In 2007, a jury ordered Microsoft to pay Alcatel-Lucent US$1.5 billion in damages following a digital music patent lawsuit. The award was overturned on appeal, but proponents of the 2009 Patent Reform Act say it is indicative of the kind of excessive payouts that can arise from patent lawsuits.

"We clearly need better patent litigation in place to allow us and many others in the industry to continue to innovate," said Symantec Chairman and CEO John Thompson, speaking on a conference call with reporters.

His company spends about $4 million each time it is hit with a patent lawsuit.

"The resources spent on these frivolous lawsuits would be much better spent innovating," said Mike Holston, Hewlett-Packard's general counsel, on the same call.

A group representing patent-holders that oppose the legislation said that it would harm U.S. entrepreneurs, large and small. "The bill introduced today is basically the same divisive bill that was opposed by a broad range of American industries, innovators, universities and labor unions when it stalled in the last Congress,” the Innovation Alliance said in a statement.