No, this is exactly what they are talking about. A UPS store box is not a "principal place of business." Yes, lots of people do it. Yes, you will probably get away with it. But it is not complying with the law, and this is the practice the judge was speaking of.

I know. Ultimately, the reason to use one is if you're largely working out of a house and you're goal is to avoid putting your home address on your business.

While I get what the judge is going for here, there's nothing about renting an office space somewhere that makes a patent more valid.

If anything, the contracts that allow the parent company to take 90-95% of the income should also entitle them to the same level of liability and that should have nothing to do with the shell company address. As soon as that is addressed, hopefully by law, all of this stuff goes away very quickly.