Patent battles in the technology space sometimes come down to “Goliath-vs.-Goliath” throwdowns, like the ongoing legal fights between Samsung and Apple. Often, when there is a “David” involved in these patent lawsuits, that smaller participant is a non-practicing entity – sometimes known as a “patent troll.”

But other times, lost in the shuffle of the mega-battles and troll fights, a small, innovative company goes up against a giant. In August, for example, Dyson, the British company known for making vacuum cleaners and hand dryers, went up against Samsung, claiming the Korean electronics firm was infringing on one of Dyson's patents, which involves a steering mechanism on the MotoSync Range.

Samsung was able to produce prior art, which demonstrated that it was not infringing, and Dyson withdrew the suit. But now, Samsung has decided to fight back, treating Dyson like a troll. The electronics giant has filed a lawsuit against Dyson, to the tune of about $9 million. Samsung claims that the initial Dyson suit harmed its reputation.