Nichia teams with Stanley, sues Seoul Semiconductor

Two Japanese LED makers, Nichia and Stanley, have signed a licensing agreement that will give Stanley access to Nichia's white LED products and technology, according to a report on the EE Times website.

The move will strengthen Nichia's sales into the automotive lighting market, where Stanley is a major supplier. Stanley expects that the addition of Nichia's high-power white LEDs to its portfolio will also be useful in many other application areas.

Back in 2002, Nichia licensed its white LED technology to another Japanese LED manufacturer, Citizen.

Nichia files lawsuit against Seoul Semiconductor

In unrelated news, Nichia has filed a complaint for alleged patent infringement in Osaka District Court. The lawsuit is against Japan Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd., the Japanese subsidiary of Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. of Korea, and its distributor, Kyoei Sangyo Co., Ltd.

The complaint alleges that Seoul Semiconductor's Z-Power LED P9 series white LED products infringe two of Nichia's patents numbers 3,511,970 and 2,778,349. Nichia seeks damages for past infringement as well as an injunction against any further infringing activity.

A lawsuit against Seoul Semiconductor in the United States is currently pending, in which Nichia is seeking damages for past infringement as well as an injunction against any further infringing activity, based on Nichia's US design patents on side-view type white LEDs.