Can companies calm down on the patent front? 

Filing a patent to ensure you have full control over the web/mobile/world etc is short-sighted, and stops innovation.

It won't be long before the company with the most control is driven up prices and monopolizing the marketplace - and no one else can compete.

Apple is a big fan of patents… for an insight check out this blog http://www.patentlyapple.com/  of course, the point behind patents and the following lawsuits is that someone doesn't take credit for someone else's work, but should they be in place if it actually halts creativity and technology?

In 2000 there was outrage when Amazon patented one-click, it was an obvious technique and patenting it would mean Amazon could charge other websites any cost they wish to use the same technology.

The best idea for these company patents is to put a regulator in place, so that costs remain reasonable and developers don't get sued by accidently using a patent piece of code.