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Cisco Lawyer Outs Self As "Patent Troll Tracker"

Posted by kdawson on from the thorn-in-the-side dept.

DustyShadow writes "Slashdot previously discussed the $10,000 bounty (since raised to $15,000) that was put on the identity of the Patent Troll Tracker author by a law firm that represents patent holding 'shell' companies. After he received a threatening email last week, the author identified himself as Richard Frenkel, a director in Cisco Systems' intellectual property group. According to law.com, many patent litigators have followed the Troll Tracker closely and are worried that it may now be discontinued. According to the lawyer who offered the bounty, it has not been claimed."

4 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Bounty by provigilman · · Score: 4, Informative

    What could this anonymous person have done to him that could possibly be "unpleasant"?

    RTFA dude...

    From the Article:

    Facing an e-mailed threat of being named, Richard Frenkel, a director in Cisco Systems' intellectual property group, identified himself on Saturday as the author of Patent Troll Tracker

    Someone probably found out who he was, and may have even been trying to extort money...something like "I'll get 15K for saying who you are, you pay me 5K and I'll keep quiet."

    At the very least though, he basically got an e-mail saying "Richard, I know who you are...come clean, or I WILL".

    --
    "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang
  2. Re:Bounty by orclevegam · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually he had been told that if he revealed himself and did a public debate with the guy offering the bounty that the money would be donated to a charity (I believe of his choice, but not sure). According to TFA he hasn't responded to that offer either before or after he outed himself.

    --
    Curiosity was framed, Ignorance killed the cat.
  3. Re:Patent system is too expensive for taxpayers by Corpuscavernosa · · Score: 4, Informative
    Correction. The patent system is self funded through filing fees. The real problem is that Congress is actually the taking of PTO funds to support other non-patent endeavors.

    As a consequence, examiners get burned out because of increased workload and the inability to become real subject-matter experts, and there's your lack of experience in examiners.

    I have three friends with scientific backgrounds who graduated law school in 2006-5 who immediately took jobs at the PTO. As of now, none are still working there, citing the above reasons.

    --
    We figured out a long time ago that it's easier to elect seven judges than to elect 132 legislators.
  4. Re:Bounty by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    "The clear threat in the email is that he would do it in a way I wouldn't be happy about. I don't know what that means, but as I have been growing weary of anonymity anyway, here I am" ... RTFB