The whole patent system REALLY needs to be entirely redesigned for today's world and unique situations that were never forseen before the technological age. And honestly, they have to stop giving out so many for every little thing and way to do something differently. Everyone who comes up with an idea for something, say a cell phone, every person is going to want that and if they can't get it, the idea will fail. It only works if the public adopts it. If they can't get it or it's limited too much by this rule or that regulation, then it isn't going to succeed. Make the ideas open and let all of the companies compete to make the 'better' version I say. Other companies are going to find a way to make your idea anyhow if it's worth making. Might as well have the competition there to push everyone at the same time to do the best job possible for the world.
Heck, right now it's almost like companies are trying to patent the word 'The' for example. Then 'Company X, Y and Z use the word 'The' in articles, advertising and tools and I WANT MY MONEY!'. It's beyond ridiculous. And these patent farming companies need to basically immediately made ILLEGAL and now. To hold a patent of any type validly, you need to actively make a product using the patent or it should be no longer valid. Period.
That's what I think anyhow...