Patent litigation refers to legal actions taken to protect patents from infringement. When a patent is infringed, the patent holder can sue the infringing party in court. There are different types of patent infringement, including direct infringement which involves making, using, or selling a patented invention without permission. Indirect infringement includes contributory infringement, where a third party provides components for infringing products, and induced infringement, where a party aids infringement through instructions or licensing. In court, parties present evidence and the defendant can argue defenses like patent invalidity or non-infringement. If the defendant is found to have infringed, they may be ordered to pay damages or have an injunction against further infringement.