On March 17, 2020, Nichia filed a patent infringement lawsuit in Tokyo District Court against IPF Corporation, a Japan-based distributor of automotive aftermarket parts. Nichia accused IPF of selling LED headlamp that infringes Nichia’s patent and sought an injunction and compensation for damages.

The accused product in this lawsuit is a LED headlamp bulb (product number: 301HLB2) incorporating LED jointly developed with the Taiwanese LED manufacturer Lextar (see photo). Nichia alleged the LED infringes Nichia’s patent JP5526782 related to LED package structure.

(Image: Nichia)

According to Nichia, technology of the patent is used in the field of high power LED, which the company has relevant patents registered in Taiwan, the U.S., China, South Korea, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Italy, Russia and India.

Nichia continues to protect its patents and other intellectual property rights with its legal actions taking places across the globe. In January 2020, the Japan-based LED company has filed a lawsuit against Feit Electric in the U.S., accusing the company of infringing Nichia’s filament LED patent.

The YAG patent lawsuits between Nichia and Taiwan’s Everlight have been going on all over the world as well. In Novermber 2019, Nichia filed YAG patent lawsuits in Brazil against Everlight and ASUS, while Everlight claimed the patent invalid.