format includes a fourdigit year, e.g., ‘PCT/US1999/123456’. The acceptable formats are as follows: 

<PCT/CCYY/99999 or PCT/CCYYYY/999999>, where 

PCT = “PCT” 

CC = 2 character Country Code 

YY – last 2 digits of the year filed 

YYYY = four digit year filed 

99999, 999999 = is the 5 or 6 digit sequence number. 

3. Jurisdiction and Docket Information 

Responses to requests for the jurisdiction of a Litigation or bankruptcy proceeding should use 

the following formats: 

For district court cases, give the district but not the division: 

E.g., D.N.J.; or D.D.C.; or C.D. Cal. 

For bankruptcy court cases, write the term “Bankr.” followed by the federal district 

name: 

E.g., Bankr. D.N.J.; Bankr. D.D.C. 

For International Trade Commission cases, write “USITC”. 

Responses to requests for docket number shall be provided as follows: 

19 

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For district court and bankruptcy cases, provide the docket number in any of the 

following formats: 

<YY-NNNNN>
 

<YY-TP-NNNNN>
 

<YY TP NNNNN>
 

<YYTPNNNNN>
 

<O:YY-NNNNN>
 

<O:YY-TP-NNNNN>
 

<O:YY TP NNNNN>
 

<O:YYTPNNNNN>, where 

YY = Two or four digit code for the year filed 

NNNNN = Case number (up to five digits) 

TP = Case type (up to two characters) 

O = Office where the case was filed (1 digit) 

For International Trade Commission Cases, write the Investigation Number: 

E.g., No. 731-TA-1070B 

For proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the United States Patent and 

Trademark Office, provide the docket number as <Proceeding Type><Year>-<Number>: 

E.g., CBM2012-0001; or IPR2012-00001 

For proceedings before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences at the United 

States Patent and Trademark Office, provide the docket number as: 

BPAI<Year>-<Appeal Number>, where 

<Year> = four digit number 

<Appeal Number> = six digit number, with leading zeroes where necessary. 

D. Production of Documents 

1.	 Form of Production. The Firm shall submit documents as instructed below absent written 

consent signed by an Office of Policy Planning Deputy Director. 

(a)	 Documents stored in electronic or hard copy formats in the ordinary course of 

business shall be submitted in the following electronic format provided that such 

copies are true, correct, and complete copies of the original documents: 

(i)	 Submit Microsoft Excel, Access, and PowerPoint files in native format 

with extracted text and metadata. 

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(ii) Submit emails in image format with extracted text and the following 

metadata and information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference 

Number 

The beginning Reference Number of the 

document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

To Recipients(s) of the email. 

From The person who authored the email. 

CC Person(s) copied on the email. 

BCC Person(s) blind copied on the email. 

Subject Subject line of the email. 

Date Sent Date the email was sent. 

Time Sent Time the email was sent. 

Date Received Date the email was received. 

Time Received Time the email was received. 

Attachments The Document ID of attachment(s). 

Mail Folder Path Location of email in personal folders, 

subfolders, deleted items or sent items. 

Message ID Microsoft Outlook Message ID or similar 

value in other message systems. 

(iii)	 Submit email attachments other than those identified in subpart (a)(i) in 

image format with extracted text and the following metadata and 

information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference The beginning Reference Number of the 

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Number document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

Parent Email The Document ID of the parent email. 

Modified Date The date the file was last changed and saved. 

Modified Time The time the file was last changed and saved. 

Filename with extension The name of the file including the extension 

denoting the application in which the file was 

created. 

Originating Path File path of the file as it resided in its original 

environment. 

Production Link Relative file path to production media of 

submitted native files. Example: 

FTC-001\NATIVE\001\FTC-00003090.xls. 

Hash The Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) value for 

the original native file. 

(iv)	 Submit all other electronic documents other than those described in 

subpart (a)(i) in image format accompanied by extracted text and the 

following metadata and information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference 

Number 

The beginning Reference Number of the 

document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

Modified Date The date the file was last changed and saved. 

Modified Time The time the file was last changed and saved. 

22 

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Filename with extension The name of the file including the extension 

denoting the application in which the file was 

created. 

Production Link Relative file path to production media of 

submitted native files. Example: 

FTC-001\NATIVE\001\FTC-00003090.xls. 

Hash The Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA) value for 

the original native file. 

(v) Submit documents stored in hard copy in image format accomplished by 

OCR with the following information: 

Metadata/Document 

Information 

Description 

Beginning Reference 

Number 

The beginning Reference Number of the 

document. 

Ending Reference 

Number 

The last Reference Number of the document. 

Custodian The name of the original custodian of the file. 

(vi)	 Submit redacted documents in PDF format accompanied by OCR with the 

metadata and information required by relevant document type in subparts 

(a)(i) through (a)(v) above. For example, if the redacted file was 

originally an attachment to an email, provide the metadata and information 

specified in subpart (a)(iii) above. Additionally, please provide a basis for 

each privilege claim as detailed in Instruction D.2. 

(b)	 Submit data compilations in electronic format, specifically Microsoft Excel 

spreadsheets or delimited text formats, with all underlying data un-redacted and 

all underlying formulas and algorithms intact. 

(c)	 If the Firm intends to utilize any de-duplication or email threading software or 

services when collecting or reviewing information that is stored in the Company’s 

computer systems or electronic storage media, or if the Firm’s computer systems 

contain or utilize such software, the Firm must contact the Commission to 

determine, with the assistance of the appropriate Commission representative, 

whether and in what manner the Firm may use such software or services when 

producing materials in response to this Order. 

(d)	 Produce electronic file and image submissions as follows: 

23 

D - 22
	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

(i)	 For productions over 10 gigabytes, use hard disk drives, formatted in 

Microsoft Windows-compatible, uncompressed data in USB 2.0 or 3.0 

external enclosure; 

(ii)	 For productions under 10 gigabytes, CD-R CD-ROM optical disks, DVDROM optical disks for Windows-compatible personal computers, and 

USB 2.0 Flash Drives are acceptable storage formats; and 

(iii)	 All documents produced in electronic format shall be scanned for and free 

of viruses prior to submission. The Commission will return any infected 

media for replacement, which may affect the timing of the Firm’s 

compliance with this Order. 

(iv)	 Encryption of productions using NIST FIPS-Compliant cryptographic 

hardware or software modules, with passwords sent under separate cover, 

is strongly encouraged. 

(e)	 Each production shall be submitted with a transmittal letter that includes the FTC 

matter number; production volume name; encryption method/software used; 

passwords for any password protected files; total number of documents; and a list 

of load file fields in the order in which they are organized in the load file. 

2.	 Privileged Material 

(a) Privilege Log 

(i) If any documents are withheld from production based on a claim of 

privilege, provide a statement of the claim of privilege and all facts 

relied upon in support thereof, in the form of a log that includes 

each document's authors, addressees, date, a description of each 

document, and all recipients of the original and any copies. 

(ii) Attachments to a document should be identified as such and 

entered separately on the log. 

(iii)	 For each author, addressee, and recipient, state the person's full 

name, title, and employer or firm, and denote all attorneys with an 

asterisk. 

(iv) The description of the subject matter shall describe the nature of 

each document in a manner that, though not revealing information 

itself privileged, provides sufficiently detailed information to enable 

Commission staff, the Commission, or a court to assess the 

applicability of the privilege claimed. 

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D - 23
	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

(v) For each document withheld under a claim that it constitutes or 

contains attorney work product, also state whether the company 

asserts that the document was prepared in anticipation of litigation 

or for trial and, if so, identify the anticipated litigation or trial upon 

which the assertion is based. 

(vi)	 Submit all non-privileged portions of any responsive document 

(including non-privileged or redactable attachments) for which a 

claim of privilege is asserted (except where the only nonprivileged 

information has already been produced in response to this 

instruction), noting where redactions in the document have been 

made. On the log, list the Reference Number of the non-privileged 

portions of such responsive documents. 

3.	 All documents responsive to this Order: 

(a)	 Shall be produced in complete form, unredacted unless privileged, and in the 

order in which they appear in the Firm’s files; 

(b)	 Shall be marked on each page with corporate identification and consecutive 

document control numbers when produced in image format; 

(c)	 Shall be produced in color where necessary to interpret the document (if the 

coloring of any document communicates any substantive information, or if blackand-white photocopying or conversion to TIFF format of any document (e.g., a 

chart or graph), makes any substantive information contained in the document 

unintelligible, the Firm must submit the original document, a like-colored 

photocopy, or a JPEG format image); 

(d)	 Shall be accompanied by an affidavit of an officer of the Firm stating that the 

copies are true, correct, and complete copies of the original documents; and 

(e)	 Shall be accompanied by an index that identifies (i) the name of each person from 

whom responsive documents are submitted; and (ii) the corresponding 

consecutive document control numbers(s) used to identify that person’s 

documents. The Commission representative will provide a sample index upon 

request. 

25 

D - 24
____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

____________________________________________ 

APPENDIX B 

Certification 

This Special Report, together with any and all appendices and attachments thereto, was prepared 

and assembled under my supervision in accordance with instructions issued by the Federal Trade 

Commission in its Special Orders for the Patent Assertion Entity Study. Subject to the 

recognition that, where so indicated, reasonable estimates have been made because books and 

records do not provide the required information, the information is, to the best of my knowledge, 

true, correct, and complete. Where copies rather than original documents have been submitted, 

the copies are true, correct, and complete. 

Type or Print Name and Title 

Type or Print Firm Name and Address 

Type or Print Phone Number and Email Address 

(Signature) 

Subscribed and sworn to before me at the City of _________________________. 

State of ____________________, this, _____ day of _________, 201___. 

(Notary Public) 

My Commission Expires: _______________________ 

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APPENDIX E: SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR A 

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION 

TO OMB, FTC STUDY OF PATENT ASSERTION 

ENTITES, PART A 

E - 1
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting Statement for a Paperwork Reduction Act 

Submission to OMB 

FTC Study of Patent Assertion Entities 

The Federal Trade Commission (“Commission” or “FTC”) proposes to collect 

information about the organization, structure, economic relationships, and activity of Patent 

Assertion Entities (“PAEs”), including their acquisition, assertion, litigation, and licensing 

practices. The Commission will seek the information necessary to prepare this analysis through 

compulsory process under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 46(b) (“Section 6(b)”).

1 

PART A – JUSTIFICATION 

1. Necessity for Information Collection 

PAEs2 are firms that purchase patents and then seek to generate revenue by asserting 

them against, and securing licenses from, persons who are already practicing the patented 

technology. 

Currently, the public record of PAE activity is based on publicly available litigation data. 

PAE activity, however, encompasses a wide range of non-public behavior related to acquisition, 

assertion, and licensing practices, together with issues related to the organization and economic 

relationships of PAEs. Data that would permit an analysis of these aspects of PAEs is not 

available through the public record or from any single private source. The proposed collection of 

largely non-public information is necessary, therefore, to facilitate a better understanding of the 

operation and competitive effects of PAEs. 

Members of Congress have expressed their support for the FTC’s proposed study. Urging 

the Commission, “to address the abusive practices of patent assertion entities (PAEs) that are a 

drag on innovation, competition, and our economy,” Senator Amy Klobuchar has stated that she 

“appreciate[s] Chairwoman Ramirez’s intention to ask the full Commission to commence a study 

under Section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC Act).”3 Representative Lipinski 

1 Section 6(b) of the FTC Act empowers the Commission to require the filing of “annual or special ... reports or 

answers in writing to specific questions” in order to obtain information about “the organization, business, conduct, 

practices, management, and relation to other corporations, partnerships, and individuals” of the entities to whom the 

inquiry is addressed. 

2 The Commission distinguishes PAEs from other non-practicing entities or NPEs that primarily seek to develop and 

transfer technology, such as universities, research entities and design firms. FED. TRADE COMM’N, THE EVOLVING 

IP MARKETPLACE: ALIGNING PATENT NOTICE AND REMEDIES WITH COMPETITION, 8 n.5 (2011), available at 

http://www.ftc.gov/os/2011/03/110307patentreport.pdf. 

3 Letter from Senator Amy Klobuchar to The Honorable Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman, The Honorable Julie Brill, 

Commissioner, The Honorable Maureen K. Ohlhausen, Commissioner, and The Honorable Joshua D. Wright, 

Commissioner (June 24, 2013). 

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“strongly urge[s] the FTC to follow through with [a Section 6(b) study of PAE activity],”4 and 

Representative Murphy “looks forward to reviewing the results of [the FTC’s] inquiry.”5 

PAE activity is a growing issue for the United States’ economy. For example, last June, 

the Executive Office of the President reported that the number of “suits brought by PAEs have 

tripled in just the last two years, rising from 29 percent of all infringement suits to 62 percent of 

all infringement suits,” and this activity may have “a negative impact on innovation and 

economic growth.”6 In February of this year, the President renewed his call for legislation to 

combat abusive PAE practices,

7 and several bills pending in Congress address reforms directed 

toward PAE activity.8 

The Commission has studied PAE activity for several years, and its research points to the 

need for an empirical record covering non-public PAE activity. The Commission first discussed 

the rise of the PAE business model in its 2011 Report, “The Evolving IP Marketplace: Aligning 

Patent Notice and Remedies with Competition.”9 In that report, the Commission defined a PAE 

as a firm with a business model focused primarily on purchasing and asserting patents, typically 

against operating companies with products currently on the market. In addition, on December 10, 

2012, the Commission and the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice 

(DOJ) jointly sponsored a workshop to explore the claimed harms and efficiencies of PAE 

activity and the impact of PAE activity on innovation and competition more broadly.10 

Workshop panelists and commenters associated with the 2011 Report and the 2012 

workshop provided anecdotal evidence of potential harms and efficiencies of PAE activity. These 

participants stressed the lack of comprehensive empirical evidence, and urged the Commission to 

use its Section 6(b) authority to collect information on PAE acquisition, litigation, assertion, and 

4 Letter from Representative Daniel Lipinski to The Honorable Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman (June 25, 2013). 

5 Subcomm. on Oversight and Investigations Hearing on “The Impact of Patent Assertion Entities on Innovation and 

the Economy” 113rd Cong. 1 (2013). 

6 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION at 1-2 (2013), available at 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/patent_report.pdf. 

7 Press Release, Office of the Press Secretary, FACT SHEET-Executive Actions: Answering the President’s Call to 

Strengthen Our Patent System and Foster Innovation (FEB. 20, 2014), available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/thepress-office/2014/02/20/fact-sheet-executive-actions-answering-president-s-call-strengthen-our-p. 

8 See, e.g. H.R. 3309, 113 Cong. (2013); S. 1720, 113 Cong. (2013). The proposed 6(b) study has been cited as a 

potential resource to be considered in connection with pending reform legislation. Subcomm. On Oversight and 

Investigations Hearing on “The Impact of Patent Assertion Entities on Innovation and the Economy” 113rd Cong. 1 

(2013) (statement of Rep. Murphy) (“we look forward to reviewing the results of this [6(b)] inquiry and in the 

meantime will continue to further our understanding of such practices.”). 

9 FED. TRADE COMM’N, THE EVOLVING IP MARKETPLACE: ALIGNING PATENT NOTICE AND REMEDIES WITH 

COMPETITION (Mar. 2011),) (“2011 IP Report”), available at 

http://www.ftc.gov/os/2011/03/110307patentreport.pdf. 

10 See Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop, Fed. Trade Comm’n, http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/pae/. 

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licensing practices. Respondents to the Commission’s first Federal Register Notice for this 

study11 likewise stressed the need for Commission research in this area. 

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has also recognized deficiencies in the 

existing record of non-public PAC activity. As part of the America Invents Act,12 Congress 

directed GAO to study the costs, benefits, and economic impact of PAE litigation, and to make 

policy recommendations. GAO issued its report on August 22, 2013.13 It found that over the 

period 2007 to 2011, the share of all patent lawsuits accounted for by PAEs rose from 17 percent 

to 24 percent and that suits by PAEs included about twice as many defendants as suits by 

manufacturing companies.14 GAO, however, emphasized several data deficiencies that limited its 

ability to examine the issues identified by Congress. First, GAO reported that patent assertions 

frequently do not result in litigation, which is publicly observable, and that it could not obtain 

reliable data on such assertions.15 Second, GAO could not collect information on litigation costs 

from court records or the sample data, nor obtain information on the settlements that resolve 

most cases.16 

Responding to these requests, and recognizing its own role in competition policy and 

advocacy, the Commission proposes a Section 6(b) study that will provide a better understanding 

of the organizational structure and economic relationships of PAEs, as well as their activity and 

associated costs and benefits. 

2. How the Data Will Be Used 

The Commission will use the study to publish a report describing non-public PAE 

activity that would otherwise not be available. The proposed study has two components: (1) a 

case study of 25 PAEs reflecting different types of PAE business models; and (2) a case study 

comparing patent assertion by manufacturing firms and non-practicing entities (“NPEs”)17 in the 

wireless chipset industry. 

11 See Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 78 Fed. Reg. 61,352 (Oct. 

3, 2013). 

12 Pub. L. No.112-29 § 34 (2011). 

13 U.S. GOV’T ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, ASSESSING FACTORS THAT AFFECT PATENT INFRINGEMENT LITIGATION 

COULD HELP IMPROVE PATENT QUALITY (2013) at 17, available at http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-465. The 

GAO study used different terminology to describe patent assertion activity, referring to both NPEs and “patent 

monetization entities,” defined as companies that “buy patents from others for the purpose of asserting them for 

profit.” Id. at 2. 

14 Id. at 118. 

15 Id. at 26-27, 35. 

16 Id. at 25-26, see also Sara Jeruss, Robin Feldman & Joshua Walker, The America Invents Act 500: Effects of 

Patent Monetization Entities on US Litigation, 11 DUKE TECH. L. REV. 357, 361 (2012) (“[F]or many years, 

discussions about non-practicing entities have featured ample speculation, but lacked empirical data.”). 

17 NPEs are patent owners who primarily seek to develop and transfer technology. This differs from PAEs, whose 

business model focuses primarily on purchasing and asserting patents. See 2011 IP Report at 8, n.5. 

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The proposed case studies will provide policymakers with a far better understanding of 

PAE activity. The Commission intends to prepare both a descriptive summary of its findings, 

explaining PAE business strategy in greater detail than is currently available, as well as a 

quantitative summary, describing the practices of PAEs. While the findings of these case studies 

will not be generalizable to the universe of all PAE activity, the results will provide a uniquely 

valuable and highly useful view of activity that is not currently available through the public 

record. 

The proposed information requests cover, among other things, information regarding: (1) 

how PAEs are organized; (2) what types of patents PAEs hold, and how they organize their 

holdings; (3) how PAEs acquire patents; (4) the strategies PAEs employ to assert their patents 

and secure licenses, and the characteristics of the resulting agreements, (5) costs for and revenues 

from PAE assertion activity. 

How are PAEs organized? The Commission intends to gather data regarding the 

corporate structure and legal organization of PAEs, including the identity of their parent, 

subsidiary, and related firms. The Commission will use this data to understand how PAEs are 

organized and why they might choose different forms. For example, there is evidence that some 

PAEs assert their patent holdings through shell companies, which can increase the costs of 

negotiating licenses (transaction costs) for technology adopters and frustrate their ability to 

negotiate global settlements that would cover a broader range of patents.

18 There is also some 

evidence that a PAE with legal or economic ties to a manufacturing firm may have incentives to 

assert patents against the rivals of the manufacturer (sometimes referred to as “privateering”). 

Because PAEs do not face the same risk of countersuit as manufacturers, privateering may 

increase the costs of doing business for some competitors, and burden competition in the targeted 

markets. The nature and extent of these relationships, as well as the potential to change market 

dynamics, however, is not well understood. The data the Commission seeks on PAE legal 

structure will provide a more robust picture of PAEs as business organizations, which is relevant 

for understanding the competitive implications of PAE activity.19 

What types of patents do PAEs hold, and how do they organize their holdings? The 

study will collect data regarding PAE patent holdings, including the characteristics of PAE 

patent portfolios. To reduce the burden on respondents of collecting this information, the 

Commission has worked with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to collect 

USPTO’s publicly available data on patent holdings. The Commission will use this data to 

18 See, e.g., EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION at 4 (2013) (noting 

that it is “generally seen” that PAEs “may hide their identity by creating numerous shell companies and requiring 

those who settle to sign non-disclosure agreements, making it difficult for defendants to form common defensive 

strategies (for example, by sharing legal fees rather than settling individually).” See also Feldman at 4. 

19 See Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, Competition Law & Patent Assertion Entities: What Antitrust Enforcers Can Do, 

Opening Remarks at Computer & Communications Industry Association and American Antitrust Institute Program 

at 9 (June 20, 2013) (“The assertion of patent rights by a PAE may also raise antitrust concerns, especially if the 

PAE is effectively acting as a clandestine surrogate for competitors ... But hybrid PAE activities may fall within the 

scope of antitrust enforcement where there is evidence of harm to competition and consumers.”) 

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develop a better understanding of the types of patents held and asserted by PAEs, which will 

inform a number of policy issues. 

The Commission also intends to use this data to determine whether PAEs employ 

strategies in patent acquisition that may have an adverse competitive impact. There have been 

some reports that PAEs tend to acquire late-term or low-quality patents.20 Assembling portfolios 

of substitute patents may also raise competition concerns.21 Collecting data about PAE patent 

portfolio characteristics will help shed light on the extent to which these practices occur, the 

strategies they reflect, and the impact they may have on competition. 

The proposed requests also call for information regarding all commitments made to 

Standard Setting Organizations. Patent holders that participate in the standard-setting process 

often make commitments to Standard Setting Organizations to license their patents to third 

parties to encourage implementation of a standard that incorporates the patents. Some have 

expressed concern that PAEs could attempt to evade that commitment by later transferring these 

encumbered patents to a new entity.22 The Commission intends to observe the extent to which 

this may occur in practice. 

How do PAEs acquire patents? All of the various kinds of PAEs share a common 

characteristic: they do not themselves engage in research and development activities to generate 

the patents they own; they acquire patents from third parties. The Commission intends to 

investigate how PAEs acquire patents and, in particular, their economic relationships with 

inventors. Very little is known about the relationships between PAEs, the previous owners of 

patents acquired by PAEs, and the entities that finance PAEs’ purchases of patents. Some have 

argued that PAEs can provide an otherwise unavailable opportunity for inventors, often 

individuals or small businesses, to generate revenues and profits from their patents by serving as 

a cost-effective means of licensing them more widely. If that is the case, PAEs might help to 

promote innovation by enhancing the economic incentives of inventors to invent. The proposed 

information requests will show whether this claim is borne out in practice among the PAEs in the 

case study, and whether PAE activity has benefitted the relevant inventors.23 

20 See, e.g., EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, PATENT ASSERTION AND U.S. INNOVATION at 4 (2013) (noting 

that it is “generally seen” that PAEs “acquire patents whose claim boundaries are unclear, and then (with little 

specific evidence of infringement) ask many companies at once for moderate license fees, assuming that some will 

settle instead of risking a costly and uncertain trial.”). 

21 Ramirez, supra note 19 at 9 (“With respect to PAEs, antitrust concerns may arise with respect to their formation – 

the assembly of a patent portfolio through one or more acquisitions – or the assertion of a portfolio once assembled. 

Portfolio acquisitions that combine substitute patents, for example, may raise the risk of harming competition.”) 

22 See, e.g., Verizon Comment (Verizon) at 2. Public comments responding to the FTC’s October 3, 2013 Federal 

Register Notice (78 Fed. Reg. 61,352) announcing the study are available at http://www.ftc.gov/policy/publiccomments/initiative-501. 

23 Ramirez, supra note 19, at 7 (“On the benefits side of the equation, we know little more today than we did in 

2011. One recent widely cited study claims PAE’s return approximately 25% of the costs imposed on defendants 

back to inventors. ... Thus, the limited evidence we have today tends to support the Commission’s concern that 

PAEs may do more to distort than improve incentives to invent.”); Commissioner Joshua D. Wright, What Role 

Should Antitrust Play in Regulating the Activities of Patent Assertion Entities?, Remarks at Dechert Client Annual 

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What strategies do PAEs employ to assert their patents and secure licenses, and 

what are the characteristics of the resulting agreements? Patent assertion is a key aspect of 

PAE activity. As noted above, the limited empirical research of PAE activity to date is based on 

publicly available litigation data, which does not include any information about licenses, even 

when secured through settlements of litigation. The Commission’s proposed requests will gather 

information about both licenses secured through non-litigation assertion activity and licenses 

secured through litigation. 

The principal way PAEs monetize their patents is by licensing firms allegedly using the 

patented technology. PAEs may secure licenses with or without commencing litigation. 

However, while the filing of an infringement claim is public, the majority of settlement activity 

is not. Even if settlement follows the filing of a lawsuit, the terms of patent settlements rarely are 

public. The Commission also intends to request that PAEs submit copies of “demand letters” 

they have sent during assertion efforts to understand more fully the strategies PAEs employ 

when asserting patents. The collection of currently unavailable information on settlement 

characteristics and assertion strategies will provide a more thorough basis for any policy analysis 

of the likely impact of PAE activity on competition and innovation. 

What does assertion activity cost PAEs and what do PAEs earn through assertion 

activity? The study will reveal PAEs’ costs and revenues for acquiring and asserting patents, 

providing a deeper understanding of the economics of PAE activity within the study sample. 

Because PAEs specialize in patent assertion, including litigation, they may be able to assert 

patents at lower costs than the original inventors. Some market participants have claimed that 

PAEs have lower discovery costs than operating companies, and that this lower cost allows them 

to bargain more effectively. The data will provide insight into whether, as some commentators 

claim, the PAE business model enjoys lower costs due to specialization, which may be beneficial 

to competition.

24 

The proposed information requests also ask whether the responding firms have ever 

assigned a value to any of their patents. There is some evidence to suggest that PAEs demand 

licensing fees that are significantly greater than the acquisition costs of the patents. 25 The study 

will examine the difference between patent acquisition costs and licensing fees, and endeavor to 

understand the factors that allow PAEs to extract greater value from the patents they acquire, and 

how these features of the PAE business model are likely to impact competition. 

Antitrust Spring Seminar at 9 (April 17, 2013) (“the key issue regarding PAEs from an antitrust perspective, and for 

which we have very little evidence, is the extent to which PAE activity contributes to innovation. To answer that we 

need to know ... What share of these costs goes to inventors (or patentees)? ... To what extent is this added 

compensation to inventors stimulating innovation?”). 

24 See Ramirez, supra note 19, at 3 (“Rewarding genuine invention is good for competition and consumers. PAEs 

can serve that goal by reducing the enforcement hurdles facing small inventors and start-ups ... PAEs may also 

increase liquidity in the secondary market for patents, which can drive funding to R&D); Wright, supra note 22, at 9 

(“In short, PAEs hold themselves out as intermediaries between inventors who engender patents and technologydriven practicing entities. The critical question is, of course, to what extent these benefits increase innovation or 

otherwise enhance consumer welfare.”) 

25 See Microsoft Corp. Comment (Microsoft) at 2; Apple, Inc. Comment (Apple) at 3. 

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In addition, the proposed information requests will examine how the costs and revenue 

associated with PAE activity are distributed among third parties. Understanding how the risks of 

gain and loss, as well as costs and revenues, are shared between the PAEs and interested third 

parties is essential to understanding whether PAEs may foster innovation or have the potential to 

affect competition adversely. For example, this information may shed light on whether PAE 

activity has any potential to affect the incentive to innovate because it provides returns to 

inventors. 

3.	 Information Technology 

Improved information technology may assist in gathering and producing this information. 

Consistent with the aims of the Government Paperwork Elimination Act, 44 U.S.C. § 3504 note, 

the Commission will allow the submission of information through electronic or automated 

collection techniques. It will provide all study subjects with an electronic template in which to 

enter much of the requested information. The template should significantly reduce the burden of 

responding to the requests. It will also facilitate the Commission’s analysis of the data collected, 

permitting it to more easily collect, compare, and contrast responsive information submitted by 

different parties. In addition, the Commission will use database software to compile information 

and further facilitate its review and analysis. 

4.	 Efforts to Identify Duplication/Availability of Similar Information 

Currently, there is no sufficiently comprehensive and public source of information that 

would allow the Commission to otherwise achieve the goals of the proposed study. Existing 

studies of PAE activity rely on publicly available patent and litigation information and note the 

limitations of the available data. A significant portion of PAE activity is conducted through 

communications and agreements that are confidential or not publicly available and often are 

subject to non-disclosure agreements. In addition, there is no publicly available source for cost 

and revenue information, including the details of assertion activity, settlements, and licensing. 

5.	 Efforts to Minimize the Burden on Small Organizations 

Because the requests focus on portfolio and assertion information, the burden on small 

organizations that hold relatively few patents and engage in limited assertion activity will be 

minimal. The Commission has made efforts to ensure that the burden imposed by the requests is 

largely proportional to each study subject’s (1) patent holdings, and (2) volume of patent 

acquisition and assertion activity. In addition, because patent acquisition and assertion is the 

primary business activity of most PAEs, the information necessary to respond to the requests 

should be readily accessible to all responding firms. Therefore, the Commission expects that the 

requests will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. 

6.	 Consequences to Federal Program and Policy Activities and Obstacles to Reducing 

Burden 

If the information is not collected, the Commission will not have the data necessary to 

prepare a well-documented study describing non-public PAE activity that can inform future 

Commission policy, as well as the policymaking of other interested federal agencies that address 

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competition, innovation, and intellectual property issues. For example, as discussed above, this 

lack of empirical data has already complicated GAO’s attempts to study PAE activity. 

The Commission believes that the proposed study will enable it to provide a more 

comprehensive descriptive picture of PAE structure, organization, acquisition, and assertion 

behavior, which will assist many organizations and individuals to understand more fully the 

scope of PAE activity in the economy. This one-time collection will not create a repetitive 

burden for respondents. As described in the responses to the comments, the Commission has 

endeavored to minimize the burden of the information requests by carefully limiting them to the 

information necessary to complete the study and by providing a template to assist in the 

organization and submission of the data. 

7. Circumstances Requiring Collection Inconsistent with Guidelines 

The collection of information in the proposed survey is consistent with all applicable 

guidelines contained in 5 C.F.R. § 1320.5(d)(2). 

8. Public Comments/Consultation Outside the Agency and Actions Taken 

As required by 5 C.F.R. § 1320.8(d), the Commission published a notice seeking public 

comment on the proposed collections of information, and, consistent with 5 C.F.R. § 1320.10(a) 

is doing so again contemporaneous with this submission. To maximize transparency, and support 

robust commenting, the Commission published all of the questions that it proposed to direct to 

respondents. The Commission also extended the comment deadline in response to requests for 

additional time to respond. 

The Commission received 70 comments on the proposed information collection requests. 

Responses came from a wide variety of commenters including Intellectual Ventures, Acacia 

Research Corporation, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm, Apple, Nokia and Verizon. A number of 

professional and bar associations, such as the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), 

the American Antitrust Institute (AAI), and the American Intellectual Property Law Association 

(AIPLA), also submitted comments, together with trade associations representing both small and 

large businesses.26 In addition, the Commission received comments from a number of law 

professors and attorneys general,

27 individual inventors, attorneys, and interested members of the 

public.28 

Almost all commenters recognized the lack of existing public information and expressed 

support for a study of PAE activity. Some commenters proposed ways to increase the utility, or 

26 These include the National Restaurant Association, the Application Developers Alliance, the Food Marketing 

Institute, the Consumer Electronics Association, the Computer & Communications Industry Association, the Direct 

Marketing Association, and the Software & Information Industry Association. 

27 This includes Professors Michael Risch (Villanova University), Robin Feldman (University of California, 

Hastings) and Jorge Contreras(American University), as well as Kamala Harris, Attorney General of California and 

the National Association of Attorneys General, joined by the Attorneys General of 43 states. 

28 See, e.g., comments of Philip Conrad, Todd Glassey and William Redmann. 

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decrease the burden, of responding to requests. Most comments stated that the proposed study 

will have practical utility, that it is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's 

functions, or otherwise stressed the importance and value of the study. As discussed below, the 

Commission has incorporated many of the suggestions by the commenters into its revised study. 

A.	 Practical Utility of the Proposed Study/Necessity for the Proper Performance 

of the Commission’s Functions 

Comment: The FTC has a unique dual mission that encompasses both consumer 

protection and competition concerns. In addition to its enforcement authority, which covers both 

“unfair or deceptive acts and practices” and “unfair methods of competition,” Congress also 

empowered the Commission to use compulsory process to: “gather and compile information 

concerning, and to investigate from time to time the organization, business, conduct, practices, 

and management of any person, partnership, or corporation engaged in or whose business affects 

commerce....” 15 U.S.C. § 46(a). The Commission judiciously uses its study authority to 

examine and better understand industries and practices that are likely to affect competition and 

consumers. 

Although the particular mechanisms of PAE operation are not well understood, the 

Commission’s past studies, more recent scholarship, and our 2012 Workshop all suggest that 

PAE activity may be affecting competition, innovation, and consumers in a variety of ways that 

are not fully understood at this time. 

Almost all commenters on the first Federal Register Notice supported the Commission’s 

study of PAE activity. Intellectual Ventures noted that “a well-designed and executed 6(b) study 

would provide useful insights into the effect of PAE activity.”29 Acacia Research Corporation 

noted that it “welcomes the FTC’s study of this important issue.”30 Microsoft similarly noted that 

it “supports the FTC’s efforts to gather additional information to both supplement current 

knowledge of PAEs and to better understand the costs and benefits of their behavior.”31 The Stop 

Patent Abuse Now (SPAN) Coalition stated that it “strongly supports the Commission’s decision 

to conduct a 6(b) study of patent trolls.”32 Likewise, AIPLA explained that there “is an urgent 

need for more information to ensure that policy decisions are appropriately grounded.”33 The 

United States Telecom Association (USTelecom) noted that “the opaque nature of the PAE 

business model makes the FTC’s inquiry into their activities both timely and imperative.”34 

Commenters agreed that data generated by the proposed requests will illuminate critical 

aspects of PAE activity and have practical utility. Professor Robin Feldman noted that the 

29 Intellectual Ventures at 1. 

30 Acacia Research Corp. Comment (Acacia) at 3. 

31 Microsoft at 1. 

32 SPAN Coalition Comment (SPAN) at 1. 

33 AIPLA Comment (AIPLA) at 2. 

34 USTelecom Comment (US Telecom) at 3. 

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proposed requests “are a rational and reasonable approach to understanding a complex 

problem.”35 The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) noted that “the set 

of questions that the FTC has prepared are thorough and properly directed toward information 

that should shed light on the heretofore-mysterious PAE business model.”36 Red Hat noted that, 

“as put forward by the FTC, the proposed 6(b) industry study will add significantly to the 

existing literature and evidence on PAE behavior.”37 The Consumer Electronics Association 

(CEA) noted that the proposed requests “are necessarily broad and will illuminate the many 

dimensions of PAEs’ conduct in a way that no other entity is capable.”38 The National 

Association of Attorneys General expressed that “we believe the merits of the proposed 

information request are beyond question.”39 Kellogg Huber Hansen noted that the proposed 

requests “are necessary to determine the net effect of PAE activity on innovation.”40 Verizon 

noted that “developing the full scope of the information requested in the FTC's draft questions is 

likely to enable important research into the effects of PAE activity.”41 As noted in more detail 

below, commenters also made a number of proposals to increase the utility of specific requests, 

which we have taken into account in revising the requests. 

In addition, several respondents recognized that the Commission’s use of its 6(b) 

authority will address the limitations of previous studies that relied upon publicly available 

litigation data. The National Retail Federation noted that the Commission’s 6(b) authority makes 

the study “a unique opportunity to gain a complete picture of patent troll activity through the 

collection of nonpublic information including licensing agreements, patent acquisition 

information, and data on PAEs’ costs and revenue.”42 The Software & Information Industry 

Association (SIIA) noted that previous “studies have focused primarily on publicly available 

litigation data,” and that “certain licensing agreements, patent acquisition information, and cost 

and revenue data that was not available to researchers in prior studies would be potentially 

available to the FTC.”43 Professor Feldman noted that “lack of information is particularly 

problematic for the 90% of patent demand activity that occurs outside the courthouse.”44 

35 Feldman at 5. 

36 CCIA Comment (CCIA) at 2. 

37 Red Hat, Inc. Comment (Red Hat) at 1. 

38 CEA Comment (CEA) at 4. 

39 National Association of Attorneys General Comment, joined by 43 State Attorneys General (NAAG) at 2. 

40 Kellogg Huber Hansen Todd Evans & Figel, PLLC Comment, on behalf of Adobe Systems, Inc., Canon U.S.A., 

Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Dell Inc., Ford Motor Company, Google, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Limelight 

Networks, Inc., Rackspace US, Inc., and SAP Americas, Inc. (Kellogg Huber Hansen) at 6. 

41 Verizon Comment (Verizon) at 1. 

42 National Retail Federation Comment (NRF) at 1. See also Public Knowledge, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, 

and Engine Advocacy Comment (Public Knowledge) at 1 (“the Section 6(b) study would generate substantial 

empirical data particularly useful not only to the FTC for carrying out its mission of protecting consumers, but also 

to businesses, researchers, and policymakers.”) 

43 SIIA Comment (SIIA) at 2. 

44 Feldman at 3. 

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Professor Contreras noted that the study “is likely to inform the policy debate concerning this 

contentious topic, and should become a valuable resource for industry, scholars, and 

policymakers.”45 The Internet Commerce Coalition noted that “an FTC investigation is the only 

realistic way to obtain information” about these PAEs.”46 

Many commenters believed that that any burden imposed by the proposed requests is 

justified. Intel said that “any burden that the Commission’s information requests will impose on 

PAEs is insignificant in relation to the burdens that PAEs impose on the economy...”47 

Similarly, Kellogg Huber Hansen, writing on behalf of a number of technology companies, noted 

that “the cost to the PAEs of complying with the information requests is small compared to the 

burden PAEs impose on the economy.”48 Public Knowledge, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, 

and Engine Advocacy noted that “the public value of the information to be retrieved vastly 

outweighs the minimal burden of producing information on the part of PAEs and other 

entities.”49 Professor Feldman noted that that the requests in the “proposed inquiry are not 

unduly burdensome and are reasonably related to finding essential information.”50 The Retail 

Industry Leaders Association similarly noted that “the proposed Section 6(b) request strikes the 

appropriate balance between the benefits of the information to be obtained ... and the potential 

burdens imposed.”51 The SAS Institute noted that the study “is well worth the burdens it may 

impose.”52 

Response: The proposed study directly supports the FTC’s mission critically to examine 

industries and practices that affect the economy. It will aid the Commission, other agencies 

engaged in policymaking with respect to competition, innovation, and patents, as well as industry 

and researchers to gain a better understanding of the operation and potential effects of PAE 

activity. No other public agency is as well situated as the Commission to undertake the study, 

and many have urged the FTC to do so. As is more fully discussed, below, the Commission has 

addressed concerns expressed in the comments about the utility and burden of the proposed 

requests by modifying them in significant ways to sharpen their focus and reduce their likely 

burden. 

B. Suggestions to Reduce Burden 

As discussed more fully below, the Commission has seriously considered Commenters 

requests to reduce the burden of this study. For example, the Commission has: (1) simplified the 

45 Professor Jorge Contreras Comment (Contreras) at 1. 

46 ICC Comment (ICC) at 1. 

47 Intel Comment (Intel) at 3. 

48 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 1. 

49 Public Knowledge at 7. 

50 Feldman at 4. 

51 Retail Industry Leaders Association Comment (RILA) at 1. 

52 SAS Institute Inc., Limelight Networks Inc., VIZIO, Inc., Newegg, Inc., Citrix Systems, Inc., Xilinx, Inc., 

ABBYY USA Software House, Inc., and Altera Corporation Comment (SAS Institute, et al.) at 2. 

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study questions and removed questions that could lead to attorney-client privileged information; 

(2) narrowed the beginning of the study from January 1, 2008 to January 1, 2009; (3) clarified 

that the comparative case study focuses on the wireless chipset sector, not the broader wireless 

industry; (4) clarified that the comparative case study includes fewer questions directed towards 

manufacturing firms and NPEs; and (5) worked with the USPTO to remove questions directed 

towards publicly available information. 

1. Document Requests Calling for “All Documents” 

Comment: The Commission’s initial proposed requests called for “all documents” 

related to a number of topics, including patent acquisition, demands, and licensing. Several 

commenters expressed the concern that these requests were too broad. Intellectual Ventures 

noted that “such requests are overbroad, unduly burdensome, and perhaps most important, will 

not provide the Commission with the information needed to meet its goals.”53 Qualcomm noted 

that such requests would call for information that “may be entirely irrelevant to the issues 

surrounding PAE activity.”54 

Some commenters proposed that the Commission reduce the scope of its requests.

55 

InterDigital suggested that several document requests be revised to “require only high level 

presentations or ‘documents sufficient to show’ instead of ‘all documents.’”56 Intellectual 

Ventures suggested that requests be limited to documents “such as board and investor 

presentations or regulatory disclosures that reflect the culmination and finalization of ideas that 

were considered, refined, and accepted or rejected, and facts and data that were accumulated and 

validated.”57 

Response: To avoid unnecessary burden while still collecting the information necessary 

to provide a robust study, the Commission has substantially reduced the scope of its document 

requests. In most instances, the Commission has replaced its requests for “all documents” with 

narrower requests tailored to specific types of documents. For example, the Commission 

replaced its request for “all documents Relating to the Firm’s Acquisitions” of patents with 

specific requests for “agreements... relating to any Acquisitions” as well as related Reports, 

limited to “studies, analyses, and reports which were prepared by or for any officer(s) or 

director(s) of a corporate entity ... or presented to any Person outside the Firm.” 

2. Information Requests Calling for Additional Analysis 

Comment: Some commenters expressed the concern that some of the initial proposed 

requests may call for the creation of factual or legal analyses that might not be in the possession 

53 Intellectual Ventures at 13. 

54 Qualcomm Comment (Qualcomm) at 7. 

55 Intellectual Ventures at 13-19; InterDigital at 11; Qualcomm at 8. 

56 InterDigital at 11. 

57 Intellectual Ventures at 14. 

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of a responding firm. Intellectual Ventures noted that several requests “require respondents to 

summarize the documents they produce.”58 Nokia suggested that “where information will clearly 

be available from requested documents, recipients should not also be put to the additional burden 

and expense of setting out information abstracted from the documents to the FTC.”59 

Some comments expressed concern about proposed requests calling for the identification 

of specific patents subject to license agreements or licensing commitments. InterDigital noted 

that answering the proposed request calling for “whether the Firm has licensed the Patent to any 

Person(s),” would “entail legal analysis and opinion” because “many agreements do not list the 

licensed patents by number.”60 The AIPLA similarly noted that “licensing commitments to 

Standard Setting Organizations are often made by a generic reference to all patents one owns 

which are essential,” and that “the requests related to standard setting organizations should be 

limited to patents specifically enumerated as essential.”61 InterDigital also noted that responding 

to requests drawn toward identifying patents in portfolios “would require a significant 

expenditure of time and money” because companies often do not “neatly segregate their patents 

into a list of defined portfolios.”62 

Other comments identified areas where document requests called for analyses that might 

not have been created in the ordinary course of business. The AIPLA noted that requests drawn 

toward portfolio valuations “presume that valuations are performed on patents, which is not 

necessarily the case,” and InterDigital suggested that the request be revised to “not require 

recipients to conduct any de novo valuations.”63 Similarly, Nokia noted that proposed requests 

called for “effective royalty rates from license agreements that may not be generated or tracked 

by recipients,” and should be revised to “make it clear that recipients are not under any 

obligation to produce or develop information that does not already exist.”64 The IPO noted that 

responding to the proposed request seeking “the cost of R&D related to each patent held by the 

company” would “often be nearly impossible for a single patent, much less thousands of 

them.”65 

Response: While the Commission is authorized to require creation of data necessary to 

respond to a 6(b) study, it revised a number of the proposed requests to address these concerns 

and reduce burden, while retaining the utility of the responses. 

58 Id. at 20. 

59 Nokia Comment (Nokia) at 3. 

60 InterDigital at 9. See also AIPLA at 3 (“The nature of some questions fails to recognize that licenses sometimes 

extend to one’s entire portfolio of patents.”). 

61 AIPLA at 3; see also InterDigital at 8. 

62 Id. at 9-10. 

63 Id. at 9-10; AIPLA Comment at 3. 

64 Nokia at 3. See also AIPLA at 3 (“Some information, such as royalty bases, might only be available from 

licensees.”). 

65 IPO at 2. See also AIPLA at 3 (“the requested details of the R&D relevant to each patent are not necessarily 

recorded and will frequently require considerable investigation on an invention-by-invention basis.”). 

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Some of the proposed requests for data regarding requested documents, such as the 

parties and products subject to license agreements, are necessary to organize data for analysis 

and comparison. The Commission has retained these in the revised request. However, the 

Commission refined and narrowed the definition of terms such as “License” and “Legal Right” 

to provide respondents with additional clarity and guidance regarding how to respond. Such data 

should be readily available to responding firms. 

The Commission also incorporated the suggestions of a number of the other comments. It 

revised its request regarding patents declared to Standard Setting Organizations to require listing 

only specific patents when “specific patents have been identified as subject to a Licensing 

commitment.” Similarly, the revised request only requires the identification of patents in a patent 

portfolio “[when] the Firm identifies the Patent(s) included in the Patent Portfolio.” 

Finally, the Commission replaced its request regarding the cost of research and 

development activity related to each patent with a request for any “studies, analyses, or reports” 

that “evaluate or analyze any research and development activities relating to any Patent.” 

Similarly, the Commission revised its request for the “Firm’s valuation of” patent portfolios to 

“whether the Firm has assigned a value to the Patent Portfolio.” The Commission revised its 

request regarding patent assertion to request documents that “evaluate or analyze the calculation 

of any payment Relating to the sale” of a patent, instead of calling for a description of how the 

payment is calculated. 

3. Financial Data 

Comment: Two commenters expressed concern regarding certain requests for financial 

data. Intellectual Ventures suggested that request for “all documents” related to financial data 

would be too broad, and asked that the request be limited to documents or data sufficient to show 

relevant financial information.66 InterDigital similarly suggested that these document requests 

are redundant of other requests that call for cost and revenue data.67 Two additional respondents 

noted that respondents may not track financial information at the level of detail sought in the 

requests.68 

Response: The Commission has eliminated the request for “all documents” relating to 

costs and revenue data. Instead, the requests ask for “documents sufficient to show” such data. In 

order to provide a useful basis for comparison, specific cost and revenue data is needed, so 

specific requests for detailed cost and revenue data have been retained. 

4. Privileged Information 

Comment: Two commenters expressed concern that certain requests could call for 

material potentially subject to confidentiality under the attorney-client privilege. InterDigital 

66 Intellectual Ventures at 19. 

67 InterDigital at 12. 

68 Nokia at 3; Qualcomm at 8. 

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noted that answering requests to identify whether patents are subject to a standard setting 

organization’s licensing commitment “requires legal analysis” and that “such legal conclusions 

are privileged.”69 Nokia claimed that requests for “a firm’s rationale for asserting patents” and 

“projected revenues or return on investment from patent assertions” may be privileged.70 Nokia 

also noted that requests for “all documents” related to patent acquisition could call for privileged 

materials.71 

Response: The Commission has amended its requests to minimize the need to collect or 

review potentially privileged materials. As noted above, it has revised requests in many 

circumstances where such requests may be interpreted to call for legal analysis. Further, in order 

to reduce the need to analyze or log documents for claims of privilege, the Commission revised 

many requests originally calling for “all documents” to call for only “Reports,” defined as 

“studies, analyses, and reports which were prepared by or for any officer(s) or director(s) of the 

company ... or presented to any Person outside the Firm.” This limitation should eliminate the 

need to collect and review many drafts or internal communications that could raise privilege 

issues. Despite these changes, the Commission expects that some privilege issues will arise 

because of the central role of attorneys in PAEs’ acquisition, licensing, and litigation of patents. 

These issues will be handled on a case-by-case basis as needed. 

C. Suggestions to Change Study Design 

Comment: The Commission received a number of comments suggesting that it alter the 

design of the PAE study. For example, InterDigital suggested that the Commission “clarify that it 

is interested in the costs and benefits of PAE activity to innovation and competition.”72 

Microsoft suggested that “the study should more closely examine PAE practices that involve 

asserting patent(s) or patent portfolios for amounts far greater than the acquisition cost of those 

patents ....”73 Apple suggested that the study “could attempt a full accounting of the economics 

that motivate PAEs,” focusing on “(1) PAEs’ valuations of, and methods of valuing, patents at 

the time of acquisition; (2) PAEs’ royalty demands at the time of assertion; (3) PAEs’ costs of 

asserting their patents; and (4) defendants’ costs of defending against PAEs’ assertions.”74 The 

AIPLA suggested focusing on “abusive practices during infringement litigation as well as 

demand notices from patent owners.”75 Intellectual Ventures suggested that the Commission 

limit its requests to those patents that have been specifically identified in litigation or a 

demand—not every patent in a recipient’s portfolio.76 

69 InterDigital at 8-9; see also IPO at 2. 

70 Nokia at 2. 

71 Id. 

72 InterDigital at 3. 

73 Microsoft at 2. 

74 Apple at 3. 

75 AIPLA at 2. 

76 Intellectual Ventures at 10-11. 

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Response: The Commission has narrowed requests to focus on relevant issues. 

Responding to public comments, the Commission also has clarified that the study includes two 

case studies, where the first is a descriptive study of PAE activity, and the second is a 

comparative study including activity in the wireless chipset sector. The FTC has also clarified 

the focus on the wireless chipset sector, rather than the wireless industry more generally. Finally, 

the Commission has revised the questions to focus on “yes/no” answers and qualitative 

information to allow the FTC to synthesize the data, as well as to reduce the burden on 

respondents. 

Comment: Some comments addressed the number and/or type of study subjects. The 

California Attorney General suggested that the Commission “broaden the number of entities 

from which it collects information.77 Similarly, the National Association of Attorneys General 

suggested that the Commission “increase the number of PAEs, Manufacturing Firms, and NPEs 

to which the information request will be submitted.”78 The Internet Commerce Coalition 

maintained that “the Number of Entities reviewed should be increased, as this is the first study of 

its kind in an area shrouded in considerable secrecy.”79 A number of other commenters 

suggested that specific types of entities that should be included in the study: “‘owner-operators’” 

that license or practice wireless patents;”80 “other participants in the secondary patent market;”81 

practicing entities which have “stand-alone licensing subsidiaries or divisions;”82 and “parties 

that have sold or transferred a large number of patents to the PAEs being examined.”83 Acacia 

suggested that inventors also be studied.84 

The Commission also received comments regarding the comparison of PAEs and 

Manufacturing Firms in the wireless communications sector. Kellogg Huber Hansen noted that 

“the Commission’s proposed study of manufacturing firms ... will provide a potentially useful 

benchmark for evaluating whether PAEs are an efficient means of rewarding patentees.”85 

Similarly, the SPAN Coalition noted that “the current structure of the study ... seems well-suited 

to evaluating many of the details of patent enforcement by patent trolls in [the wireless 

communication] sector,” but proposed “the addition of at least one additional category of patent” 

such as “web technology-related patents or wireless networking.”86 Similarly, the Direct 

Marketing Association commented that it “would welcome a broadening of the study beyond the 

77 Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General of California Comment (California Attorney General) at 1. 

78 NAAG at 3. 

79 ICC at 2. 

80 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 20. 

81 Microsoft at 28. 

82 Intel at 15. 

83 AAI at 8. 

84 Acacia at 4. 

85 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 7. 

86 SPAN at 2. 

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wireless telecommunications sector.”87 Verizon suggested broadening the study to “investigate 

the effects of PAEs on wireline communications services and other high-tech industries.”88 

Intellectual Ventures similarly noted that “the Commission should also expand its inquiry 

beyond operating companies in the wireless communications sector.”89 

The Commission received conflicting comments regarding the scope of requests sent to 

Manufacturing Firms: Microsoft suggested that “the information requests to Manufacturing 

Firms should ...be reconsidered and revised by narrowing their scope,” while Intellectual 

Ventures noted that “it is essential to obtain the same information about patent assertion activity 

in the same markets from both PAEs and non-PAEs.”90 

Response: As currently designed, the study will provide a comparative view of a variety 

of PAE business models, as well as a focused comparison of PAE activity to activity of nonPAEs in the wireless chipset sector. While commenters have suggested expanding the scope even 

further, focusing on the well-defined wireless chipset sector allows the Commission to balance 

the goals of and burden resulting from the study. 

Comment: The Commission received comments on the time period covered by the 

initially proposed requests, which was from January 1, 2008 through the present. Several 

commenters stressed the importance of obtaining information for the entire proposed period. 

Verizon noted that “examining the entire time period covered by the draft questions is also 

important to discern trends.”91 The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) 

noted that “the time frame of five years is necessary to understand the evolution of the PAE 

industry.”92 The SPAN Coalition noted that “the time period of the study ... is necessary.”93 In 

contrast, several commenters noted that the scope of information requests should be limited to 

January 2011 to the present in order to reduce the burden of the requests.

94 

Response: The requests now seek information beginning January 1, 2009. The 

Commission believes that at least five years of data is necessary to understand trends in patent 

enforcement. Empirical research suggests that PAE activity has increased significantly, and it is 

necessary to have a sufficient dataset to understand this trend and the reasons behind it. As the 

CCIA noted, “PAE litigation has increased sharply in the last five years, but the causes of that 

87 Direct Marketing Association Comment Comment (DMA) at 2. See also ICC at 2 (“The narrower case study 

should by no means be limited to wireless as the effects of PAE activity are far, far broader than that.”). 

88 Verizon at 1. 

89 Intellectual Ventures at 8. 

90 Id. at 2; Microsoft at 2. 

91 Verizon at 1. 

92 CCIA at 2. 

93 SPAN at 1. 

94 Qualcomm at 8-9; InterDigital at 8. Acacia similarly suggested that the time period be limited to three years. See 

Acacia at 3. 

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increase are not well understood.”95 Moreover, in 2011, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act 

made several changes to the U.S. patent system. Collecting data before and after the Act’s 

passage, allows the Commission to study the impact of the Act on PAE activity. 

D. Suggestions Regarding Requests for Company Information 

Comment: Some of the comments related to the scope of requests for company 

information. Nokia noted that the request to identify all entities with an ownership interest in the 

firm could potentially call for an identification of all of its shareholders.96 The AIPLA claimed 

that the company information requested would be “beyond the knowledge of clerical personnel 

or even mid-level management.”

97 Qualcomm also noted that the requests would call for an 

identification of patents invented by employees of the responding firm.98 

In contrast, several other commenters suggested adding more detailed questions 

regarding PAE organization, ownership, and structure. These commenters proposed questions to 

illuminate the extent to which investors exert control over the PAEs.

99 For example, while the 

proposed requests inquired about entities that shared in the revenues derived from PAE activity, 

Kellogg Huber Hansen suggested extending these requests to cover entities that share in the costs 

of the activity.100 Davis Polk & Wardwell noted that the request “could be too narrow, because it 

applies traditional ownership rights among businesses to a sector that is known for its novel and 

opaque business arrangements.”101 Along these lines, commenters proposed extending the 

requests to include “both leading PAEs and the leading sources of patents for the selected 

PAEs,”102 PAEs’ “advisers,”103 and lawyers, “organizers,” and “persons or entities that exercise 

any supervision or control over the PAE.”104 

Response: The Commission’s request about firm organization is critical because of the 

wide variety of business arrangements used by PAEs and the relative lack of knowledge of the 

details of these arrangements, which likely affect the economic incentives and hence the 

behavior and potential competitive impact of PAEs. The Commission has edited its requests to 

capture the range of PAE organizational structures, with the understanding that PAEs take many 

95 CCIA at 2. 

96 Nokia at 3-4 (“Using Nokia as an example, the request could be read to require Nokia to produce a list of every 

shareholder in the company and every management employee that receives a bonus or has other financial incentives 

that are any way tied to the profitability or financial performance of Nokia.”). 

97 AIPLA at 3. 

98 Qualcomm at 6. 

99 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 18; Verizon at 2. 

100 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 18-19. 

101 Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP Comment (Davis Polk) at 4. 

102 AAI at 9. 

103 Verizon at 2. 

104 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 18. 

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forms and that it is difficult to anticipate the different types of activity that the study will find, 

but has also taken steps to reduce the burden of these requests. 

The Commission expects that ownership and organizational information will be readily 

available to most respondents. In order to reduce burden, however, the Commission has 

narrowed the scope of Firm owners called for in the requests. With respect to publicly traded 

companies, the requests now call only for shareholders who hold 5% or more of the equity in the 

respondent. Further, the Commission amended the requests to make clear that they do not 

encompass patents assigned by employees of the firm. 

E. Suggestions to Increase Utility of Responses 

1. Comments on Existing Requests 

Comment: The initial requests focused on patents “held” by each respondent. 

Commenters suggested, however, that “held” could be read as limited to patents that are 

“owned” by respondents, and cautioned that such a limitation would limit the value of the study, 

because it would not encompass other, important legal rights in patents that might influence PAE 

activity. They requested, therefore, that the scope of the study be extended to include not only 

patents owned by respondents, but also patents for which a respondent possesses the right to 

license or enforce the patent.105 The Internet Association expressed the concern that responding 

firms would evade requests by “interpreting ‘held’ to mean only those patents for which it 

possessed and owned all rights.”106 Similarly, Verizon suggested that the definition of acquire be 

expanded to “obtain legal rights to license or enforce.”107 

Response: The Commission agrees that the information requests should extend to all 

forms of patent rights acquisition commonly used by PAEs, and understands that this may often 

involve not only the acquisition of a patent, but may also involve acquiring an exclusive license 

or other rights to enforce a patent. Accordingly, it has amended the requests to add a definition 

for the term “held,” which includes possessing a legal right in a patent, i.e. “any ownership 

interest in, an exclusive License to, or other rights adequate to License or enforce a Patent.” 

2. Suggestions for Additional Requests 

Comment: Some Commenters proposed specific additional questions regarding patent 

acquisition and holdings, demand letters, litigation, and licensing. 

For example, Intel suggested that requests be expanded to cover certain agreements and 

arrangements related to “privateering” activities.108 The Internet Association suggested that the 

105 Verizon at 2; Internet Association at 5; Kellogg Huber Hansen at 17. 

106 Internet Association at 5. 

107 Verizon at 1. 

108 Intel at 9. 

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requests include interactions between PAEs and original assignees and inventors.109 Other 

commenters suggested that the requests explicitly ask whether PAEs submitted Hart-ScottRodino notifications for acquired portfolios.110 

The Commission also received several comments that requested a broadening of the 

requests dealing with Standard Essential Patents (SEP). Several commenters suggested that these 

requests should encompass licensing commitments made outside of the setting of Standard 

Setting Organizations.111 Kellogg Huber Hansen and Intel suggested requesting more detail 

regarding SEP licensing. 112 

Commenters also suggested expanding the requests regarding patent licensing demands. 

Several commenters suggested expanding the requests to ask for details on the process by which 

PAEs identify targets for their demands.

113 Another commenter suggested that the requests be 

expanded to obtain more detail regarding the product that is the subject of the demand.

114 

Another commenter suggested that the requests explicitly ask for “the royalty base used to 

support any royalty demand.”115 

Several parties suggested that the Commission seek to obtain more information regarding 

PAEs’ litigation strategies. This included asking for the number of documents produced by both 

parties in litigation, so as to identify asymmetries in the costs and other burdens of litigation on 

PAEs and the firms against which they assert their patents.

116 One commenter suggested 

analyzing litigation data to observe whether PAEs select specific judicial venues for strategic 

reasons.117 One commenter suggested that the request include the inventor’s role or interest in 

litigation.118 Another suggested requesting the identity of all expert witnesses retained by the 

PAE.119 Finally, one commenter suggested that the requests regarding licensing be expanded, 

and proposed that respondents specify “not only the amounts but also the structure of payments 

109 Internet Association at 5. 

110 AAI at 8; Davis Polk at 5. The Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 allows the Federal Trade 

Commission and the United States Department of Justice to review certain mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations 

that meet the Act’s thresholds. See 15 U.S.C. 18a. 

111 Contreras at 2; Kellogg Huber Hansen at 20; Internet Association at 5. 

112 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 14; Intel at 7. 

113 NAAG at 3; Intel at 11-12; SPAN Coalition at 3; SAS Institute, et. al at 2; DMA at 2. 

114 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 9. 

115 Intel at 11. 

116 Davis Polk at 5. 

117 Intel at 15-16. 

118 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 7; see also ADTRAN, Inc. Comment (ADTRAN) at 5. 

119 Verizon at 2. 

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or other compensation,” as well as “all” recipients of payments or compensation flowing from 

licensing.120 

Response: The Commission considered all of these comments. The diverse set of 

commenters provided a wide variety of comments, each reflecting issues of unique importance to 

them. While many of the proposed additions would have utility, in many cases the additional 

information would focus on narrow issues that might not be justified by the additional burden to 

respond. 

9. Payments and Gifts to Respondents 

There is no provision for the payment of gifts to respondents. 

10. Assurances of Confidentiality 

In connection with its requests, the Commission will receive information of a confidential 

nature. Under Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, such information is protected from disclosure while it 

remains confidential commercial information. 15 U.S.C. § 46(f). 

11. Matters of a Sensitive Nature 

The collection of information does not include any questions of a sensitive nature 

involving matters that are commonly considered personal and private. The requests for 

confidential proprietary information are discussed above. 

12. Estimated Hours and Labor Cost Burden 

Several commenters noted that the Commission’s initial estimate of recipients’ burden 

was accurate. The National Association of Attorneys General noted that the Commission has 

estimated the burden “with a reasonable degree of accuracy.”121 The SAS Institute, joined by 

Limelight Networks, VIZO, Inc., and five other firms, agreed that the estimates “appear 

reasonable.” 122 Similarly, Kellogg Huber Hansen, writing on behalf of Adobe Systems, Inc., 

Canon U.S.A., Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., and seven other firms, noted that the Commission’s 

methodology for estimating the burden of complying with the information requests “is 

reasonable.”123 The Retail Industry Leaders Association “agrees with the FTC’s calculation of 

the burden” and “find[s] the factors considered and estimated costs to be reasonable.”124 

120 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 8. 

121 NAAG at 2. 

122 SAS Institute, et. al, at 1. 

123 Kellogg Huber Hansen at 20. 

124 RILA at 3. 

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In contrast, several commenters believed that the Commission’s initial burden estimates 

were too low.125 Intellectual Ventures claimed that the Commission’s estimate was “substantially 

understated,” but acknowledged that it “owns a large patent portfolio and understands that its 

compliance burden will be toward the upper end of the range of burden imposed on 

respondents.”126 The IPO noted that the burden estimate underestimated the efforts required to 

gather “all the different types of documents” responsive to document requests and prepare “legal 

analysis” required by the proposed requests.127 

Several operating companies claimed that they would face a high burden to respond to 

the proposed requests. Qualcomm estimated that reviewing documents responsive to the requests 

as originally proposed would require “250,000 hours at a cost of more than $25 million.”128 

Microsoft estimated that it would cost it “several million dollars” and take “tens of thousands of 

hours” to comply with the requests as originally drafted.129 

The Commission’s initial hour burden estimates are consistent with previous PRA 

estimates and the Commission’s experience with information requests that require financial data, 

answers to questions, and production of pre-existing documents. The GENERIC DRUG REPORT, as 

well as the AUTHORIZED GENERIC DRUGS report, involved requests for financial information and 

responses to questions, and the estimated hours burdens varied depending on the number of 

drugs covered. Similarly, the burden in this study will vary depending on a subject’s number of 

patents and amount of assertion activity. In the generic drugs study, the burden was an estimated 

100-500 hours, and in the authorized generics study, the burden was an estimated 138 to 456 

hours.130 

Even assuming that the Commission’s initial estimate understated the burden, the 

Commission believes that its estimates are realistic given the modifications to the requests, 

which adopted many of the public comments’ suggestions for reducing burden. Most 

significantly, many requests that originally called for “all” documents in given category now 

request a small subset of such documents. This will greatly reduce the burden of responding to 

the requests. For example, the Commission revised its proposed request to: “for each license 

agreement ... submit a copy of the agreement and all documents Relating to the agreement” to 

the narrower request to “submit ... all License agreements ... also submit all studies, analyses, 

and reports ... that evaluate or analyze the reasons for entering into the agreement.” The 

Commission anticipates that this will reduce the number of responsive documents to only a 

handful of documents for each agreement, which will greatly reduce the burden of responding. 

For example, Microsoft claims that it has 557 license agreements, and that it would have 60,323 

125 Intellectual Ventures at 21-23; Acacia at 3; Microsoft at 10-15; Qualcomm at 6; Nokia at 2; InterDigital at 5; 

Prof. Michael Risch Comment (Risch) at 1; GTW Associates Comment (GTW Associates) at 1. 

126 Intellectual Ventures at 21. 

127 IPO at 2. 

128 Qualcomm at 6. 

129 Microsoft at 15. 

130 66 Fed. Reg. 12,512, 12,522-23 (2001); 72 Fed. Reg. 25,304, 25314 (2007). 

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documents responsive to the initial proposed request.131 As revised, the Commission anticipates 

that Microsoft would have less than 3,000 responsive documents, or around 5% of Microsoft’s 

estimate. 

The Commission has amended its requests to reduce the burden on manufacturing firms, 

which may have the highest burden because of their size. Several comments stated that requests 

would unduly burden companies with large portfolios of patents that were developed by the 

company’s employees.132 The proposed requests have been modified to avoid unreasonable 

burdens on such companies. Similarly, the Commission limited its request for investor 

information for publicly traded firms, addressing the concern that this would call for the 

identification of shareholders.133 Moreover, there are two different proposed information 

requests with different scopes: one to wireless chipset manufacturers and wireless chipset NPEs, 

and a more comprehensive request for PAEs. 

The Commission has taken a number of additional steps to reduce the burden of response. 

To reduce the burden on responding parties, expedite responses, and facilitate the Commission’s 

analysis of the information collected, it has prepared an electronic spreadsheet to be completed 

by respondents.134 Further, as noted above, the Commission has revised its requests in many 

instances to minimize the legal or factual analysis required to respond.135 In addition, in order to 

reduce the need to analyze or log documents for privilege, the Commission revised many 

requests originally calling for “all documents” to call for only “studies, analyses, and reports 

which were prepared by or for any officer(s) or director(s) of the company... or presented to any 

Person outside the Firm,” which will reduce the number of responsive documents overall and 

those that may raise potential privilege issues. 

A. Estimated Hours Burden: 

The proposed information collection is a one-time endeavor that will not involve repeated 

responses. In its prior Federal Register notice, the Commission estimated that a recipient’s 

burden for the PAE study would range from 90 to 400 hours depending on the recipient.136 

The burden to respond to information requests will vary with the size of the responding 

firm’s patent holdings, as well as the extent of its patent assertion activity. The Commission 

anticipates that the cumulative hours burden to respond to the information requests will range 

between 275 and 845 hours per firm. Nonetheless, the Commission conservatively assumes that, 

except as noted above with respect to firms with few holdings and little assertion activity, the 

131 Microsoft at 15. 

132 Nokia at 3; InterDigital at 10. 

133 Nokia at 3. 

134 This approach has been suggested by several commenters. See SAS, et al., at 2; Liu at 1; IPO at 2. 

135 InterDigital’s view that the FTC’s burden estimate was too low was based, in part, on its view that “determining 

which patents are or are not subject to licensing commitments and other encumbrances is not just a factual 

determination but a legal one that requires consultation with counsel.” InterDigital at 6. 

136 78 Fed. Reg. 61,352, 61,357 (Oct. 3, 2013) 

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average burden for each of the approximately 25 PAE firms will be 845 hours, and the 

cumulative estimated burden will be 21,125 hours. The Commission conservatively assumes that 

the average burden for each of the approximately 15 wireless chipset manufacturers and wireless 

chipset NPEs will be 565 hours per firm, and the cumulative estimated burden will be 8,475. 

Given these conservative estimates, the total estimated burden is 29,600 hours. These estimates 

attempt to include any time spent by other entities affiliated with the Firm that received the 

information requests, however, the numbers may be greater or lesser depending on the numbers 

of affiliated entities. The Commission seeks to understand the number of affiliated entities as 

part of the Information Requests. 

Task PAE Firms Wireless Chipset 

Manufacturers and 

Wireless Chipset NPEs 

Identify, obtain, and organize firm 

information; prepare response: 

15-35 hours 15-35 hours 

Identify, obtain, and organize patent 

information; prepare response: 

40 – 65 hours N/A 

Identify, obtain, and organize patent 

portfolio information; prepare 

response: 

40 – 65 hours N/A 

Identify, obtain, and organize 

acquisition information; prepare 

response: 

70 – 150 hours N/A 

Identify, obtain, and organize 

transfer information; prepare 

response: 

70 – 150 hours 70 – 150 hours 

Identify, obtain, and organize 

assertion information; prepare 

response: 

150 – 300 hours 150 – 300 hours 

Identify, obtain, and organize 

aggregate revenue information; 

prepare response: 

20 – 40 hours 20 – 40 hours 

Identify, obtain, and organize 

aggregate cost information; prepare 

response: 

20 – 40 hours 20 – 40 hours 

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TOTAL 425 – 845 hours 275 – 565 hours 

B. Estimated Cost Burden: 

It is difficult to calculate precisely labor costs associated with this data production. Labor 

costs entail varying compensation levels of management and/or support staff among firms of 

different sizes. In addition, comments responding to the first Federal Register Notice suggested 

that some respondents expect to utilize outside legal counsel in responding to the requests, which 

may add additional costs. Consequently, although financial, legal, and clerical personnel may be 

involved in the information collection process, the Commission now assumes that 

mid-management personnel and outside legal counsel will handle most of the tasks involved in 

gathering and producing responsive information, and has applied an average rate of $250/hour 

for all labor costs. Thus, except for firms with small patent portfolios and relatively little 

assertion activity, the labor costs per respondent may range between $68,750 (275 hours x 

$250/hour) and $211,250 (845 hours x $250/hour). 

13. Estimated Annual Capital or Other Non-labor Costs 

The Commission anticipates that the capital or other non-labor costs associated with the 

information requests will be minimal. Although the information requests may require the 

respondent to store copies of the requested information provided to the Commission, responding 

Firms should already have in place the means to store information of the volume requested. As 

the SAS Institute noted, “the requested information overlaps significantly with what a PAE 

would have to prepare in connection with asserting and litigating a patent.”137 Further, the 

Internet Association observed that “because patents are PAEs’ primary assets, PAEs, whatever 

the size of their portfolios, likely have well-organized files relating to individual patents and 

patent portfolios.”138 

Respondents may need to purchase minimal office supplies to respond to the request. The 

Commission estimates that each respondent will spend $500 for such costs regarding the 

information request, for a total additional non-labor cost burden of $20,000 ($500 x 40 

respondents). 

14. Estimate of Cost to the Federal Government 

The cost of the information collection to the federal government will include the cost of 

staff time used to design the information requests, analyze the data collected, and produce a 

report in an expeditious manner. It is difficult to quantify the total cost to the Commission to 

complete the study because multiple factors may vary, including how quickly and completely 

subjects respond to information collection requests and the actual amount of time needed to 

complete the study. Nonetheless, the Commission estimates that approximately 3 attorney work 

years ($174,000 per work year, including benefits), 6000 economist hours ($500,000 including 

137 SAS Institute, et. al. at 1. 

138 Internet Association at 3. 

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benefits), and 320 research assistant hours ($11,000 including benefits) will be needed to 

complete the study. Thus, the total remaining cost to the Commission is about $1,033,000. 

Clerical and other support services and costs of conducting the study are included in this 

estimate. 

15. Program Changes or Adjustments 

Not applicable. This is a new collection of information. 

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication of Information 

Subject to OMB clearance, the Commission will collect information from respondents 

and prepare a public report based on the results. The estimated date for the completion of the 

report is 2015. 

17. Failure to Display the OMB Expiration Date 

Not applicable. 

18. Exceptions to Certification 

Not applicable. 

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APPENDIX F: SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR A 

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION 

TO OMB, FTC STUDY OF PATENT ASSERTION 

ENTITES, PART B 

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PART B – COLLECTION OF INFORMATION METHODOLOGY 

1. Description of Sampling Methods 

The FTC believes that it is in the public interest to conduct a descriptive case study of 

Patent Assertion Entity (PAE) activity. The FTC’s study will consist of two parts. The primary 

focus of the study consists of a descriptive case study of the PAE business model. The second 

part is a narrowly focused comparative case study of patent assertion activity in the wireless 

chipset sector. This is a one-time collection that will not create a repetitive burden for 

respondents. 

Response by recipients of the information requests, pursuant to FTC Act Section 6(b), 15 

U.S.C. § 46(b), is mandatory. Previous FTC collections under Section 6(b) orders have had 

100% response rates. The recipient of a 6(b) order may file a petition to limit or quash, and the 

FTC may seek a federal court order requiring compliance. In addition, the FTC may commence 

suit in Federal court under Section 10 of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 50, against any party that fails 

to comply with a 6(b) order after receiving a notice of default from the FTC. 

A. Selection of Subjects for the Broad PAE Case Study 

For the first part of the study, the FTC proposes sending information requests to 

approximately 25 PAEs that use different organizational models and assertion strategies. The 

FTC recognizes that no publicly available data set identifies the full population of PAEs, 

consequently the FTC’s ability to generalize study findings to the population as a whole is 

restricted. Hence, this study will not extrapolate its findings to the population of all PAEs. 

Instead, the FTC will publish a detailed case study of the PAE industry where the study subjects 

have been selected to disproportionately include firms with more patents and litigation activity 

while still including small and medium sized firms. 

An ideally constructed sample of PAEs for the study would select PAEs that were 

representative of the population of PAEs operating in the U.S. Such a sample would oversample 

firms that were more economically important (accounting for a larger proportion of economic 

activity) while simultaneously including firms pursuing different assertion strategies (such as 

acquiring large or small portfolios of patents for later assertion). The FTC then could generalize 

results obtained from such an ideally constructed sample to the population of PAEs. 

Unfortunately, no publicly available data set identifies the full population of PAEs. Moreover, no 

data set describes the type of assertion strategy used by particular PAEs (e.g., primarily litigating 

or primarily licensing). Given the uncertainty about the PAE universe, it is infeasible to conduct 

a study whose results can be generalizable to the population. 

Making the best use of available data, the FTC has designed a subject-selection procedure 

that will simultaneously be more likely to include more economically important firms (that 

account for a larger proportion of PAE behavior) while including firms of different sizes (to 

ensure that firms operating a variety of business models are included). To meet these goals, the 

FTC proposes to use a stratified sampling method. First, the FTC will group firms into categories 

corresponding to firm size. Second, the FTC will randomly sample a fixed number of firms 

within each group, where the probability of being selected will be based on the relative size of 

the firm within the group. Because there is no public data source that systematically estimates the 

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revenues of all PAEs operating in the U.S., the study cannot use a firm’s revenue as a measure of 

firm size. Instead, the study will use two publicly observable measures of a PAE’s size to 

construct a proxy measure for firm size: the estimated patent holdings of PAEs and estimated 

number of defendants sued by the PAE.1 The proposed stratified sampling algorithm used to 

construct the PAE respondent sample is explained below. 

The FTC purchased the measures of estimated patent holdings and the estimated number 

of defendants sued from two commercial data collection firms: Patent Freedom and RPX.2 Patent 

Freedom and RPX use public sources of information to determine if a firm is a PAE. Patent 

Freedom and RPX also provide estimates of the patent holdings and litigation behavior of firms 

engaged in patent litigation. It is important to note that both firms only provide estimates of the 

universe of PAEs. With publicly available data it is not currently possible to determine how 

much of the PAE universe is covered by Patent Freedom and RPX. The FTC does not have the 

resources to conduct a census of the PAE industry from which to determine a sample, and is 

relying on the estimated universe compiled by these firms. Hence, the results of this study will 

not be extrapolated to the population of all PAEs. Instead, the study’s results should be 

interpreted as a detailed case study of the PAE industry where the study subjects have been 

selected to disproportionately include firms with more patents and litigation activity, while still 

including small and medium-sized firms. 

The FTC will sample PAE subjects based on measures of patent holdings and litigation 

activity provided by Patent Freedom and RPX. As one goal of the case study is to cover a large 

part of total observable activity while also sampling smaller firms, the sampling design will use 

two variations on pure random sampling, stratified and weighted sampling, to construct a list of 

study subjects. The selection algorithm will combine measures of both litigation and patent 

holding data to determine the mutually exclusive stratum and the weight assigned to each PAE. 

Stratified sampling will allow the FTC to divide the PAEs included in the publicly 

available data into mutually exclusive strata based on observable characteristics that proxy for 

firm size. Stratified sampling will also ensure that some of the entities from each strata, or group, 

are selected. The sampling design will define three strata based on the combined measure of 

activity – one for the most active firms, one for firms with a moderate level of activity, and one 

for the firms with relatively little observable activity. The FTC will use weighted random 

sampling within each stratum to choose the number of entities allocated to that stratum. 

Within each PAE stratum, the probability of inclusion will be proportional to the measure 

of PAE activity: the larger a firm’s proxy score, the higher the probability that the firm will be 

selected for the study. This is still a random selection process. However, it will increase the 

likelihood – although it will not guarantee – the inclusion of the larger firms within a PAE 

1 The FTC developed this methodology after conducting its own research and meeting with academics, businesses, 

trade associations, and other government representatives. 

2 There also is no publicly available data set detailing all patents held by PAEs and all defendants sued by PAEs. 

Consequently, the FTC conducted its own research and met with academics, businesses, trade associations, and 

representatives of other government agencies to identify commercial data sources. While a number of academics 

have begun to create litigation data sets, Patent Freedom and RPX were the only commercial data providers who 

attempt to identify all PAE patent litigation and measure PAE patent holdings. 

2 

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stratum. The FTC will sum the two size proxy measures into a single composite score.

3 Overall, 

relative to using weighted sampling on a sample that includes firms of all sizes, stratifying the 

PAE sample will increase the probability (substantially in some cases) of including firms with 

lower composite scores (to cover a range of PAE types) and decrease the probability of including 

firms with higher scores. 

The FTC will construct the litigation activity score as follows: across the previous 4 years 

of data (2010-2013), the PAE filing patent infringement suits against the largest number of 

defendants will receive a score of 1.0. All other PAEs will receive a score that is the ratio of their 

total number of defendants to the number of total defendants sued by the most active PAE. The 

patent holding index will be constructed in a similar way. The PAE with the largest number of 

patents held at the end of 2013 will receive a score of 1.0. All other PAEs will receive a score 

that is the ratio of their observed number of patents held to that of the largest PAE. The FTC will 

then sum the two component scores to form the overall weighting statistic that will determine 

both the stratum that the PAE is assigned to and, ultimately, the probability of being included in 

the PAE study.4 The FTC will define strata by non-overlapping ranges of the combined activity 

score, where the ranges are determined after the scores for all of the PAEs in the sample are 

determined. 

Because the FTC is relying on third party estimates of PAEs for the initial selections, the 

FTC will select slightly more PAEs than are ultimately included in each stratum to create a 

candidate sample. After the initial selection is complete, the FTC will sort the selected candidate 

sample PAEs within each stratum according to their activity score. The FTC then will research 

whether the selected firms meet the FTC’s definition of a PAE (i.e. firms with a business model 

based primarily on purchasing patents and attempting to generate revenue by asserting the 

intellectual property against persons who are already practicing the patented technology). Once 

the number of verified firms matches the number of firms allocated to each stratum, the FTC will 

drop the remaining candidate firms from the sample. 

B. Selection of Subjects for the Comparative Wireless Chipset Case Study 

The second part of the study will compare how PAEs, manufacturing firms and other 

firms assert intellectual property in the wireless chipset sector. For example, the FTC seeks to 

explore whether the potential for countersuit against manufacturing firms changes their 

respective assertion behavior relative to PAE firms. While some commenters suggested 

expanding the scope of the comparative case study, the FTC proposes limiting that case study to 

the wireless chipset sector because that sector is relatively well-defined with a significant amount 

of assertion activity by PAEs, manufacturing firms, and other firms. This limitation also permits 

the FTC to achieve its goal of performing a comparative analysis of assertion behavior without 

3 The assumption is that PAEs with large patent holdings but few litigations have significant patent monetization but 

do not rely on filing litigation as a primary business strategy. Similarly, firms with relatively few patents but many 

litigations are assumed to have significant patent monetization activity. 

4 To give a simple, concrete example of the mechanics of the design, consider a stratum of PAEs A, B, and C, in 

which only one firm from the group will be selected. Suppose that A, B, and C file suits against 10, 2, and 3 

defendants respectively: A receives a litigation score of 1.0, B receives 0.2, and C receives 0.3. During the same 

period, A holds 75 patents, B holds 50 patents, and C holds 150 patents. Their respective patent holding scores are 

0.5, 0.33, and 1.0. The resulting probabilities of inclusion for A, B, and C are 0.45, 0.16, and 0.39. 

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imposing an undue burden on study subjects. The FTC proposes sending information requests to 

approximately nine manufacturing firms and approximately six other firms asserting patents in 

this sector. 

For manufacturing firms, the sample will include nine manufacturers of wireless chipsets 

who collectively represent the majority of industry sales of wireless chipsets. Any 

representations in a subsequent report will make clear that the analysis relates specifically to the 

subjects chosen and will not extrapolate to assertion behavior in other industries. 

The FTC recognizes that no publicly available data set identifies the full population of 

non-practicing entities (NPEs) or those NPEs asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector. 

Consequently, the FTC’s ability to generalize study findings to the population as a whole is 

restricted. Hence, this study will not extrapolate its findings to the population of all NPEs or to 

the population of all NPEs asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector. Instead, the FTC will 

publish a comparative case study of the wireless chipset sector where the NPE study subjects 

have been selected to disproportionately include firms with more patents and litigation activity 

while still including small and medium sized firms. 

For NPEs, an ideally constructed sample of NPEs for the comparative wireless chipset 

study would select NPEs that were representative of the population of NPEs asserting patents in 

the wireless chipset sector in the U.S. The FTC then could generalize results obtained from such 

an ideally constructed sample to the population of NPEs asserting patents in that sector. 

Unfortunately, no publicly available data set identifies the full population of NPEs or of NPEs 

asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector. Given the uncertainty about the NPE universe, it 

is infeasible to conduct a study whose results can be generalizable to the population. 

Instead, as in the case of the PAE sample, the FTC has designed a subject-selection 

procedure for NPEs that will simultaneously be more likely to include the most economically 

important firms (that account for a larger proportion of NPE assertions in the wireless chipset 

sector) while including firms of different sizes (to ensure that firms operating a variety of 

business models are included). To meet these goals, the FTC proposes to use a stratified 

sampling method similar to the method used in the PAE sample. First, the FTC will group firms 

into categories corresponding to firm size. Second, the FTC will randomly sample a fixed 

number of firms within each group, where the probability of selection will be based on the 

relative size of the firm within the group. Because there is no public data source that 

systematically estimates the revenues of all NPEs operating in the U.S., or more particularly of 

those asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector, one cannot use a firm’s revenue as a 

measure of firm size. Instead, the FTC will use two publicly observable measures of NPE size to 

construct a proxy measure for firm size: the estimated patent holdings of the NPE and the 

estimated number of defendants sued by the NPE. The proposed stratified sampling algorithm 

used to construct the NPE respondent sample is explained below. 

The FTC purchased the measures of estimated patent holdings and the estimated number 

of defendants sued from two commercial data collection firms: Patent Freedom and RPX.5 Patent 

5 There also is no publicly available data set detailing all patents held by PAEs and all defendants sued by PAEs. 

Consequently, the FTC conducted its own research and met with academics, businesses, trade associations, and 

representatives of other government agencies to identify commercial data sources. While a number of academics 

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Freedom and RPX use public sources of information to determine if a firm is an NPE. Patent 

Freedom and RPX also provide estimates of the patent holdings and litigation behavior of firms 

engaged in patent litigation. It is important to note that both firms only provide estimates of the 

universe of NPEs. With publicly available data it is not currently possible to determine how 

much of the NPE universe, or the universe of NPEs asserting patents in the wireless chipset 

sector, is covered by Patent Freedom and RPX. The FTC does not have the resources to conduct 

a census of the NPE industry from which to determine a sample, and is relying on the estimated 

universe compiled by these firms. Hence, the results of this study will not be extrapolated to the 

population of all NPEs or to all NPEs asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector. Instead, the 

study results should be interpreted as a detailed case study of NPEs and manufacturers in the 

wireless chipset sector where the NPE subjects have been selected to disproportionately include 

firms with more patents and litigation activity while still including small and medium sized 

NPEs. 

The NPE subjects will be sampled based on measures of patent holdings and litigation 

activity provided by Patent Freedom and RPX. As in the PAE sample, the sampling design will 

use two variations on pure random sampling, stratified and weighted sampling, to construct a list 

of study subjects. The selection algorithm will combine measures of both litigation and patent 

holding data to determine the mutually exclusive stratum and the weight assigned to each NPE. 

Stratified sampling will allows the FTC to divide the NPEs included in the publicly 

available data into mutually exclusive strata based on observable characteristics that proxy for 

firm size. Stratified sampling will also ensure that some of the entities from each strata, or group, 

are selected. The sampling design will define three strata based on the combined measure of 

activity – one for the most active firms, one for firms with a moderate level of activity, and one 

for the firms with relatively little observable activity. The FTC will use weighted random 

sampling within each stratum to choose the number of entities allocated to that stratum. 

Within each NPE stratum, the probability of inclusion will be proportional to the measure 

of NPE activity: the larger a firm’s proxy score, the higher the probability that it is selected for 

the study. This is still a random selection process. However, it will increase the likelihood – 

although it will not guarantee – the inclusion of the larger firms within a NPE stratum. The FTC 

will then sum the two size proxy measures into a single composite score to capture large NPEs 

across different business strategies. The composite score will be relative to other firms in the 

NPE sample only. Overall, relative to using weighted sampling on a sample that includes firms 

of all sizes, stratifying the NPE sample will increase the probability (substantially in some cases) 

of including firms with lower composite scores (to cover a range of NPE types) and will decrease 

the probability of including firms with higher scores. 

The FTC will construct the litigation activity score will be constructed as follows: across 

the previous 4 years of data (2010-2013), the NPE filing patent infringement suits against the 

largest number of defendants will receive a score of 1.0. All other NPEs will receive a score that 

is the ratio of their total number of defendants to the number of total defendants sued by the most 

active NPE. The patent holding index will be constructed in a similar way. The NPE with the 

have begun to create litigation data sets, Patent Freedom and RPX were the only commercial data providers who 

attempt to identify all NPE patent litigation and measure NPE patent holdings. 

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largest number of patents held at the end of 2013 will receive a score of 1.0. All other NPEs will 

receive a score that is the ratio of their observed number of patents held to that of the largest 

NPE. The FTC will then sum the two component scores will be summed to form the overall 

weighting statistic that will determine both the stratum to which the NPE is assigned and, 

ultimately, the probability of the NPE being included in the comparative wireless chipset study. 

The FTC will define strata by non-overlapping ranges of the combined activity score, where the 

ranges are determined after the scores for all of the NPEs in the sample are determined. 

Because the FTC is relying on third party estimates of NPEs for the initial selections, the 

FTC will select more NPEs than are ultimately included in each stratum to create a candidate 

sample. After the initial selection is complete, the FTC will sort the selected candidate sample 

NPEs within each stratum according to their activity score. FTC staff will then research whether 

the selected firms meet the FTC’s definition of an NPE (i.e. firms with a business model based 

primarily on developing and transferring their patented technologies) and whether the firm is 

asserting patents in the wireless chipset sector. Once the number of verified firms matches the 

number of firms allocated to each stratum, the FTC will drop the remaining candidate firms from 

the sample. 

2. Description of Information Collection Procedures 

This is a one-time collection that will not create a repetitive burden for respondents. 

For the first case study, the FTC proposes sending information requests to approximately 

25 PAEs that use different organizational models and assertion strategies. (The sampling 

methodology is described in Part 1 of this document.) For instance, the proposed requests seek 

information on the composition of PAE portfolios (information such as the age and field of 

patents); whether any patents are essential to any standards or encumbered by other licensing 

obligations; the costs of acquiring patents, as well as whether the PAEs share an economic 

interest in their portfolios with other entities. The requests also seek information about assertion 

activity, such as licensing and litigation activity, and the costs from assertion. 

The second case study compares how PAEs, manufacturing firms and other firms assert 

intellectual property in the wireless chipset sector. For example, the FTC seeks to explore 

whether the potential for countersuit against manufacturing firms changes their respective 

assertion behavior relative to PAE firms. While some commenters suggested expanding the 

scope of the comparative case study, the FTC proposes limiting that case study to the wireless 

chipset sector because that sector is relatively well-defined with a significant amount of assertion 

activity by PAEs, manufacturing firms, and other firms. This limitation also permits the FTC to 

achieve its goal of performing a comparative analysis of assertion behavior without imposing an 

undue burden on respondents. For the second case study, the FTC proposes sending information 

requests to approximately 9 manufacturing firms and approximately 6 NPEs who assert patents 

in the wireless chipset sector. 

The information requests sent to manufacturing firms and NPEs who assert patents in the 

wireless chipset sector will have fewer questions than the information requests sent to PAE 

respondents. It will not include subparts relating to patent holdings, patent portfolios, and patent 

acquisition. It also will only request information for the subset of respondents’ assertion activity 

related to the wireless chipset sector. 

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The FTC will send one set of information requests to each respondent. The requests will 

call for both the production of non-privileged documents as well as the provision of information 

in both narrative and spreadsheet form. Wherever practical, the FTC will ask for short responses 

that can be provided as spreadsheet entries, such as dates, dollar amounts, and “yes” or “no” 

responses. The FTC also will provide a spreadsheet template that will include sample responses 

and formatting instructions. 

Because the FTC will carefully direct information requests toward significant aspects of 

the respondents’ business activities, the FTC expects that respondents will have much of the 

requested data available in an organized electronic form. Consequently, the FTC expects that the 

spreadsheet will reduce the respondent’s burden. In addition, the use of a spreadsheet will reduce 

the FTC’s burden in analyzing responses. 

A. Information Collection 

The information to be collected in each subpart is discussed below: 

1. Firm Information 

The proposed information request for both case studies will include one subpart related to 

the respondents’ corporate form and organization, including identification of parents, 

subsidiaries, and related firms. As noted in Part A, information related to how PAEs are 

organized is relevant to both patent reform legislation and other policy responses to PAE 

activity. This subpart comprises several questions calling for a narrative response. Because the 

FTC expects that respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages 

electronic submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

2. Patent Information 

The proposed information requests for the PAE case study will include one subpart 

asking for information related to each patent held by the respondent since January 1, 2009. As 

noted in Part A, information regarding PAE patent holdings is relevant to a number of policy 

issues. 

To reduce the burden to respondents, the FTC has coordinated with the United States 

Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In this section, the FTC will request that respondents 

provide a spreadsheet listing the patent number for each relevant patent so the FTC can crossreference this data with data obtained from the USPTO. By doing this, the FTC will reduce the 

burden to respondents because it will reduce production of publicly available data. 

The proposed information request also will ask for non-public information regarding the 

patent, including whether third parties hold any interests in the patent and whether any party has 

performed a valuation of the patent. In addition, the proposed request will ask respondents to 

provide information regarding the history of each patent, such as whether the patent has ever 

been licensed or asserted in litigation. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce specific documents, for example existing 

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agreements and non-privileged reports related to requested patents. Because the FTC expects that 

respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages electronic submission 

to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

3. Standard Setting Commitments 

The proposed information request for both the PAE case study and the wireless case 

study will include one subpart related to commitments made to Standard Setting Organizations 

(SSO). In the PAE case study, the FTC also will ask respondents to identify any patent held by 

the PAE since January 1, 2009 subject to an SSO licensing commitment. In the wireless chipset 

case study, the FTC will ask respondents to identify any patent asserted in the wireless sector 

held by the firm since January 1, 2009 that is subject to a SSO licensing commitment. 

To address public comments raising concerns regarding burden, the FTC will ask 

respondents to identify such commitments only when they are known to the firm. The FTC will 

not ask firms to perform legal analysis to identify encumbered patents. The FTC intends to crossreference this information with assertion information to observe how firms assert standard 

essential patents. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce specific documents, for example, agreements 

related to the SSO commitment. Because the FTC expects that respondents will have this data 

available in electronic form, it encourages electronic submission to reduce the respondent’s 

burden. 

4. Patent Portfolio Information 

The proposed information requests for the PAE case study will include one subpart 

asking for information related to the manner in which PAEs organize their patent holdings into 

portfolios. For example, the FTC will ask about the corresponding technological areas for patent 

portfolios, the identity of patents held patent portfolios and information regarding portfolio 

valuation. As noted in Part A, information regarding PAE patent organization is relevant to a 

number of policy issues. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce specific documents. Because the FTC expects 

that respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages electronic 

submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

5. Patent Acquisitions 

The proposed information requests for the PAE case study will include one subpart 

asking for details regarding each transaction in which the PAE acquired a patent since January 1, 

2009. The FTC will ask respondents to complete three spreadsheets. The primary spreadsheet 

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will have one entry for each acquisition transaction. The FTC will ask respondents to provide 

information regarding the transaction, including the date, transferor, and details regarding the 

nature of the acquisition. The second spreadsheet will have one entry for each patent acquired in 

each transaction. The FTC will ask respondents to list the patent number for each acquired 

patent, which will allow the FTC to cross-reference assertion information with acquisition 

information on a per-patent basis. The third spreadsheet has one entry for each third party 

receiving compensation as a result of the acquisition transaction. The FTC will ask respondents 

to provide detail regarding the amount and type of payments made to third parties to acquire 

patents, which will provide the FTC with quantitative information regarding the financial 

benefits to third parties—including inventors—of PAE activity. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce specific documents. Because the FTC expects 

that respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages electronic 

submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

6. Patent Transfers 

The proposed information requests for both studies include will one subpart asking for 

details regarding each transaction in which the respondent transferred a patent to third parties 

since January 1, 2009. 

The FTC will ask respondents to complete three spreadsheets. The primary spreadsheet 

has one entry for each transfer transaction. The FTC will ask respondents to provide information 

regarding the transaction, including the date, transferee, and details regarding the nature of the 

transaction. The second spreadsheet has one entry for each patent transferred in each transaction. 

The FTC will ask respondents to list the patent number for each transfer patent, which will allow 

the FTC to cross-reference transfer information with acquisition information on a per-patent 

basis. The third spreadsheet has one entry for each third party that compensated the respondent 

as a result of the transaction, including the amount paid. The FTC will ask respondents to 

provide detail regarding the amount and type of payments received from third parties to acquire 

patents. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce specific documents. Because the FTC expects 

that respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages electronic 

submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

7. Assertion Information 

The proposed information requests for both case studies will include one subpart asking 

for details regarding each instance in which the respondent asserted patents since January 1, 

2009. Both case studies will study three types of assertion activity: the sending of demands, 

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patent litigation, and patent licensing. This subpart will have one section related to each type of 

assertion activity. 

The first section will ask questions about demands sent by the respondent. Demands 

include correspondence inviting a third party to take a patent license. As noted in Part A, PAE 

conduct regarding demands is the topic of proposed reform legislation. The FTC will ask 

respondents to provide a spreadsheet listing each demand and providing information such as the 

recipients and the patents and products at issue. The FTC will provide a template spreadsheet to 

guide respondents. In addition, the FTC will request that respondents produce correspondence 

and reports related to the demand. 

The second section will ask questions about litigation involving patents held by the 

respondent. The FTC will ask respondents to provide a spreadsheet listing each lawsuit and 

providing information such as the patents and products at issue. In addition, the FTC will request 

information regarding the disposition of the lawsuit and will request the production of relevant 

court orders, expert reports, and settlement agreements. The FTC will provide a template 

spreadsheet to guide respondents. 

The third section will ask questions about licenses that the respondent executed since 

January 1, 2009. The FTC will ask respondents to provide a spreadsheet listing each license, and 

providing information regarding the licensee, licensed patents, and terms of the license 

agreement. The proposed information requests will also enquire into payments received pursuant 

to the licenses, and call for the production of reports and agreements related to the license. The 

FTC will provide a template spreadsheet to guide respondents. 

Each section will ask respondents to identify the patents relevant to each assertion, which 

will allow the FTC to cross-reference this information with patent holding and acquisition 

information. In particular, this information will allow the FTC to compare the revenues derived 

by the respondent from a particular patent to the payments made to acquire the patent, including 

payments made to the inventor. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce specific documents. Because the FTC expects 

that respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages electronic 

submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

8. Aggregate Cost Information 

The proposed information requests for the PAE case study and the wireless case study will 

include one subpart asking for information regarding the respondent’s costs for each year since 

2009. To understand the overall costs of operating a PAE, the FTC will ask respondents to 

provide aggregate cost information for patent acquisitions, patent litigation, and patent licensing 

for each year from 2009 to the date of the request. The FTC will also request estimates of future 

costs associated with ongoing acquisitions, litigations, and licensing. In addition, if PAEs are 

engaged in R&D activity related to patents they hold, the FTC will request the aggregate cost of 

R&D activity. While some of the information requested in the Aggregate Cost section of the 

information request may have been reported in earlier sections of the information request, there 

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are two reasons why it is important that this information be reported in the aggregate cost 

section. First, this section will report data over time. This will allow the FTC to observe how the 

costs of PAEs in the broad case study and Other Entities in the wireless chipset case study have 

changed over time. Second, to the extent that some of the costs associated with patent assertion 

are fixed (not directly affected by the number of firms involved in litigation, licensing, or 

Demands), it may not be possible for Firms to attribute costs to each litigation, Demand, or 

license. These general fixed costs can be reported in the aggregate cost section of the information 

request. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce documents sufficient to show these costs, 

which is less burdensome than requiring production of all documents that discuss costs. Because 

the FTC expects that respondents will have this data available in electronic form, it encourages 

electronic submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

9. Aggregate Revenue Data 

The proposed information requests for the PAE case study and the wireless case study 

will include one subpart asking for information regarding the respondent’s revenues for each 

year since 2009. In order to better understand the sources of revenue PAEs receive, the FTC will 

ask that respondents provide aggregate revenue information corresponding to patent transfers, 

patent litigation, and patent licensing for each year from 2009 to the date of the request. In 

addition, estimates of future revenues associated with ongoing transfers, litigations, and licensing 

are requested. This section will report data over time, which will allow staff to observe how the 

revenues of PAEs in the broad case study and Other Entities in the wireless chipset case study 

have changed over time. While the information requested in the Aggregate Revenue section of 

the information request may have been reported in earlier sections of the information request, in 

most cases only revenues aggregated over time are requested in those sections to lessen burden 

on respondents. 

The FTC will ask respondents to provide information regarding both their revenues and 

how those proceeds are shared with third parties. The FTC will ask for this information on an 

annual basis, broken down into revenues from the transfer and assertion activities identified in 

response to the other requests. 

To reduce the respondent’s burden, wherever practical, the FTC will seek a “yes” or “no” 

response, or a simple categorical or numerical response. To further reduce the respondent’s 

burden, the FTC will provide respondents with a template spreadsheet to answer “yes,” “no,” 

categorical and numerical requests. Some requests, however, will require narrative responses. 

Other requests will require respondents to produce documents sufficient to show these revenues, 

which is a less burdensome request than requiring production of all documents that discuss 

revenues. Because the FTC expects that respondents will have this data available in electronic 

form, it encourages electronic submission to reduce the respondent’s burden. 

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B. Statistical Limitations of Empirical Analysis 

The goal of the proposed study is to develop and publicly disseminate qualitative and 

quantitative information describing patent assertion activities to inform policymakers and the 

public on the nature of patent assertion business models. The proposed study consists of two 

related case studies, a PAE case study and a wireless case study. While the PAE case study 

includes PAEs that selected by a stratified random sampling method from an estimated 

population of PAEs, the FTC will not project its findings to the population of PAEs as a whole. 

As described above, it is not possible to determine how well the estimated population of PAEs 

being sampled corresponds to the true universe of PAEs. As a result, the study should be viewed 

as descriptive and limited to the observed sample. 

The wireless case study compares the assertion behavior of NPEs and manufacturers in 

the wireless chipset sector. The FTC has chosen to study the wireless chipset sector because it is 

a sector with substantial patent assertion, litigation, and licensing by PAEs, NPEs, and 

manufacturers. As noted above, this is a case study, and as such, it is not statistically valid to 

extrapolate the findings from the case study to the population of PAEs, manufacturers, or NPEs. 

Instead, the findings of the case study should be viewed as descriptive and probative for future 

studies seeking to explore the relationships between organizational form and assertion behavior. 

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates/Reliability of Sample Data 

As noted above, response by recipients of the proposed information request is mandatory. 

Additionally any destruction, removal, mutilation, alteration or falsification of documentary 

evidence that may be responsive to this information collection within the possession, custody or 

control of a person, partnership, or corporation subject to the FTC Act may be subject to criminal 

prosecution. 15 U.S.C. § 50; see also 18 U.S.C. § 1505. Consequently, the FTC expects 100% 

compliance with the requests. 

4. Testing Procedures and Methods Undertaken 

The FTC has not conducted any tests of procedures or methods to be used in the collection of 

the information from recipients. As discussed in Section (2) above, FTC staff have developed 

detailed spreadsheets to facilitate data collection both to lower respondents’ burden and to 

facilitate staff analysis of the information submitted. 

5. Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects of the Surveys 

The questions for the survey have been developed and reviewed internally by various FTC 

staff, including staff attorneys and economists within the Office of Policy Planning, the Bureau 

of Competition, and the Bureau of Economics. The attorney contact is Suzanne Munck, Chief 

Counsel for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director, Office of Policy Planning, (202-326­

2429). 

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Federal Trade Commission 

ftc.gov