EPISTAR Corporation, a leading innovator and manufacturer of LED solid-state lighting technologies, filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Lowe’s Companies, Inc. and Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC (collectively “Lowe’s”) in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Waco Division on May 22, 2020. The complaint asserts that GE LED filament bulbs sold by Lowe’s infringe several EPISTAR patents and seeks damages and injunctive relief to halt further sale of the infringing products.

EPISTAR’s complaint alleges that the LED filament bulbs sold by Lowe’s, such as the GE Basic 60-Watt EQ G25 Soft White Globe Bulb Light Bulb (Item No. 935474, Model No. 44039), GE Relax 60-Watt EQ A19 Soft White Dimmable LED Light Bulb (Item No. 952356, Model No. 44930) and GE Refresh 60-Watt EQ A19 Daylight Dimmable LED Light Bulb (Item No. 952362, Model No. 44937), infringe one or more claims of EPISTAR’s U.S. Patent Numbers 7,489,068, titled “Light Emitting Device,” 8,240,881, titled “Light-Emitting Device Package,” 9,065,022, titled “Light-Emitting Apparatus,” 9,664,340, titled “Light Emitting Device,” and 10,224,455, titled “Light Emitting Device And Method Of Forming The Same.”

EPISTAR’s patent portfolio covers the fundamental technologies of LED filament bulbs. This portfolio covers Taiwan, China, United States, Europe and other territories. One illustration showing the very essential LED filament configuration which is widely adopted in the mainstream LED filament bulbs in the figure below demonstrates the coverage and strength of EPISTAR’s portfolio.

(Image: EPISTAR)

EPISTAR has invested millions of dollars in the research and development of LED technologies that lead to a world-class patent portfolio consisting of over 4000 issued patents and pending patent applications. This investment has laid the foundation of LED filament (bulb) and/or LED bulb technologies that have empowered the world class products for many to come to enjoy. With its investments in research and development, EPISTAR is able to provide state-of-the-art products and solutions for ever-growing global consumers.

EPISTAR’s patent portfolio protects the company's research and development efforts, and covers the fundamental technologies invented by EPISTAR engineers. The filing of the complaint against Lowe’s is an action to protect EPISTAR’s efforts in research and development and to preserve its patent rights.