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US: Federal focus on patent trolls strengthens, subpoena power may be used

By  |  April 16, 2013

As interest in the effects of so-called patent trolls on competition grows since a December 2012 workshop was held on the issue by the Federal Trade Commission, the authority may soon be able to use subpoena power to gather information on those effects. Last week the FTC announced that it is considering opening an investigation into the matter, which would allow the authority to use subpoena power and obtain information such as when those “trolls” who buy up patents divide revenues with other aggregators or operating companies, or how much money returns to investors. Former FTC policy director David Balto said in a statement that lack of information is the largest problem for officials when it comes to patent trolls.

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