In June and July of 2016, Nichia Corporation of Japan brought patent lawsuits in U.S. District Courts for the Eastern Districts of both Missouri and Texas. The lawsuits accused specific white LED-containing products sold by Meridian Electric Company, Inc. and Mary Elle Fashions, Inc. of infringing Nichia’s LED patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 8,530,250 and 7,915,631. In these lawsuits, Nichia asked the court for damages and injunctions against further infringement.
Patent Descriptions
The U.S. patent no. 8,530,250 describes an LED with a resin body and resin mold package, and the 7,915,631 patent describes the use of a phosphor as a light converter to create light emission that falls along the black body curve of the chromaticity diagram.
According to Nichia, the parties were able to settle their differences, and Meridian acknowledged that Taiwanese LED manufacturer Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. manufactured some of the LEDs used in the cited products. Although previously unknown to Meridian, Nichia says that these products infringe the ’250 patent.
As part of the settlement, Meridian has agreed to make a particular payment to Nichia, and to cease using infringing LEDs that Everlight manufactured in Meridian products.
