Once its strategy was clear and its portfolio in place, Patriot pared its operations to the bone, outsourced enforcement of its patents to a joint venture and commissioned a study to look at how it might dispose of its CPU business. ``This company doesn`t need to be manufacturing anything or marketing a product. We can essentially rely on our licensing team to create revenue for us,`` said Pohl.

Patriot is just one of a rising number of so-called patent-licensing and -enforcement companies. One source said multiple venture funds are forming to bankroll the efforts of these PLECs as they carve out business models in the midst of a gold rush in intellectual property (IP).