Osram and Avago sign LED patent cross-license agreement

Two competing LED manufacturers have signed a patent deal covering white LEDs and LED system technology.

Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH and Avago Technologies have signed a limited patent cross-license agreement, with each side gaining the rights to use the others LED technology, according to LEDs Magazine..

Osram has granted Avago a license for several patents to manufacture and sell white LEDs with a specific conversion technology, as well as surface mount (SMT) LEDs. Avago Technologies has granted Osram a patent license covering LED systems, including systems for projection and flat-panel LCDs.

Conversion technology for LEDs enables the production of white LEDs using blue-emitting InGaN (indium gallium nitride)-based chips and a suitable fluorescent converter. Osram has licensed terbium aluminum garnet (TAG) phosphor technology to a number of other companies.

SMT mounting forms are very small and allow easy processing in industrial series manufacturing. Osram holds patents for several mounting forms and packages for SMT LEDs.

Osram has previously signed patent licensing agreements with Nichia, Rohm, Everlight, Lite On, Stanley, Harvatek, Ya Shin, Vishay, Samsung Electro Mechanics and Lednium.