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Nichia in patent talks with Taiwanese rivals

Nichia says that it is exploring the possibilities of alliances with certain Taiwanese LED manufacturers, and that the talks could result in licensing agreements.
While continuing to challenge rival companies that it claims are infringing its patents (see below), Nichia has issued a statement saying that it is looking into the possibility of licensing its technology to certain Taiwanese LED manufacturers.

So far, Nichia has had an uncompromising relationship with its Taiwanese rivals, and has filed injunctions against Epistar, a chip maker, and Everlight, a packaging company (see Related Stories).

However, Nichia says it is now exploring the possibilities of alliances with certain Taiwanese manufacturers, in order to secure growing global demands for its products, and in accordance with its IP policy.

The key for Nichia is that complementary benefits can be achieved through partnerships with companies that also have valuable intellectual property. This policy, as well as the desire to end a number of ongoing legal disputes, was the basis for Nichia s string of patent agreements with its leading rivals, namely Toyoda Gosei, Cree, Osram Opto Semiconductors and Lumileds.

Nichia says that its approach is "contributing to healthy growth of a fair market, where intellectual properties are valued."

However, in the same statement, Nichia reiterated its firm position that it will "continue to pursue an aggressive legal approach against other companies, which are manufacturing and/or using infringing products."

This was reinforced by news of Nichia s latest patent infringement lawsuit, filed in South Korea.

The lawsuit, the latest in a long line filed by Nichia (see, for example Nichia sues Sharper Image over white LEDs), is directed against an unnamed Taiwanese company and a South Korean company that has been doing business with the Taiwanese company in South Korea.

Nichia says that it has "reasonable belief" that the two companies have been conducting activities infringing on one of its patents, valid in South Korea, which relates to the vapor-phase growth of GaN-based materials used to manufacture LEDs.

The suggestion appears to be that the Taiwanese company is manufacturing LEDs, allegedly using technology patented by Nichia, and supplying the devices to the South Korean company. Nichia is seeking to prevent the Taiwanese company from exporting the products to South Korea.

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