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Feb. 15, 2023

Nichia Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against CoreStaff for Selling Bridgelux LEDs that Use KSF Phosphor Technology

On February 13, 2023, Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court, seeking damages and to enjoin trading company CoreStaff Co., Ltd., from selling products from the F90 family of LEDs made by U.S.-based Bridgelux, Inc.

The asserted patent in the lawsuit, Japanese Patent No. 4974310, as well as related patents owned by Nichia in the U.S., Germany, and China, relates to LEDs incorporating KSF (PFS) phosphors. KSF phosphors enable efficient and reliable LEDs that deliver excellent light quality with accurate color rendering. Nichia owns more than 120 patents in over 12 countries covering aspects of this technology, which is one of the most promising technologies in the lighting market and important to the LCD backlight and automotive markets. Nichia believes that its patent portfolio is fundamental and cannot be avoided by a license from another manufacturer.

While Nichia welcomes fair competition and believes it often leads to improved innovation, which ultimately serves the greater good of the industry and its consumers, Nichia will not shrink from steadfastly protecting its intellectual property, including its KSF phosphor-LED patent portfolio. As a leading innovator, known for producing high quality LEDs and ever improving the nature of light and optical mechanisms, Nichia’s intellectual property serves as a springboard for its own future innovation, and therefore must be defended.

About NICHIA Corporation
Having “Ever Researching for a Brighter World” as a motto, NICHIA takes great pride in being the technology leader and world’s largest LED manufacturer. Founded in 1956 as a specialist chemical producer, NICHIA quickly became the leader in luminescent materials (phosphors). NICHIA later developed and commercialized the first high brightness blue LED in 1993 and the first white LED in 1996. Additional nitride-based LEDs in various colors were developed, including ultraviolet and visible laser diodes. NICHIA believes that its products will remain at the forefront of energy efficient solutions throughout the world for years to come.

The accused products in this lawsuit are the following Bridgelux's products: