Is Autodesk Outfoxing the ITC?

The article about Autodesk’s patents in today’s upFront.eZine got my attention. Take a look at the following patents related to sheet sets:
Automatic view creation in a sheet set manager for a graphics program
Sheet set fields of a sheet set manager for a graphics program
Sheet set manager for a graphics program
Sheet set publishing in a sheet set manager for a graphics program
Transmittal and archive tool in a sheet set manager for a graphics program
User interface elements of a sheet set manager for a graphics program

I think I know who these patents are designed for – the IntelliCAD Technology Consortium.

Obviously Autodesk is fed up of the ITC cloning their software and relieving them of their customers. So now they are patenting the new features so that the ITC cannot copy them. And if they do, Autodesk can sue the hell out of them. Judging by the way Autodesk has been shopping around for companies of late, I guess they have kept aside a fat bundle for legal expenses.

Sounds like a good plan, if you ask me. What do you think?