OSRAM and Toyoda Gosei sign patent agreement
Patent exchange triggers progress in LED technology
OSRAM (Germany) has granted to Seoul Semiconductors against compensation a license to manufacture and sell white LEDs with conversion technology using patents owned by the OSRAM subsidiary OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. In return Seoul Semiconductors granted to OSRAM a license to use housing patents of Seoul Semiconductors. This agreement paves the way for a closer cooperation between the two companies.
Conversion technology was developed by OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. It enables the production of white LEDs using blue emitting InGaN (Indium Gallium Nitride) based chips and suitable fluorescent converter. With the agreement signed today Seoul Semiconductors is granted the right to use this OSRAM intellectual property in white LEDs of all sizes, in all output categories and for all areas of application. OSRAM has signed royalty bearing license agreements with various companies - for example Rohm, Everlight, Lite-On, Harvatek Vishay, Samsung Electrics, Yashin and Citizen.
Dr. Rüdiger Müller, CEO of OSRAM Opto Semiconductors: "Over the years, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors has built up a very strong patent position. It is the foundation of our strong market position." "Today´s agreement is a perfect example for a productive and fair collaboration. But we will also continue to vigorously enforce our patent rights against companies making unauthorized use of our intellectual property. International courts have ruled on our favour in many cases." stated Gerd Pokorny, Senior Vice President, OSRAM GmbH.
About OSRAM GmbH:
OSRAM GmbH is one of the two leading lighting manufacturers in the world. Sales in the year ending September 30, 2006 totalled 4.6 billion euros, 88 percent of which came from outside Germany. OSRAM is a high-tech company in the lighting sector. Around 40 percent of sales comes from innovative products. This global player employs around 40,000 people worldwide, supplies customers in some 150 countries and has 49 production facilities in 18 countries (www.osram.com).
About OSRAM Opto Semiconductors:
OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Regensburg, is a subsidiary of OSRAM GmbH. It offers its customers solutions based on semiconductor technology for the lighting, sensor and visualization sectors. The company has sites in Regensburg, San José (USA) and Penang (Malaysia). In the 2006 fiscal year (to September 30, 2007) more than 3500 employees of OSRAM Opto Semiconductors produced sales totaling 500 million euros.
(www.osram-os.com)
Press contact:
Marion Reichl
Headquarter, Europe
Tel: +49 (0) 941 - 850 - 16 93
Fax: +49 (0) 941 - 850 - 33 05
Email: marion.reichl@osram-os.com
