Google Inc. will resolve a 20-month antitrust probe by U.S. regulators today with a voluntary agreement and a consent decree on the company's alleged misuse of patents, three people familiar with the matter said.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is poised to announce that Google has agreed to voluntarily change some business practices and settle allegations it misused patents to thwart competitors in smartphone technology, said the people, who asked not to be named because the decision isn't public.

The FTC is expected to close its investigation into whether Google, operator of the world's most popular search engine, skews its search results to favor its own services without enforcement action, the people said. The FTC's decision not to take action is a blow to competitors including Microsoft Corp., Yelp Inc. and Expedia Inc. and comes at a time when the European Union is seeking a “detailed commitment” on search to end its probe into allegations that Google discriminates against rivals.