Qualcomm Gets Apple’s Patent Claims Dismissed from Contract Case

Qualcomm Inc. won its bid to get 56 patent claims by Apple Inc. and its Asian manufacturers dismissed from a billion-dollar lawsuit over the use of the chipmaker’s technology in mobile phones.

The ruling may help pave the way for a settlement between the technology giants who may want to avoid a potential setback if the dispute goes before a jury.

A federal judge in San Diego Nov. 20 granted Qualcomm’s request to throw out Apple’s non-infringement, invalidity and uneforceability claims because the chipmaker had promised not to bring claims over the nine patents involved.

Dismissal of the patent claims ...