[Cybercowboy]

but I play one on TV...

The thing about pursuing your patents is this: If you sit on your patent for a period of time while others are possibly infringing on it, you have just wounded any potential lawsuit severly. Basically, you have to prove that you have diligently pursued infringers or you lose some standing in court. I had this explained to me by a high-powered laywer once and I am sure that I have totally butchered this, but that's what I took from it.

Therefore, if UniSys knowingly allowed their GIF patent to be infringed and only decided to litigate when there was money to be made, they are already on the losing side of the lawsuit - unless they can prove that they didn't know it was being infringed prior to the suit.