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Nichia heads back to Tokyo court citing Epistar

Injunctions are back on the agenda as Nichia returns to the Tokyo District Court, this time with the Japanese affiliates of Epistar and Everlight in its sights.

Nitride LED and laser manufacturer Nichia has filed a request for a preliminary injunction order against E&E Japan - the Japanese affiliate of Taiwan-based Everlight and Epistar.

Nichia claims that E&E Japan is infringing Japanese patent number JP 2927279, which is one of its white LED patents. More specifically, it refers to the semiconductor device and phosphor combination that produces a white emission.

According to Nichia s statement, the white LEDs sold by E&E Japan under the model numbers 99-215UWC/TR8 and 67-21UWC/S400-A4/TR8 infringe on this patent.

E&E Japan is the new name for Epistar Japan and Everlight Japan, a joint holding between the two Taiwanese companies. As well as white LEDs, it sells infrared LEDs, laser diodes, infrared transceiver modules, pin photodiodes and more besides.

There is a long history of courtroom battles between Nichia, Everlight and Epistar. In 1999 Nichia claimed a preliminary injunction order against Everlight Japan.

Then in October last year, Nichia had sought to prevent Epistar from selling blue LEDs that it claimed infringed on another of its patents (see related story).

Later that same month, Nichia said it had been awarded a conditional preliminary injunction order to stop Everlight using blue LED chips made by Epistar in its packaged products. However, the conditional order expired shortly afterwards and Everlight announced that its product did not infringe Nichia s Taiwanese patents.

The latest claim of infringement comes just two weeks after Nichia said that it was involved in talks with Taiwanese LED manufacturers that might lead to a licensing agreement.

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