12 May 2016

Cree files patent infringement counterclaims in US against Feit Electric

LED chip, lamp and lighting fixture maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has filed counterclaims in the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against Feit Electric Company Inc of Pico Rivera, CA, USA to stop infringement of Cree's patented technologies. The suit alleges infringement of two patents related to LED bulbs:

• US Patent No. 8,998,444 'Solid State Lighting Devices Including Light Mixtures', addressing color mixing in an LED lighting product; and
• US Patent No. 9,052,067 'LED Lamp with High Color Rendering Index', addressing color mixing and a globe that improves omnidirectional light.

"Cree was the first to develop LED bulb technology that achieved both omnidirectionality of light and high-CRI (color rendering index) light," says John Edmond, Cree's co-founder & director of advanced optoelectronics. "Cree's ground-breaking color mixing technology took years to develop and perfect. It is unfair for others to improperly use our patented technology," he adds. 

"Cree is committed to continuing innovation and protecting shareholder value. These court actions protect our inventions from misuse," says Brad Kohn Cree's VP legal & general counsel. "We have more than 4000 issued patents, and we will continue to vigorously defend Cree's patented technology to protect our investments in R&D."

In July 2015, Feit filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina alleging that Cree's 4Flow line of LED light bulbs infringes US Patent Nos. 8,408,748 and 9,016,901, seeking an injunction against sales of 4Flow LED light bulbs as well as damages for past infringing sales. Previously, in January 2015, Cree filed complaints with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) and the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin against Feit and its Asian supplier Unity Opto Technology Co Ltd alleging infringement of 10 patents related to LED lighting and to address what was claimed to be Feit's false and misleading advertising claims that certain of its products meet ENERGY STAR specifications. Cree requested that the ITC issued an order to exclude infringing and falsely advertised articles from entry into the USA, and a cease and desist order requiring the respondents to cease selling infringing and falsely advertised LED bulbs in the USA. In February 2015, the ITC agreed to open an investigation into unfair trade practices, including Cree's allegations of infringement of eight of its US patents related to LED lighting.

See related items:

Feit Electric files LED patent infringement lawsuit against Cree

ITC opens investigation into infringement of Cree LED lighting patents

Cree files US lawsuits against Feit and Unity Opto alleging infringement of ten LED lighting patents

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