[akersten]

By settling, they would be enabling the cycle of abuse. This is as good as "you could always pay the bitcoin ransom." OP needs to contact the EFF and knock this down in court - it's the only way to push back against insane software patents.

[kleinsch]

OP would have to spend tons of money and hundreds of hours fighting this, then still have a nonzero chance of losing and going out of business. Always easy to say that someone else should fight it.

[spicybright]

This ^

Fighting it means legislative changes, not falling on your sword hoping you put a dent in their impenetrable armor.

[ufmace]

This is bad advice. OP is trying to start/run a business, not fix the world or satisfy somebody's justice quest. It's nice to do if you can, but your first responsibility is to yourself.

[scotty79]

Basically telling him to do anything else is to request of him to do the policing of anti-social behavior in a broken system that enables it, at huge personal cost.

Some people do. People like that are necessary. But not everybody is willing to take that responsibility and associated burden.