It seems to me that MP3 couldn't possibly have all these inventions in it.

MP3 is:

1. Conversion from spacial domain to frequency domain. This is Fourier mathematics (1600's Mathematician).

2. Removal of frequency components that are masked by other sounds present. (The big idea claimed by Frauenhofer labs).

3. Huffman compression (MIT 1952).

Looks like a troll to me, all of those companies couldn't possibly own patents in what is a relatively simple system.

It's a sad state of affairs that the hardware manufacturers allow patent trolls to bully them.

They alone have the power to move everyone to ogg vorbis support, and out of the vicious circle of existing device support fuelling new device demand cycle.

Never mind the fact I think patents are just plain bad for our (uk) economy.