Pioneer and Canon announced that the two companies have agreed to co-develop a 3D LiDAR sensor with the goal of mass production by Pioneer in 2020. 3D-LiDAR sensors use laser light to accurately measure the distance of objects as well as ascertain three-dimensional information relating to distance and the surrounding environment in real time, and are regarded as an indispensable key device for the realization of level-three and above autonomous vehicles. Pioneer has been working on the development of low cost Micro Electric Memory Systems (MEMS) as well as object rec...

Applied Materials has resumed its delivery and services to Sanan Optoelectronics after a business halt since Sanan named in the red-flag list of “unverified” entities by the U.S. government, reported China Securities Journal, a media under Xinhua News Agency, on April 22. Sanan Optoelectronics was one of the 37 Chinese companies and schools added by the U.S. Commerce Department in a red-flag list of unverified entities on April 10. The U.S. government suggested that U.S. companies should treat companies on the list with caution and trading with tho...

Mini LED, with better performance in brightness, contrast and saturation for display applications, is expected to grow radically in 2019 and 2020. To meet the booming demands of Mini LED, Taiwan-based companies are preparing to expand production of related Mini LED products. The adoption of Mini LED might not be popular in consumer products, yet the industry chain has been equipped to speed up Mini LED shipment for potential applications as Apple was said to release Mini LED backlight equipped iMac by 2H19 and iPad by 4Q20. Also, Huawei and Xiaomi were m...

Micro LED start up VerLASE announce that it is developing unique technologies for massively parallel assembly of Micro LED dies or films to address the major challenge of Micro LED display mass production. VerLASE, a spin-off of Versatilis, aims to develop novel technology of color conversion layers for Micro LED display. The company focused on practical methods with semiconductor and MEMs industry methods and existing tools in novel ways to enable deterministic, massively parallel transfers of Micro die, yet with provisions that allow selective repair. A...

Despite that the global automotive sales have slowed down in the past year due to the trade dispute and overall market decline, the demands for luxury automobiles in China and the increasing new energy (NEV) car market still bring up the penetration rate of LED in the automotive market. LEDinside sees that the market share of LED headlight and its market value will expand gradually as the price of high-power LED falls. LEDs are also adopted by other exterior lights including direction indicators and tail lights for delivering smart functions such signal projection and ...

Apple has held talks with LiDAR suppliers seeking for advanced LiDAR sensors for its self-driving cars, suggesting that Apple is still working on its automotive vehicle project, known as “Project Titan,” reported Reuters. According to Reuters, Apple has talked to at least four LiDAR suppliers, aiming to find LiDAR sensors with a “revolutionary design” that are “smaller, cheaper and easily mass produced” in comparison to the current technology. However, the reports said Apple has not yet found one that meets its demands. (I...

Before the commercialization of Micro LED displays, Mini LED and flexible OLED displays have been the focuses of the industry. Korean firms like Samsung and LG are strong players in the field but China’s BOE is rising and overtaking LG in the small and medium-sized flexible OLED business, reported Business Korea. (Image: LG) The report of Business Korea cited Zhang Yu, Vice President of BOE that the company aims to supply 50 million flexible display panels for smartphones in 2019 and will continue its investment plan in the flexible OLE...

For strengthening its leading position in connected smart lighting, Signify announced the agreement to acquire WiZ Connected, a lighting software solutions developer focusing on WiFi-based lighting control. WiZ Connected is a French-Asian company based in Hong Kong. Acquisition of the company enables Signify to extend its leadership by stepping into the Wi-Fi-based smart lighting market. The price of the acquisition was not disclosed by both parties. Signify expects to close the transaction in 2Q19. After the acquisition, WiZ Connected and its 53 staff member...

General Electric (GE), Current Lighting Solution and Consumer Lighting have accused Cree of using a technology on Cree’s LED product which infringes the patent of GE’s TriGain LED technology. The three companies filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Cree on April 11, 2019. (Image: Pixabay) lightED, an online magazine, posted the lawsuit document filed by GE. In the document, GE indicated that its TriGain LED technology, which is protected by U.S. Patent No 7,497,973 and No. 9,680,067, addresses solutions to improve LED col...

Foxconn revealed its plan to add Micro LED or OLED production lines in the Wisconsin factory after the operation begins by the end of 2020. Foxconn announced its plan to produce LCD panels the US in 2017 and held a new factory groundbreaking ceremony last year in Wisconsin. After almost a year, the company said in March 2019 that the factory in Wisconsin will start operation by the fourth quarter of 2020. Today, Foxconn unveiled that Micro LED or OLED manufacturing lines might be added to the production of Wisconsin factory. Since the groundbreaking in...

After China’s biggest LED chip manufacturer Sanan Optoelectronics was named in the red-flag list of “unverified” entities last week, American top chip equipment supplier Applied Materials reportedly stopped business with Sanan “immediately.” The response of Sanan Optoelectronics noted that Applied Materials as an equipment provider has limited impact on Sanan’s business operation since the US company is not an exclusive equipment provider for the chip maker. Sanan said that it can also purchase equipment from other Chinese supplier ...

US-based semiconductor equipment supplier Applied Materials has halted deliveries and services to Chinese companies including San’an Optoelectronics that were named in a red-flag list of “unverified” entities announced by the U.S. Commerce Department on April 10, 2019, reported Nikkei Asian Review. The U.S. Commerce Department added 37 Chinese companies and schools to a red-flag list of “unverified” entities, noting that U.S. companies should treat the listed organizations with caution. San’an Optoelectronics, the biggest LED...

The growing Mini LED adoption in monitors, notebooks, tablets and even mobile phones, as well as the increasing Micro LED display reveals indicate the booming market of advanced LED applications. Macroblock, the Taiwan-based LED driver IC specialist, might be benefitted from the wave. The company has joined the supply chain of Samsung’s LED cinema and is currently working with the Korean giant on Mini LED and Micro LED technologies. Samsung has expanded its LED cinema screen in worldwide cinemas including China, India, Singapore, US, German...

Industry players are getting ready to present their new products and novel technologies as it enters the second season of the year. This week at the National Association of Broadcaster, leading display makers including LG, Samsung and Sony have all introduced their advanced signage solutions at the show. LG was named by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) as the exclusive “Official 4K UHD TV Partner” for the 2019 NAB Show and installed more than 160 advanced LG 4K Ultra HD screens, ranging from 32- to 70-inch screen sizes, througho...

The next generation display technology Micro LED is on its way to commercialization after years of development. The industry has been working on technology breakthroughs and improvements to speed up the progress of Micro LED. LEDinside has partnered with the Consortium of Intelligence Micro-Assembly System (CIMS), an organization established by Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to push the development of Micro LED technologies and provide the latest trends and updates of the industry. CIMS connects the supply...

Osram Opto Semiconductors announced that it joined a project, SmartVIZ, which aims to explore the principles of high-resolution visualization solutions using Micro LEDs. Focusing on automotive interior applications, the Micro LED project expects to present initial demonstration by October 2021. The purpose of the SmartVIZ project is to provide research basis for future transparent, high-resolution, direct-emitting visualization solutions with Micro LED technologies. Osram will partner with ASM AMICRA and Fraunhofer IISB to carry out researches focu...

Sony announced that it is building up a massive 16K screen with its Crystal LED technology in Japan at National Association of Broadcaster 2019. The size of the giant TV screen is 19.2 meters by 5.4 meters (63 ft by 17ft) with an ultra-resolution of 16K, which uses 16 times the pixel of 4K TVs and 64 times more than 1080p. Sony is currently installing the screen in Yokohama, Japan, for a new research center of Shiseido, the Japanese cosmetic group. (Image: Sony) Sony’s Micro LED technology, called “Crystal LED” by the company, is ad...

On March 26, 2019, a ruling of the District Court of Düsseldorf, Germany, (docket number 4a O 72/17) found that white LED used as flashlights in certain smartphones manufactured by HTC Corporation infringed Nichia’s YAG patent EP 0 936 682 (DE 697 02 929). The decision was also rendered against HTC’s affiliates HTC Europe and HTC Germany as well as against Digital River Ireland, which operates HTC’s European web shop. Nichia is awarded damages as compensation for the patent infringement for the period from June 30, 2007 until ...

Since Mini LED began its commercialized applications in the second half of 2018, the market of Mini LED backlight continues to expand. It is said that Apple will also start to adopt Mini LED backlight for iMac and iPad. Apple was said to release a 31.6-inch iMac with Mini LED back light in 2H19, a 10- to 12- inch iPad in 4Q20 or 1Q21 and a 15- to 17- inch Macbook in 1H21. With features of wide color gamut, high contrast ratio, high dynamic range, local dimming and long lifespan, Mini LED backlight would be a better option for devices such as monitors, tab...

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), three trade fairs will be staged in April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), namely the HKTDC Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) on April 6-9, followed by the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and the HKTDC International ICT Expo on April 13-16. The three fairs will feature more than 5,000 exhibitors from around the world, including more than 10 pavilions from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area citie...

Jiangsu Bree Optronics, a Chinese phosphor manufacturer, claimed patent invalidity against The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan, who changed the licensing scheme for its comprehensive patent on red phosphor since October 2018. In October 2018, NIMS announced a new licensing scheme to the patents on the nitride red phosphor by the name of CASN, SCASN or 1113 phosphor (S/CASN phosphor). Originally, companies manufacturing LED devices were able to purchase S/CASN phosphors from phosphor manufacturing companies holding NIM...

GE announced that it has completed the sales of Current, powered by GE business unit to American Industrial Partners (AIP), following the agreement signed in November 6, 2018. Current, powered by GE was established by GE in 2015 as a startup subsidiary offering smart lighting and control services through the integration of LED technology, networked sensors and software. The business delivers energy savings and operational productivity for its customers, which include commercial offices, retail stores, industrial facilities and cities. Under a long-term licensing agre...

LED chip maker Epistar announced the expansion of its investment in ProLight Opto, a Taiwan-based high power LED manufacturer, to intensify the cooperation between the two companies in Mini LED production and development. Facing the challenge of blue LED price drop due to global economy uncertainties, Epistar has continued its development in VCSEL and Mini LED. The company began Mini LED products shipment since last year. With increased investment in ProLight, Epistar aims to secure its Mini LED supply with ProLight’s capacity expansion....

The 2019 Digital Signage Expo (DSE), held in March 26 to 29 in Las Vegas, gathered more than 250 exhibitors across the world to showcase their innovative display technologies. IoT applications, interactive display solutions on fine pitch LED displays with high resolution are trends at the event. Leading panel brands including Samsung, NEC, , Sony and others introduced signage solutions incorporating sensors, cameras, data analytics, cloud computing and more to provide cutting-edge products for commercial and professional applications. (Image: DSE) Samsung p...

UK optoelectronic technology solutions provider Plessey announced its achievement of developing a novel manufacturing method of green LED which does not require color conversion. Plessey has been working on developing Micro LED technology for AR and display applications. The new green LEDs manufactured without color conversion techniques deliver higher luminance that can be used in Micro LED displays. Conventional green LED production usually applies phosphors or quantum dot conversion materials to native Blue LEDs. These materials then convert short wavelengt...

On its way of transforming to a high-tech photonic company, Osram has been challenged by the weakening global market. The German company adjusted its annual forecast for fiscal year 2019 which ends by September 30, 2019. Osram said the revenue of fiscal 2019 is expected to decline between 11 and 14 percent while the previous forecast was a revenue growth between 0 and 3 percent. The company also lowered is the range of its adjusted EBITDA margin to eight and ten percent from 12 to 14 percent. In addition, Osram expects a negative free cash flow between EUR 50 million t...

LED driver IC manufacturer Macroblock has targeted the market of Mini LED and Micro LED. It has begun to ship Mini LED backlight module driver IC for gaming displays following the company’s schedule announced by the end of 2018 and expects to enter the supply chain of high-end TV panels by the second half of 2019. Furthermore, it plans release products for wearable Micro LED applications such as AR/VR smart glasses. The consolidate revenue of Macroblock in 2018 hit the record high at NT$ 2.985 billion (US$ 96.69 million), with an on-year incre...

Taiwan-based LED company Everlight announced the participation of “SMART CITY SUMMIT & EXPO” in Taipei for the first time with the aim to promote smart street light and smart city. Everlight will work together with AAEON, ASKEY Computer, EverFocus Electronics and IBASE Technology to build up smart traffic, security and energy scenarios, integrating the related applications to present convenient and systematic smart city on the booth at the event (Booth No.: K824). (Smart street light of Everlight) Everlight demonstr...

In November 2018, Nikkei Asian Review has covered that Japan’s largest convenience store operator 7-eleven would set up a plant factory in Tokyo to produce vegetable for its own salads products in January 2019. The project operator and a longtime premium delicatessen supplier to 7-Eleven Prime Delica has adopted Signify’s growing light for its vertical farm facility located in the city of Sagamihara in the Kanagawa prefecture, Japan. Signify provided the Philips GreenPower LEDs to help Prime Delica to grow crops with vitamin levels and nutritional v...

Lumotive, a LiDAR startup funded by Bill Gates, announced its development of a disruptive beam-steering technology which will significantly improve the performance, reliability and cost of LiDAR systems for the emerging self-driving car industry. With its patented system using Liquid Crystal Metasurfaces (LCM) and silicon fabrication, Lumotive introduced its beam steering LiDAR that is able to simultaneously offer large optical aperture, wide field-of-view and fast scanning. LCMs, semiconductor chips that steer laser pulses based on the light-bending principle...