4 April 2011

Cree and Osram sign LED patent cross-license agreement

LED chip, lamp and lighting fixture maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA and LED and lighting manufacturer Osram GmbH of Munich, Germany have signed a comprehensive, worldwide patent cross-license agreement, underscoring “each firm’s commitment to speeding the adoption of LED lighting while respecting the value and importance of each other’s intellectual property.”

The agreement comprises the mutual licensing of patents from both parties (including Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH of Regensburg, Germany as well as the former LED Light Fixtures Inc of Morrisville, NC, USA, acquired by Cree in March 2008). The agreement addresses all stages of the value chain, including inorganic blue LED chip technology, white LEDs and phosphors, packaging, LED luminaires and lamps, and electronic LED lighting control systems.

“Over the last two decades, we have developed innovative, energy-efficient LED lighting technology and have protected this technology under international intellectual property laws,” says Cree’s chairman & CEO Chuck Swoboda. “This agreement can enable our customers to accelerate the LED lighting revolution,” he adds.

Cree recently announced a similar broad cross-license agreement with Philips and has existing patent agreements with Japanese LED makers Nichia and Toyoda Gosei regarding LED technology.

Osram says that the agreement its Cree continues its policy of concluding patent cross-license agreements with other large LED makers. In recent years, it has entered into similar agreements with other firms in the LED industry including Nichia, Philips and Toyoda Gosei. Osram says that such agreements accelerate the spread of LED technology in all application fields, and help companies in the development, production and marketing of new products by mitigating the risk of inadvertently infringing other firms' patent rights. Users of Osram’s and Cree’s LED products hence benefit by being strongly guarded against adverse effects caused by potential patent disputes about these products.

Osram says that, with 8000 patents and patent applications, it holds a strong position regarding intellectual property in LED technology. “For all companies involved, the respectful management of intellectual property is essential for the smooth development of LED technology,” comments Osram’s chief operating officer Martin Goetzeler. “The agreement with Cree is an important step in this process.”

See related items:

Toyoda Gosei and Epistar sign LED-related patent cross-license agreement

Cree and Philips agree LED patent cross-license

Tags: Cree Osram LEDs

Visit: www.osram.com

Visit: www.cree.com

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