Leading Japanese LED chip manufacturer Nichia announced today it had won two separate YAG LED patent disputes against Everlight subsidiaries in the Düsseldorf Court of Appeal in Germany.

Nichia explained the legal course of actions it took throughout 2016 were not aimed at particular manufacturers, but was part of their general intellectual property protection policy.

The slowdown in LED backlight market including smartphone displays continued to trend on into 2016 that even top player in the industry Nichia is looking beyond this particular market sector in its 2017 roadmap.

On Oct.19, 2016 and Oct. 28, 2016, Nichia  filed a request for three preliminary injunctions in Germany at the Düsseldorf District Court against Everlight Electronics (“Everlight”), alleging that the white LED products “334-15/X1C5-1QSA”, „334-15/T2C2-1TVB“ and „XI3535-KT577J1-03201-000P“ manufactured by Everlight and distributed in Germany infringe Nichia's YAG patent EP 936 682 (DE 697 02 929).

On Oct. 18, 2016, Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) filed a patent infringement lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against HTC NIPPON, a Japanese affiliate of Taiwanese HTC (“HTC”), and Kanematsu Communications, a distributor of HTC NIPPON, seeking an injunction and compensation for damages.

On October, 14, 2016, in a lawsuit filed by Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) against Tachibana Eletech Co., Ltd (“Tachibana”) and E&E Japan Co., Ltd. (“E&E”), which companies imported and/or sold Blue LEDs manufactured by a Taiwanese company, Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd., (“Everlight”), the Tokyo District Court found that the importation/sale of those Blue LEDs by E&E and Tachibana constituted infringement of Nichia's patent.

San’an Opto said that the company has engaged in preliminary discussions with Osram upon a potential acquisition or partnership. However, the two parties only met once to discuss related issues so far.

Everlight filed a declaratory judgment action against Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) for invalidity and non-infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960 in the U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Michigan in 2012. These two patents are directed to YAG phosphor being used in LEDs and phosphor concentration. The court confirmed that all asserted claims of Nichia’s patents were invalid. Aside from the U.S. court ruling, Everlight has receive favorable rulings in Japan and Taiwan that Nichia’s patents are invalid.

In June 2016 NICHIA commenced a lawsuit claiming that certain white LED-containing products sold by B&Q plc, the largest DIY company in the UK, and sourced from third-party Asian manufacturers infringed Nichia's European “YAG” patents.

Everlight announced that it will be filing another suit to invalidate Nichia’s YAG LED patent in Germany.

With judgment dated August 16, 2016 (docket number X ZR 96/14), the German Federal Court of Justice decided that the German part of Nichia’s patent EP 936 682 (DE 697 02 929), i.e. the “YAG patent” is valid. As a consequence, the Federal Court of Justice lifted entirely the first instance judgment of the German Federal Patent Court from 2014 (docket number 2 Ni 11/12) which had found Nichia’s YAG patent invalid and dismissed in total the nullity action initiated by Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. (“Everlight”).

Nichia’s patent infringement suit filed against the world’s third largest TV vendor TCL Multimedia (TCL) and subsidiary TTE Technology (TTE) on Aug. 8, 2016, is a significant move to prevent unpatented Chinese LED chips from entering U.S., said LEDinside analysts.

On August 8, 2016, Nichia Corporation ("Nichia") filed two patent infringement lawsuitss against TTE Technology, a U.S. based LCD TV distributor, and TCL Multimedia Technology in two district courts in U.S.

Everlight stated in a press release that Taiwan’s Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) ruled Nichia’s white LED patent TW 383508 was invalid on July 28, 2016.

EVERLIGHT filed a declaratory judgment action against Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) for invalidity and non-infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960 in the U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Michigan in 2012. These two patents are directed to YAG phosphor being used in LEDs and phosphor concentration. The court on January 19, 2016 denied Nichia’s motions and confirmed the April 22, 2015 jury verdict that all asserted claims of Nichia’s patents were invalid. In addition to the U.S. court ruling, from 2014, EVERLIGHT has continued to receive favorable rulings in Japan and Germany that Nichia’s patents are invalid. 

Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) and Hirose Radio & Electronics, (“Hirose”), a Japanese corporation manufacturing and selling electronic appliances, have reached an agreement to settle the case which was pending between the parties in the Tokyo District Court (“The Case”). The Case was a preliminary injunctions case, in which Nichia claimed that its Japanese patents Nos. 5177317 and 5610056 (both patents relate to white LEDs using YAG phosphors and will hereafter be referred to as “Nichia YAG Patents”) were infringed by some of the LED lights imported and sold in Japan by Hirose, and sought a preliminary injunction against the importation and sale of infringing products.

On June, 15, 2016, in a lawsuit filed by Nichia against Tachibana Eletech (“Tachibana”) and E&E Japan (“E&E”), which companies imported and/or sold Blue LEDs manufactured by a Taiwanese company, Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd., (“Everlight”), the Tokyo District Court found that the importation/sale of those Blue LEDs by E&E and Tachibana constituted infringement of Nichia's patent.

Japanese LED manufacturer Nichia left a blazing trail of patent lawsuits in 2016, and the latest suit against B&Q seems to add onto the latest list of U.S. LED bulb retailers and distributor suits, except this suit should be viewed independently.

On May 27, 2016, Nichia Corporation ("Nichia") filed a patent infringement lawsuit against B & Q PLC (“B&Q”), a UK-based DIY company, in the London High Court (Patents Court).

Nichia announced on June 13, 2016 it filed patent infringement lawsuits against U.S. retailers and distributors Feit Electric, Meridian, Lowe’s Companies and L G Sourcing for allegedly distributing LED bulbs that had infringed its patents.

LEDinside had an opportunity to speak to top UV LED manufacturers at RadTech UV+EB 2016, which took place from May 16-18 in Chicago, U.S. this year. A lot of UV LED manufacturers launched their products at the show, which can be classified into three major technologies UV LED package, epoxy resin, photoinitiators, and other related materials and modules.

Nichia and researchers from AIST have developed the first standard LED that covers the full visible light.  

Fierce competition caused major shifts in the global LED package revenue ranking for 2015, according to LEDinside, a division of TrendForce. Nichia remained the leader, followed closely by OSRAM Opto and Lumileds. Samsung LED and other South Korean manufacturers suffered revenue declines due to the price war and the contraction of LED backlight market. By undercutting each other, most manufacturers ended up with lower revenues last year. Some companies’ revenues also decreased when measured in U.S. dollars due to the dollar’s appreciation.

Nichia announced several LED patent lawsuits this week, including its two patent infringement suits filed against TV manufacturer Vizio in Eastern Court of Texas and District Court for the Central District of California in U.S., and ongoing YAG patents lawsuit against Everlight China. The lawsuit filed against Vizio stands out in particular, since it targets the end product manufacturer instead of a LED chip or component supplier.

In 2012, EVERLIGHT filed a declaratory judgment action of invalidity and non-infringement against Nichia’s U.S. Patent Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. These two patents are directed to YAG phosphors being used in LEDs and phosphor concentration. The jury on April 22, 2015 has found all the asserted patent claims invalid. And the court has rejected Nichia’s motions for a new trial and confirmed the jury finding on January 19, 2016. 

Leading Japanese LED manufacturer Nichia spoke to Taiwanese reporters about technologies it will be focusing on this year, and about its outlook for 2016, during a press conference held at Palais de Chine Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan on Thursday.

Global leading LED manufacturer Nichia has filed another patent infringement lawsuit against U.S. TV manufacturer Vizio in Central California Court, just one day after filing a lawsuit in the Eastern Texas. Moreover, the Japanese company is enforcing its YAG patents in China, and filed a lawsuit against Everlight subsidiary and distributor in China earlier this month. Below are Nichia’s statements related to the cases:

Nichia has filed a complaint in the Eastern Court of Texas in U.S. court against American TV manufacturer Vizio for infringing its LED patent (U.S. Patent No. 8,530,250), reported Law 360 magazine.

NICHIA Corporation, the pioneer and the leader in LED technology and Future Lighting Solutions (FLS), the world-class leader and innovator in demand creation, marketing and distribution of solid-state lighting technologies, announced a new distribution agreement covering the Americas and Europe*.  

Taiwanese LED manufacturer Everlight reported mixed results in several patent lawsuits rulings against Japanese manufacturer Nichia.