Intellectual property
Osram Opto Semiconductors has filed a complaint against Dominant Semiconductors with the US International Trade Commission (ITC). Dominant is a Malaysian manufacturer of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The complaint alleges that Dominant infringes upon Osram's LED technology patents. Osram seeks to enforce nine US patents and is seeking injunctive relief to bring a stop to infringement.
The relief sought includes an order that would prevent a wide range of Dominant's LEDs, and products containing these LEDs, from being imported into the USA. Osram has also asked for a general order preventing any other infringing LEDs, and products containing them, from being imported into the USA. The infringement complaint consists of two basic technologies - one for producing white light for a single chip and the other concerning interconnect wiring structures in LEDs.
Typical applications for the white light LEDs includes display backlighting for cell phones and automobile dashboards. The technology was developed by Osram Opto Semiconductors employees in the mid- and late-1990s. The company says that it was the first to market single-chip, white-light-emitting diodes. The LEDs enabled by Osram's interconnect technology are often used in automobile lighting applications, including interior lighting as well as rear combination light systems.