implied license by equitable estoppel

An implied license usu. based on the patentee’s failure to take timely action to enforce patent rights against an infringer after objecting to the infringer’s actions, thereby misleading the infringer into believing that the patentee will not act. See A.C. Aukerman Co. v. R.L. Chaides Constr. Co., 960 F.2d 1020, 1042–43 (Fed. Cir. 1992).