When Does Patent Enforcement Become Exploitation?

Patents are intended to promote and reward advances in technology, but they can also be a nuisance to both start-ups and established companies when the patent owner uses the threat of burdensome litigation to coerce the companies into paying license fees.  The case of Shipping & Transit LLC v. Hall Enterprises, Inc., demonstrates how a patent owner can generate considerable revenue using the latter strategy and yet be called to task for doing so.