9 May 2016

Cree and Kingbright settle patent dispute and reach license agreement

LED chip, lamp and lighting fixture maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has reached a confidential settlement in its patent infringement lawsuit with Taiwan-based LED maker Kingbright Inc, involving agreeing to a royalty-bearing, worldwide license to the Cree patents-in-suit, ending the lawsuit between the parties. 

Last week, Cree likewise reached a confidential settlement in its patent infringement lawsuit with Taiwan-based LED maker Harvatek Corp, also involving a royalty-bearing, worldwide license to the Cree patents-in-suit (ending the lawsuit between the two parties).

In September 2014, Cree filed patent infringement lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to prevent Harvatek and Kingbright from infringing its patented intellectual property. The patents protect Cree's LED component portfolio, including the firm's white light LEDs. The US patents included in these cases are:

• 6,600,175 – solid-state white light emitter and display using same;
• 7,943,945 – solid-state white light emitter and display using same;
• 8,659,034 – solid-state white light emitter and display using same;
• 7,910,938 – encapsulant profile for light-emitting diodes;
• 8,766,298 – encapsulant profile for light-emitting diodes; and
• 8,362,605 – apparatus and method for use in mounting electronic elements.

"Cree is committed to protecting the investment of our current licensees, shareholders and customers by defending our rights in court when necessary and by licensing our patents when appropriate," says Brad Kohn, VP legal & general counsel for Cree. "With this settlement and license agreement, Cree has once again obtained value for our extensive IP portfolio."

Cree reiterates that, after many years of intensive R&D, it has developed an extensive LED patent portfolio, with numerous patents still pending. Major LED makers make use of Cree's patented technology and have signed license agreements to secure these rights.

See related items:

Cree and Harvatek settle patent dispute and reach license agreement

Cree files lawsuits to protect LED component IP

Tags: Cree LEDs

Visit: www.cree.com/About-Cree/Licensing/Licensees