- News
9 March 2018
Seoul Semiconductor files three patent lawsuits and announces Acrich licensing program
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South Korean LED maker Seoul Semiconductor Co Ltd, together with affiliate Seoul Viosys Co Ltd, has filed three new patent infringement lawsuits against a lighting company and distributors selling products that allegedly infringe its Acrich patents.
On 2 March, Seoul filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Texas Northern District federal court accusing Service Lighting Electrical Supplies Inc of selling LED bulbs that infringe 10 patents relating to Acrich technology in the course of operating 1000bulbs.com, America’s largest online retail channel for such bulbs.
Seoul also filed a patent infringement lawsuit in Nevada District Court against Philcort T.V. & Electronic Leasing Inc for infringement of eight Acrich patents.
Seoul has also filed a patent infringement lawsuit in California’s Central District Court against Archipelago Lighting Inc for infringement of eight patents. Seoul had already filed a patent lawsuit in the same court last September alleging that Archipelago infringed 12 patents. Seoul subsequently became aware of additional products that it believes are infringing other Acrich patents.
In this series of patent litigations relating to Acrich technology, Seoul is focusing on various LED lamps, including LED filament bulbs, each of which is believed to infringe at least one or more of 20 different patents covering technologies for LED drivers for high-voltage operations, MJT (multi-junction technology), filament LED bulb structures, LED packaging, LED epitaxial growth, LED chip fabrication, etc.
Seoul says that Acrich technology is essential for products that feature high-voltage operation with a high power output yet which rely on only a small number of LED units. In general lighting products, such as streetlights or filament LEDs, demand has increased for LED products capable of more than 12V power. Acrich technology is also increasingly used for high-end televisions with ultra-high definition (UHD) displays because it makes it easy to implement local dimming functions, says Seoul.
“Seoul will continue to enforce its IP against lighting and electrical companies, as well as their retailers, who manufacture or sell infringing products,” states general counsel & executive VP Yong-Tae Lee. “But for those companies who wish to conduct business fairly and without infringing Seoul’s IP, we will soon be announcing a patent licensing program for Acrich technology. The new licensing program will offer reasonable terms to companies that wish to offer products incorporating Acrich technology essential for LED drivers, packages for high-voltage operations, and AC-operation LED drivers,” he adds.
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