The tobacco industry is, unsurprisingly, fighting the suit vigorously.

ECONOMIST: Big Tobacco cut down to size, yet again | The

Aho's Salt Lake City, Utah, software firm, ClearPlay , is one of several small companies fighting off a suit in U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado, brought by 16 famed Hollywood directors and eight large studios, for selling cleaned-up versions of popular videos to squeamish parents.

FORBES: Monster in a box

Aho's Salt Lake City software firm, ClearPlay , is one of several small companies (with names like Clean Flicks and Play It Clean Video) fighting off a suit in U.S. District Court in Denver, brought by 16 famed Hollywood directors and eight large studios, for selling cleaned-up versions of popular videos to squeamish parents.

FORBES: Monster in a Box

Medtronic Sofamor Danek, its spinal division, is fighting a federal whistleblower suit in Tennessee.

FORBES: First, Do No Harm

They usually don't, but rather file suit hoping accused infringers will settle to avoid the high cost of fighting the case in court.

WSJ: Should Patents Be Awarded to Software?