<PAGE>

                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 27, 2004 relating to the
financial statements, which appears in Acacia Research Corporation's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. We also consent to the
reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration Statement.

/s/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP


Los Angeles, California
March 5, 2004



