Osram agrees Harvatek license, issues threat
Germany-based lighting company Osram has signed a royalty-bearing patent license contract with Harvatek Corporation of Taiwan.
The agreement allows Harvatek to make and sell white LEDs that are typically used in cell phone and car radio backlights.
Specifically, the license relates to conversion technology developed by Osram s LED specialist subsidiary Osram Opto Semiconductors. The patents in question detail the conversion of blue light from InGaN chips into white light.
Harvatek follows Nichia and Rohm from Japan, as well as Everlight, Lite-On, Vishay and Samsung as an Osram licensee.
Osram has also taken the opportunity to threaten manufacturers that it considers to be using its intellectual property (IP) without a license:
"Currently we have filed a lawsuit with the International Trade Commission against Dominant Semiconductors, Malaysia, for infringement of our patent rights," said Gerd Pokorny, senior VP at Osram.
"Additional lawsuits against other companies who do not respect Osram s IP rights will follow soon. Some of these companies are located in Taiwan."
