How should Chinese LED enterprises cope with the intensified patent war

Days ago, Nichia media published several patent infringement litigation on LED. It is reported that, in addition to the proposed YAG patent litigation in California, including two in the United States District Court in Dezhou sued LCD television manufacturer Vizio infringement proceedings. The surprise is that Nichia uncharacteristically, rather than to the LED chip supplier or supplier to sue, and point to end product manufacturers Vizio. According to the Nichia internal sources, indicating that the intention of the company, is the end product of the LED backlight with no stop chip patent authorization. "We want all LED vendors to use legally patented LED products," he added." It is understood, although widely used in wafer demand LED backlight applications, has brought considerable amount of shipments to LED manufacturers, but because the chip LED backlight manufacturers have no brand logo, the LED backlight terminal products, even if it is difficult to confirm whether the manufacturers also own the product, not to mention that these chips the identity of the manufacturer. Nichia latest lawsuit: LCD sued the U.S. TV maker Nichia said, has proposed the current patent infringement lawsuit against Vizio, because LED chips used in Vizio and is accused of infringing XI3030 billion light chip fabrication process and high similarity, and realize the imitation. In fact, the same court has ruled on January 28, 2016, XI3030 billion light XI3535, 62-217D, 62-257D and 45-21S chip products in violation of the tort case, Nichia U.S. Patent No. 8530250 (patent 250). Undoubtedly, Nichia to end product manufacturers, it is difficult to prove the LED chip supplier is one of the main reasons. But due to the manufacturer to competitors filed a lawsuit to fight to the terminal products manufacturers, this is apparently part of its actively engaged in research and development of innovative enterprises, a kind of "self preservation" means to prevent illegal use of wafer. This, LED Industry Patent Alliance analysts said in an interview with the author, with the LED industry chain continues to mature, the patent will play a leading role in the foreseeable future, patent litigation will also continue to increase, more and more manufacturers to pick up the legal weapons, way to follow the law, to strike the opponent through substantive litigation action and stress licensing negotiations. In her opinion, this event with her Nichia Cree last year in 337 when the survey forecast status very well, you can see that the patent litigation related to LED there will be a walk down trend. "After the lights out will be more dangerous, the current domestic chip has been unable to go out, because of lighting design and other reasons, then the domestic lights go out of the pressure will also increase."." She further explained that the current upstream chip core technology is still largely in the hands of foreign giants, the use of domestic chip products export is very difficult to avoid by giant siege, exports to developed areas, lighting design, use of infringement of chips, are likely to face a big risk. This is initiatives taken by Nichia, insiders predict, or will have some impact on the domestic backlight suppliers. At the same time, such a situation could have serious consequences for LED wafers without patent protection, and could even raise the cost of terminal products. Finally, face the risk of litigation for patent infringement may be caused by the domestic enterprises also have what measures? The LED Patent Alliance analysts put forward some suggestions and Thinking: first, the domestic giant LED enterprise can through overseas mergers and acquisitions to obtain patent rights, but given the way the U.S. government to stop the sale of Lumileds after the blaze, to think will work, how to do to make overseas acquisitions plan goes through, smoothly? Second, domestic enterprises should also strive to HUAWEI development in the communications industry as an example, to increase investment in key areas, blaze a new trail; third, by heating way, the overall response, Dianmianjiege, full back, in order to find the possibility of a breakthrough.