NICHIA ANNOUNCES EXPANDED PATENT CROSS LICENSE WITH CREE AND FILES LAWSUITE AGAINST SEOUL SEMICONDUTOR LTD IN KOREA
The agreement also resolves infringement claims Nichia had asserted against LED products sold by COTCO International Limited, a subsidiary of COTCO Luminant Device Limited, prior to Cree's acquisition of COTCO Luminant Device Limited and its subsidiaries in March 2007.
Additionally, Nichia announced that Nichia and Cree have agreed to resolve any future patent disputes involving products of either company, or any affiliate in which it owns a controlling interest, through a process that eliminates any potential impact on customers. Customers may therefore purchase either Nichia or Cree products free of any concern that Nichia or Cree will make a claim of patent infringement against the customer based on the purchased product.
Other terms of the expanded cross license arrangements were not disclosed but are not expected to have any material financial effect on either party.
Nichia Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit against Seoul Semiconductor Co. Ltd. over White LEDs in Korea
The suit alleges that Seoul Semiconductor's top-view type white LED products (part no. TWH104-HS) infringe Nichia's Korean patent (no. 406201), and Nichia seeks damages for past infringement as well as an injunction against any further infringing activity.
A lawsuit against Seoul Semiconductor in the United States based on Nichia's design patents for side-view type white LEDs, and a lawsuit against Seoul Semiconductor and its distributor, Kyoei Sangyo, in Japan based on Nichia's patents for lighting LEDs are currently pending. In these lawsuits, Nichia is seeking damages for past infringement as well as an injunction against any further infringing activity.
