Cree Files Patent Infringement Counterclaims in US District Court
DURHAM, N.C. -- Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a leader in LED lighting, has filed counterclaims in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against Feit Electric Company, Inc. to stop infringement of Cree’s patented technologies. The suit alleges infringement of two patents related to LED bulbs.
The patents at issue are U.S. Patent No. 8,998,444 entitled “Solid State Lighting Devices Including Light Mixtures” addressing color mixing in an LED lighting product and U.S. Patent No. 9,052,067 entitled “LED Lamp with High Color Rendering Index” addressing color mixing and a globe that improves omnidirectional light.
“Cree was the first to develop LED bulb technology that achieved both omnidirectionality of light and high CRI light to provide better light experiences to our customers,” said John Edmond, Cree co-founder and director of advanced optoelectronics. “Cree’s ground-breaking color mixing technology took years to develop and perfect. It is unfair for others to improperly use our patented technology.”
“Cree is committed to continuing innovation and protecting shareholder value. These court actions protect our inventions from misuse,” said Brad Kohn Cree vice president legal and general counsel. “We have more than 4,000 issued patents, and we will continue to vigorously defend Cree’s patented technology to protect our investments in R&D.”
About Cree, Inc.:
Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, lighting products and semiconductor products for power and radio frequency (RF) applications. Cree believes in better light experiences and is delivering new innovative LED technology that transforms the way people experience light through high-quality interior and exterior LED lighting solutions.
Cree’s product families include LED lighting systems and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and RF devices. Cree’s products are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, electronic signs and signals, power supplies and inverters.
For additional product and Company information, please refer to www.cree.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, including uncertain demand for products using the licensed technology, and other factors discussed in Cree’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 28, 2015, and subsequent filings.
Cree® is a registered trademark of Cree, Inc.