An article on CNET is detailing some more "fun" with patents out there. This time, it is Acacia Media Technologies shaking down companies for the "process of transmitting compressed audio or video online".

Once again, the thing that I find most disturbing about this is that the patent claims are not being made because this company invented something and are benefiting the world by that invention's license. Instead, they're a company whose M.O. appears to be to acquire patents in order to shake down companies.

In this case, the company spent 2 years research who had the patents they wanted and acquiring them.

[Ed.]

Can somebody please point me to the part of the constitution that grants patents as a Property right? Looks to me by reading it and the original Copyright and Patent Act, that it was a limited monopoly granted by the government in order to encourage innovation, not a government-sponsored scheme to stymie innovation and line the pockets of wealthy lawyers.