October 14, 2024
Seoul Semiconductor Wins Noteworthy LED Patent Case
Court orders ban and destruction of infringing products in multiple countries
Inside Lighting doesn't usually report on the minutiae of LED component intellectual property disputes, especially those that happen overseas and may seem distant from our primarily North American audience. However, a recent case in Europe has caught our attention, and that of numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, for several important reasons.
Seoul Semiconductor’s patent case surrounds its WICOP package-free chip technology. The court ruling involves (1) a record-breaking number of countries under an injunction, (2) Europe’s third-largest online electronics retailer, and (3) a court order for the retrieval and destruction of infringing products, which is especially noteworthy. Though the case primarily concerns a cell phone flash component, it could have further implications for the broader electronics, automotive, and general lighting industries, as the patented LED technology at the heart of the dispute is also used in those sectors.
European Court Ruling
On October 10, 2024, the European Unified Patent Court in Düsseldorf, Germany ruled in favor of Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. and its subsidiary, Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd., in a significant patent infringement lawsuit against Expert e-Commerce GmbH and Expert Klein GmbH. The court found that the defendants had violated Seoul Semiconductor’s European Patent EP 3 926 698 B1, which covers the company’s proprietary “No Wire” LED technology.
Above: Seoul Semiconductor WICOP | Image credit: Seoul Semiconductor
The ruling includes a wide-reaching injunction across the largest number of countries affected by a patent dispute since the establishment of the court in 2023. The court ordered the defendants to cease sales of infringing products, recall existing stock, and destroy any remaining products that use the patented LED technology. This case marks a new precedent, according to EE News Europe, as the highest number of countries ever involved in an injunction, setting a milestone in the court’s short history:
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- France
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- The Netherlands
- Sweden
Background and Broader Impact
The lawsuit primarily centers on smartphone LEDs used in camera flash modules. Seoul Semiconductor’s patented No Wire technology enables LED miniaturization and enhances light extraction efficiency by improving light reflection and current spreading. These features are essential for high-performance LEDs in various applications, such as mobile phone flashes, automotive headlamps, and high-power lighting systems.
Above: Closeup of accused product. Excerpt from Seoul Semiconductor legal complaint
Expert e-Commerce is the third-largest online electronics retailer in Europe, generating approximately $14 billion in annual revenue, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company was found to have sold products incorporating Seoul Semiconductor's patented technology without proper authorization.
While this particular case focuses on a cell phone flash component, the patented WICOP (Wafer Integrated Chip on PCB) technology is also used in other fields, such as automotive and general lighting. As such, the court’s decision could have broader implications for these industries.
Related Case
This is not the first time Seoul Semiconductor has been involved in intellectual property disputes in European Unified Patent Court. In a related case against Amazon earlier this year, the two parties reached a settlement regarding patent infringement claims. The terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed, but the case similarly focused on the unauthorized use of Seoul Semiconductor’s LED technologies in electronics sold on the e-commerce platform.
