Lighting manufacturer OSRAM (Munich/Germany) and electronics manufacturer Sharp Corp. (Osaka/Japan) have entered into a comprehensive agreement about the cross licensing of patents.

The agreement comprises patents of both companies’ in the field of opto-electronic semiconductor components as well as in the area of lighting products including such components. It extends from LED chips and laser diode chips through modules to luminaires.

In the past years, OSRAM has already entered into similar agreements with other big players in this market like Nichia, Philips, Toyoda Gosei, Cree, Samsung and LG. Such agreements mitigate the risk of inadvertently using other companies' patent rights. Therefore, also the customers of OSRAM’s LED and laser products are protected to a considerable extent from becoming involved in patent disputes about these products.