Patent trolls are the bane of almost every industry out there. The typical definition of one is a company who exists for no other purpose other than to sue and collect money based on the patents they own. Sometimes the patents are real, sometimes the patents are vague, but regardless these trolls are hoping that the long and drawn out court process will force companies into making a quick settlement.
That being said, it seems that one particular patent troll might have bitten off more than they can chew when they went after Adam Carolla, a comedian who has done many a podcast in the past. The company in question, Personal Audio, claims that they own a patent that would basically allow them to claim cash from anyone who has done a podcast in their life.
Carolla, not taking too kindly to being sued, managed to help raise over $400,000 thanks to the help of his fans which he was planning on using to fight Personal Audio. The company has since backed down, claiming that the amount of money they can claim is not worth their efforts, but it looks like Carolla is not letting this go.
Apparently Carolla is planning on pursuing counterclaims against Personal Audio and is also seeking to invalidate the patent so that the company can no longer sue podcasters based on it. While it remains to be seen how this one will play out but in the meantime, Personal Audio has gone forward with their patent case against television networks CBS, NBC, and ABC, with the trials expected to take place this September.
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