[charcircuit]

You are leaving out the option of just licensing the patent. If you are lucky they will license it to you for free.

[bawolff]

That's still a restraint on innovation. Money going to licensing can't be spent on salaries.

If we assume free licensing then you might as well cut out the middle man and abolish patents.

[dstick]

Can the license holder set any price they want? Essentially blocking access with an absurdly high paywall? Or is there some kind of standard?

[_qwfv]

Yes, or they can refuse to license it to you at all.