NPEs are defined by the authors as individuals and firms who own patents but to not use the patented technology to produce goods and services. Instead they assert the patents against companies that do produce goods and services. Aggregated costs include legal costs, settlement costs, and other costs for resolved lawsuits, unresolved lawsuits and non-litigated assertions. Accrued costs means full projected costs of currently unresolved lawsuits are included.
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Patent litigation costs involving NPEs in the U.S. 2005-2011
The statistic shows a the aggregated accrued direct costs of patent litigations involving NPEs in the United States from 2005 to 2011. NPEs are popularly known as "patent trolls", firms who do not produce goods and services from their patents, but use them to sue other companies who do. In 2009, the total costs for defendants in NPE patent litigations amounted to about **** billion U.S. dollars.
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Boston University. (June 28, 2012). Aggregated accrued direct costs of patent litigations involving NPEs in the United States from 2005 to 2011 (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 30, 2026, from /statistics/257602/patent-litigation-costs-involving-npes-in-the-us/
Boston University. "Aggregated accrued direct costs of patent litigations involving NPEs in the United States from 2005 to 2011 (in million U.S. dollars)." Chart. June 28, 2012. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 30, 2026. /statistics/257602/patent-litigation-costs-involving-npes-in-the-us/
Boston University. (2012). Aggregated accrued direct costs of patent litigations involving NPEs in the United States from 2005 to 2011 (in million U.S. dollars). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 30, 2026. /statistics/257602/patent-litigation-costs-involving-npes-in-the-us/
Boston University. "Aggregated Accrued Direct Costs of Patent Litigations Involving Npes in The United States from 2005 to 2011 (in Million U.S. Dollars)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 28 Jun 2012, /statistics/257602/patent-litigation-costs-involving-npes-in-the-us/
Boston University, Aggregated accrued direct costs of patent litigations involving NPEs in the United States from 2005 to 2011 (in million U.S. dollars) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/257602/patent-litigation-costs-involving-npes-in-the-us/ (last visited July 30, 2026)
Aggregated accrued direct costs of patent litigations involving NPEs in the United States from 2005 to 2011 (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph], Boston University, June 28, 2012. [Online]. Available: /statistics/257602/patent-litigation-costs-involving-npes-in-the-us/
