Yes there are many, you just haven't seen any. Your perception is probably biased because you only get exposed to examples of bad patents cherry-picked by online media sources to drum up rage views. I've worked for a small company that got crushed by bigger incumbents but could only get a payout due to their software patents. However the much more common benefit of software patents are the countless startups and companies that got funded or had successful exits partially due to their patents. There are studies showing this sort of things. On mobile so can't find link, but see e.g. the work of professors like Robert P. Merges on ssrn.com.