Summary: IP Dealmakers Forum, which describes itself as a groundbreaking event designed to connect investors with intellectual property information and opportunities, is lionising patent trolls

EARLIER this year we highlighted widespread complaints about Nathan Myhrvold, one of Bill Gates' closest friends from Microsoft and now head of the world's largest patent troll (Intellectual Ventures), being announced a prospective keynote speaker for UCLA's commencement ceremony.

Looking at IP Dealmakers Forum's latest announcement (see official site) was very reminiscent of this. While the patent opportunists rejoice, rational people are somewhat shocked. When your keynote comes from the world's largest patent troll, what does it say about your forum? To quote this press release, "Intellectual Ventures Founder and Chief Technology Officer Edward Jung to Keynote" (they can't really have a technology officer because they have no products, there is no technology).

"Surely there is a problem with patent trolls in the US, but a lot of this stems from the introduction and expansion of software patents."Speaking of patent trolls, we are seeing software patents being used by them again. An entity called Virtual Gaming Technologies, LLC has just filed three separate patent infringement complaints. As Forbes put it, "lawsuits against DraftKings and FanDuel keep piling up, with over 25 federal actions filed against each since the start of October. Now a new type of complaint has been submitted against the daily fantasy sports operators based on a claim of patent infringement, and Fox Sports has been added to the mix."

Surely there is a problem with patent trolls in the US, but a lot of this stems from the introduction and expansion of software patents. We are now getting the same nuisance in Europe. The EPO is at least partly to blame for this. The EPO's management doesn't even seem to mind. ⬆