Hongli Optoelectronics LED Warning Light Obtains Invention Patent; Mitsubishi Chemical Sues Hild and Intematix
Hongli Optoelectronics LED Warning Light Obtains Invention Patent
The company stated that the technology involved in this invention patent is one of the company's main technologies and has been applied to existing products. The acquisition of the patent rights will not have a significant impact on the company's current production and operations, but is conducive to improving the intellectual property protection system, leveraging the company's independent intellectual property advantages, and enhancing the company's core competitiveness.
Mitsubishi Chemical Sues Hild and Intematix for Infringement of Red Phosphor Patent
On January 23, 2015, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation filed a lawsuit with the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court against Yantai Shield Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. and U.S.-based Intematix Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Intematix") for infringing basic patents related to red phosphors jointly owned by the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), an independent administrative institution, and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (including Chinese Patent No. ZL201110066517.7, hereinafter referred to as "the Patents"). The lawsuit seeks to stop the manufacture and sale of phosphor products within China and to claim damages for the infringement.
The Patents (Note 1: In addition to these Patents, the Company owns multiple other patents related to CASN and SCASN) refer to nitride-based red phosphors commonly known as CASN, SCASN, or 1113 phosphors (Note 2: CASN, SCASN, and 1113 phosphors: phosphors based on formulations such as CaAlSiN3:Eu), as well as related products including LEDs, lighting fixtures, and LCD backlight units that use such phosphors. CASN and SCASN phosphors are highly luminous and reliable red phosphors widely used in LEDs, and the phosphors manufactured and sold by the Company have received broad support and acclaim from LED manufacturers. Separately, in Korea, an appeal is currently being heard in a lawsuit filed against Intematix for infringement of the corresponding Korean patents related to these Patents. In the first instance of that lawsuit, the Seoul Central District Court ruled on February 5, 2013 that the company's patent infringement was established and ordered the cessation of imports into and sales within Korea.
This lawsuit, for the Company which has long been actively investing in and expanding its business in China, is intended on one hand to protect important intellectual property rights through legal means, and at the same time to contribute to the healthy and orderly development of the phosphor industry through litigation. Going forward, if other companies engage in infringement of the Company's patented products, the Company will no longer tolerate such actions and will take appropriate responsive measures.