October 13, 2023
Current Settles with Super Lighting, Three Legal Foes Remain
Standing firm on its IP use, Current persists in legal battles against adversaries
In the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division, a settlement has been reached between the plaintiffs, Jiaxing Super Lighting Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. (Super Lighting) and Obert, Inc., and the defendant, Current Lighting Solutions. The case was dismissed on Wednesday.
The dispute largely revolved around patented technology used in linear LED tubes, often referred to as T-LEDs. The parties involved have agreed to settle the claims presented in the case, leading to a licensing agreement, as stated by Super Lighting. Each party has been ordered to bear its own attorneys' fees, costs, and other expenses incurred during the proceedings.
13.9 million reasons why Super Lighting patents seem to have merit:
In a past case, a US Judge determined that one of Super Lighting's contested patents was valid, which led to an eventual November 2021 jury verdict in Super Lighting’s favor against CH Lighting and Ruising. The two defendants are OEM manufacturers that supply lighting products to a number of well known lighting brands in the U.S. The jury went on to determine that multiple other Super Lighting patents were also valid and infringed by all defendants. The jury also decided that CH Lighting and Ruising willfully infringed the patents and that they should pay $13.9 million.
Current Still has IP battles with three other corporate foes:
With Super Lighting out of the way, Current still finds itself embroiled in multiple legal battles, defending its products and practices against accusations of patent infringement. Facing challenges from an industry giant like Signify, as well as other non-practicing entities like ALSI Holdings and CAO Lighting, Current's legal battles highlight the complex web of claims and counterclaims over who truly owns the rights to specific lighting technologies. Here's a closer look at the legal confrontations that Current is still navigating:
1. Signify
Current's Case in Boston: On June 22, Current initiated a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, proactively seeking a declaration that they do not infringe on 18 of Signify's patents.
Signify's Actions in Delaware:
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Signify retaliated with two lawsuits in the US District Court for the District of Delaware.
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The first lawsuit alleges that Current is infringing on six patents, and the second accuses them of infringing on three.
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By splitting the cases based on product type, Signify may be aiming to streamline the likely intensive discovery process and potentially reduce lengthy court proceedings.
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Current denies these allegations
ITC Action:
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Besides the Delaware lawsuits, Signify filed another case against Current in July with the International Trade Commission (ITC).
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The company is looking for a permanent limited exclusion order and cease-and-desist orders against Current's LED lighting devices and power sources believed to be infringing Signify's patents.
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Current also denies these allegations
2. ALSI Holdings
In November 2021, Pennsylvania-based ALSI Holdings filed a lawsuit against Current. The dispute broadly centers around claims by ALSI Holdings that several of Current's products infringe on their patents. Current denies these allegations.
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Current's Daintree WA100-PM Wireless Adapter is alleged to have infringed on a specific patent held by ALSI.
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ALSI claims that Current's Lumination LUS fixture, along with similar fixtures, violate another one of their patents.
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Current's Evolve LED luminaires are believed to infringe on two separate patents, as claimed by ALSI.
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The Albeo LED High Bay fixtures by Current are also in the crosshairs, with ALSI alleging that they infringe on another distinct patent.
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Lastly, ALSI has raised concerns about Current's Lumination LIS fixture and similar products, asserting that they violate two more of ALSI's patents.
The central theme is a contention over patent rights and the use of certain technologies in lighting products.
3. CAO Lighting
In May 2020, CAO Lighting, Inc. filed a lawsuit against General Electric Company and others which included the Current powered by GE brand which is now known as Current GLI Brands.
The dispute revolves around specific lamp products that CAO Lighting believes contain LED chips with certain technical features. These features involve the construction of the LED chips, including layers and components crucial for their function. CAO Lighting contends that some of the defendants' products, which were sold through GE's consumer and professional lighting divisions, closely resemble or are substantially similar to the designs they've described, potentially infringing on CAO Lighting's patent rights.
Current denies all allegations.
Aside from these intellectual property disputes, Current is also involved in other civil disputes mainly pertaining to business contracts with other parties.
