The term patent troll is used without regard to any facts in the media these days, and I fear that is doing harm to the patent system.
The patent system was designed to foster innovation. If you invent something, you get protection for your intellectual property. It's not a requirement that you produce a product. You could realize that you don't have the resources right out of the gate and choose to license your invention to someone that does. The days of submarine patents are over.
There are some entities that actually are patent trolls - companies that collect patents for litigation purposes - but just because a lawsuit happens doesn't mean that the plaintiff is a patent troll.
The patent system was designed to foster innovation. If you invent something, you get protection for your intellectual property. It's not a requirement that you produce a product. You could realize that you don't have the resources right out of the gate and choose to license your invention to someone that does. The days of submarine patents are over.
There are some entities that actually are patent trolls - companies that collect patents for litigation purposes - but just because a lawsuit happens doesn't mean that the plaintiff is a patent troll.