On February 13, 2023, Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court, seeking damages and to enjoin trading company CoreStaff Co., Ltd., from selling products from the F90 family of LEDs made by U.S.-based Bridgelux, Inc.

The asserted patent in the lawsuit, Japanese Patent No. 4974310, as well as related patents owned by Nichia in the U.S., Germany, and China, relates to LEDs incorporating KSF (PFS) phosphors. KSF phosphors enable efficient and reliable LEDs that deliver excellent light quality with accurate color rendering. Nichia owns more than 120 patents in over 12 countries covering aspects of this technology, which is one of the most promising technologies in the lighting market and important to the LCD backlight and automotive markets. Nichia believes that its patent portfolio is fundamental and cannot be avoided by a license from another manufacturer.

While Nichia welcomes fair competition and believes it often leads to improved innovation, which ultimately serves the greater good of the industry and its consumers, Nichia will not shrink from steadfastly protecting its intellectual property, including its KSF phosphor-LED patent portfolio. As a leading innovator, known for producing high quality LEDs and ever improving the nature of light and optical mechanisms, Nichia’s intellectual property serves as a springboard for its own future innovation, and therefore must be defended.

The accused products in this lawsuit are the following Bridgelux's products:

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