Nichia Chemical Wins LED Patent Case Against Toyoda Gosei
Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun
TOKYO. The Tokyo District Court on Thursday (August 31) approved the entire claim by Nichia Chemical Industries Ltd. that Toyoda Gosei Co. infringed its patent for a light-emitting diode, ordering Toyoda Gosei to stop manufacturing and selling the product and pay 100 million yen (approx. USD 900,000) to Nichia Chemical.
The disputed LED chip emits blue and green light and is used in small liquid crystal displays for cell phones and in large displays.
In February 1998, Nichia was awarded a patent for a blue LED chip, developed using gallium nitride compounds. Toyoda Gosei then began manufacturing blue/green LEDs.
Toyoda Gosei argued there was no encroachment on Nichia Chemical s patent because its LED has a different structure.
Nichia Chemical holds the top spot in the domestic blue LED market, ahead of No. 2 firm Toyoda Gosei. Decisions in eight other related lawsuits involving the companies are still pending.
(The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Friday morning edition)
