2015-07-14

German Court Prohibits Everlight from Making Misleading Statements on Nichia YAG Patent Status

Upon the request of Nichia Corporation ("Nichia"), the Munich District Court granted a preliminary injunction dated 25 June 2015 in the case 21 O 10999/15. In this decision, Mr. Bernd Kammerer and Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. are, on penalty of an administrative fine of up to EUR 250,000 (US $ 275,169), prohibited from making in business transactions for purposes of competition the following statements as made by Kammerer in a press interview published on //www.elektroniknet.de/optoelektronik/ledlighting/artikel/120231/:
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2015-07-09

LEDinside: Nichia Tops China’s LED Package Market in 2014, Cree Down to No. 4

According to its 2015 Chinese LED Industry Market Report, LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, finds the scale of the Chinese LED package market for 2014 reached US$8.6 billion and grew by 19% annually. The general lighting market has been the main driving force, and the rising market penetration rates of commercial and residential LED lighting products has been fueling China’s growing demands. On the other hand, demand in the medium- and large-size LED backlight sectors have fallen due to technological advances that has reduced LED usage. The downturn in medium- and large-size LED backlight sectors has also been attributed to the LED TV’s easing demand growth. 
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2015-05-19

India Lifts LED Bulb Bid Restrictions, Chinese Suppliers Pass Review

After winning the elections last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to invest in the country’s electricity, rail and other infrastructures to improve India’s economic performance, reported Chinese media Cali-Light.com.
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2015-04-28

Nichia Wins Patent Lawsuits against Everlight/Emcore and Bluestone Innovation

Although, Nichia might be losing ground in its recent patent infringement case against Everlight in Eastern Michigan Courts, the company announced winning two separate patent lawsuits including a joint lawsuit filed by Taiwanese rival Everlight and Emcore. The company has also been dismissed by Northern California Courts as in the patent infringement lawsuit filed by non-practicing entities (NPE) Bluestone Innovation. The full press releases can be found below:
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2015-04-28

Nichia to Appeal Against Michigan Jury Decision of Invalidating LED Patents

On April 22, 2015, a jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan held two of Nichia’s patents invalid. The litigation is captioned Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. and Emcore Corp. v. Nichia Corp. and Nichia America Corp., Case No. 4:12-cv-11758 GAD-MKM (E.D. Mich.). The two Nichia patents are U.S. Patents Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960.
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2015-04-27

Everlight Scores Jury Win in Nichia White LED Patent Infringement Lawsuit

 In April 2012, Everlight  filed for declaratory judgment of invalidity and non-infringement of Nichia’s U.S. patents related to white LEDs, including U.S. Patent Nos. 5998925 and 7531960.  These two patents are directed to YAG phosphor being used with blue LED chip to emit white light, and its phosphor concentration.  The jury before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan found on April 22, 2015 that all asserted claims of these patents are invalid for obviousness and/or lack of enablement. 
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2015-04-27

Jury Findings Impact on Everlight and Nichia Lawsuit

The judge’s final verdict will probably be based on Michigan Federal jury findings that two Nichia patents were invalid in the case against Everlight, said former Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) researcher Jerry Yu.
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2015-04-24

[Breaking News] Everlight Scores a Major Win against Nichia in Ongoing Patent Dispute

A Michigan federal jury on Wednesday granted a favorable ruling to Everlight Electronics Corp. by declaring two of Nichia’s US LED patents to be invalid, according to Law360.
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2015-03-12

Nichia Product Lineup for 2015 to Include UV LED and Red Phosphor

Leading global LED manufacturer Nichia’s product lineup for 2015 will include UV LEDs, Mn 4+red phosphor powder, and laser diode products, company representatives revealed at a recent press conference at Hotel Okura in Taipei, Taiwan.
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2015-03-11

Nichia to Launch Industry’s Smallest Flip-Chip LEDs by End of 2015

Japanese LED chip manufacturer Nichia’s first flip chip LED product, set to be launched in October this year, will be one ninth the size of the average flip chip, said the company’s optoelectronic division chief technology officer today at a press conference at Hotel Okura in Taipei, Taiwan.
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2015-01-30

Global LED Industry’s Second Patent War

Recent patent litigations launched by major LED companies aim straight at latecomers in Chinese and Taiwanese LED industry, who have insufficient patent portfolio. The LED market will be restructured to focus on major LED companies with extensive patent portfolio and technological strengths.
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2015-01-12

FZtech Launches LED Bike Torch

FZtech Inc. is pleased to announce the brand new LED Bike Torch FZL-1210 with handy bracket. The powerful 1W Nichia LED light emits 70 lumens with high intensity beaming spot, offering cost-effective replacement for bike lighting. It is also suitable for use in mountain climbing, hiking, camping, and home maintenance.
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2014-12-11

MLS LED Package Business to Overtake Nichia

MLS has started to sell its products through Korean distributor Optoleds in Korea, according to a report by ETNews. MLS has become one of the first Chinese LED package manufacturers to be ranked among global top 10 LED manufacturers. A research organization estimated based on current development speed, MLS will be able to surpass top ranking Japanese LED manufacturer Nichia.
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2014-12-01

Asian LED Manufacturers Part Ways Over Uncertain Market Conditions

LED is a fast changing industry. Asian manufacturers have taken their own paths to confront the tide of change. Japanese manufacturers are actively seeking collaboration opportunities with Taiwanese manufacturers, while Korean LED manufacturer Samsung has gradually exited the global LED market. Chinese manufacturers on the other hand are expanding production capacity on the back of government support.
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2014-10-17

Nichia: Taiwanese Manufacturers Should Strengthen Patent Portfolio

Global LED market prices have been disrupted by heavily subsidized Chinese manufacturers, to stay relevant Taiwanese manufacturers need to work on strengthening patent portfolios, said Katsuyuki Akutagawa, Chief Legal and IP Officer Board Director for Nichia at a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan on Thursday.
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2014-10-16

Nichia Forecasts LED Industry Price Wars to Intensify in 2015

Restructures in the LED industry this year have shaken the market, whether it has been Philips decision to spin off its traditional lighting business, or the sudden bankruptcy of sapphire manufacturer GT Advanced Technology. But the worse is to come in 2015, when Chinese LED manufacturers technology matures, said a Nichia spokesperson.
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2014-10-16

Shuji Nakamura’s Salary at Nichia was Equivalent to Listed Company Chairman

After Shuji Nakamura was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics last Tuesday, the lawsuit the Japanese scientist brought against former employer Nichia in 2001 over patent compensation received renewed media attention. The Japanese LED manufacturer insisted it compensated Nakamura fairly for his work at a press conference in Taipei on Thursday. 
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2014-10-14

The Story Behind Shuji Nakamura's Invention of Blue LEDs

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics was shared between three Japanese blue LED inventors Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura. The three inventors were recognized for their achievements in the highly energy efficient blue LED, which led to the emergence of white light.
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2014-08-11

Chinese Manufacturers Hot on Nichia Heels in LED Package Market, says LEDinside

The quickly spreading LED lighting market has attracted international manufacturers to enter China’s LED package market, according to the latest “China’s LED Package Industry Market Report 2014” by LEDinside, a subdivision of global market research organization TrendForce. In 2013, the Chinese LED package market value was up 20% Year-on-Year (YoY) to US$7.2 billion. Top 10 ranking manufacturers in the industry clinched a combined market share of 43.6%. 
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2014-07-25

Everlight and Epistar Production Output Value to Take World Number One Title within 2 Years

Everlight and Epistar’s combined market value in the next two years will overtake Nichia’s current ranking as world number one, a CNA report cited Everlight Chairman Robert Yeh saying.
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2014-07-25

GE Technology Enables More Vibrant Display in Tablets, Smartphones, and Televisions

GE announced today a research breakthrough that will vastly improve the color and crispness of images displayed on LED devices – everything from cell phones and tablets to televisions. Scientists at GE Lighting and GE Global Research developed a phosphor powder that, when packaged inside an LED, push the picture quality of LED electronics to new heights.
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2014-07-02

Nichia Launches Laser Diode HUD System for Cars

Nichia Corporation, headquartered in Tokushima and directed by President Eiji Ogawa, announced today its decision to commercialize blue and green semiconductor laser diode models specifically designed for automotive Head-Up Display (HUD) systems*1 .
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2014-06-11

Everlight Compensates Nichia as Ordered by U.S. Federal Court of Michigan

Everlight pays Nichia a total of US $100,000 as a sanction ordered by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan for its violations of a previous order. The litigation is captioned Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. and Emcore Corp. v. Nichia Corp. and Nichia America Corp., Case No. 4:12-cv-11758 GAD-MKM (E.D. Mich.). Trial in this case is scheduled for October 2014.
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2014-06-06

Nichia and Everlight Drag Patent War to Australia

Nichia Corporation (Nichia) has filed yet another patent infringement against Everlight Electronics (Everlight). The Japanese company recently filed legal action against the Taiwanese company’s customer Arrow Electronics Australia in the Australian Federal Court for infringing on Nichia’s YAG patent (Australian Patent No. 720234). 
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2014-05-30

Emcore Acknowledges Nichia's U.S. Patent and Agreed to Pay Damages

Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) and Emcore Corporation (“Emcore”) reached an agreement to settle a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, in which Emcore acknowledges the validity of the USP 7,295,587, and makes a payment to Nichia for past damages and for royalties in the future.
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2014-05-26

EMCORE Announces Settlement and License Agreement Relating to Patent Infringement Lawsuit by Nichia

EMCORE Corporation, a provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optics and space solar power markets, announced that it has settled the patent infringement case brought by Nichia Corporation before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
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2014-05-22

Everlight Triumphant as JPO Renders Nichia's White LED Patent Invalid

Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. ("Everlight") brought an invalidation trial on September 5th, 2011 against the Japanese Patent No. 4,530,094 ("JP'094") owned by Nichia Corporation ("Nichia"). Everlight recently received a prevailing decision from the Japan Patent Office.
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2014-04-14

Nichia Reignites Patent War against Everlight with New Infringement Lawsuit

On April 10, 2014, Nichia Corporation has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in Tokyo District Court to enjoin Tachibana Eletech Co., Ltd. and E&E Japan Co., Ltd.  from infringing Nichia’s patent (No. 3786114 and No. 3972943) and to claim damages for the infringement with regard to LED products (product number: 1254 series) after analyzing the LEDs purchased from Tachibana. 
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2014-02-24

Everlight Clarifies USPTO Decision Not Final and Plans to Appeal

In response to Nichia’s press release on February 20 related to the U.S. Patent No. 6,653,215, Everlight clarifies that the decision made by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is not final and still appealable. The decision itself has no effect on Everlight’s products.  Everlight will appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) against the USPTO’s decision.
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2014-02-19

Nichia Focuses on Mn 4+ Red Phosphor Patents

Major Japanese LED manufacturer Nichia has always been aggressive in deploying patent strategies and lawsuits. Since the company’s core YAG phosphor patent term will expire in 2017, the company has been deploying patent strategies in new materials, especially in Mn 4+ red phosphor powder to maintain a stronghold in LED patents.
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