Date: 24/04/2012

Nichia sued by Everlight in US for patent infringement

Everlight Electronics has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Nichia Corp. in the United States district court for the eastern district of Michigan. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin Nichia from manufacturing, using, importing, offering for sale, or selling its infringing products in the United States. It also seeks monetary damages.

In its complaint, Everlight is seeking enforcement of a patent covering LED metallization technology, U.S. patent no. 6,653,215. Everlight is the exclusive U.S. licensee of the '215 patent, which is owned by Emcore Corporation. Everlight and Emcore are jointly bringing this action.

Uses for Nichia's LEDs being sold in the U.S. that are alleged to infringe on the '215 patent include residential lighting products, street lights and spotlights.

Everlight is also asking the U.S. court to declare that Nichia's U.S. patent nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960 are invalid, unenforceable and improperly issued by the U.S. patent office and that Everlight's LED products do not infringe on those patents. Those patents cover the use of certain types of phosphors in making white-light LEDs.