What is patent infringement typically characterized by?

Patent infringement is typically characterized by being common in court battles because it often leads to legal disputes between patent holders and alleged infringers. When a party believes that their patent rights have been violated, they may seek legal recourse to enforce their rights and obtain damages. This frequently results in litigation, as patent laws can be intricate, and both sides may have differing interpretations of patent validity and scope.

Litigating patent infringement cases can be complex and costly, which is why such disputes are prevalent in courts. Given that patents can cover a wide range of innovations, including technologies, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing processes, the frequency of these cases reflects the competitive nature of industries reliant on intellectual property.

The other options, while related to the broader issue of patents, do not accurately capture the essence of patent infringement. Knowledge of a patent may help avoid infringement, but it does not necessarily guarantee avoidance. Legal fees can indeed be significant, but this is more of a consequence of litigation rather than a defining characteristic of patent infringement itself. Similarly, while software patents may be a point of contention in legal disputes, patent infringement is not limited to software and can involve a wide variety of fields and innovations.