Qualcomm’s Victory Dims Prospects of Antitrust Patent Wins

Qualcomm Inc.‘s appeals court victory over the Federal Trade Commission could lower patent owners’ chances of being accused of anticompetitive conduct when their customers don’t like what they’re charging to use their inventions.

Companies looking to lower patent royalties on standard-essential technology have increasingly turned to antitrust law, arguing that patent owners have been using their power to make unreasonably high demands.

Patent owners have found an ally in the Justice Department’s head of antitrust, Makan Delrahim. His office submitted legal arguments in favor of Qualcomm against the FTC, its fellow antitrust enforcer. He’s also backed the dismissal of ...