Dominant cleared of infringing Osram Opto’s patents

According to a report in the Malay Mail Online, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has dismissed a complaint filed by Osram GmbH, the world’s second biggest lighting manufacturer, against Dominant Semiconductors Sdn Bhd of Malaysia.

“The ITC has cleared us of the infringement claims,” said Goh Nan Kioh, the major shareholder and founder of Dominant in a telephone interview with Malay Mail Online, who went on to claim that “the ruling invalidates Osram's patents on technologies which were in dispute with our company.”

The dispute dates back to June 2004, when Osram filed a complaint with the ITC, claiming that Dominant was infringing two sets of patents, one relating to white LEDs and the second concerning the design of electrical connections for high-power LEDs used mainly in automotive applications (see Osram accuses Dominant over LED patent ).

In a previous interview with the same publication on June 16 last year, Goh said that Dominant was willing to take on Osram on the point of dispute as a matter of principle. “It's a case of David and Goliath, we will use our brain instead of our might,” Goh had said, in describing the Osram claim as without basis and anti-competitive.

Dominant responded with a lawsuit accusing the German company of violating US unfair competition laws, and alleging that Osram has made false and misleading statements about Dominant's products to Dominant's customers and end users (see Dominant fires lawsuit back at Osram).

Operating out of the Batu Berendam free trade centre in Malacca, Dominant is one of the largest LED manufacturers in terms of capacity, and is a 100% export-orientated company. Its three major clients are US-based multinationals. “What we produce, now can't be challenged by Osram and can be sold all over the world, including the US,” said Goh.