Sensor Electronic Technology Inc. (SETi), a global innovator of deep UV LED products and technology, announced that it successfully obtained a permanent injunction in a patent infringement lawsuit against Bolb, Inc. (Bolb), and Quantum Egg Inc. (Q-Egg).
Bolb is a UV LED company co-founded by former SETi employees, and Q-Egg was the distributor of the accused UV LED steriliser device.
The California Northern District federal court issued a permanent injunction against the sales of an accused UV LED steriliser device, as well as any mere colourable variations, according to the parties’ stipulation.
The Court will, therefore, prohibit the sale of similar products if they prove to be simple variations of the accused products.
The asserted patents in this litigation cover fundamental UV LED technology, encompassing UV LED steriliser structures and drivers, chip fabrication, and epitaxial layer growth.
“It is difficult to survive on a long-term basis in the UV LED industry without a strong foundation in intellectual property and technology expertise, something that SETi (...) gained thanks to their extensive investment in research and development,” said Chae Hon Kim, CEO of SETi.
UV LED market growth
The UV LED market has expanded to a range of fields, including air and water purification devices, as well as medical and biodevices for skincare. A market report from LEDinside (2018) said the market value will grow up to US$1.2 billion in 2022.
SETi has also collaborated with South Korean UV LED company Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd. (SVC), resulting in the development of Violeds technology for UV LED-based disinfection, deodorisation, phototherapy and curing.
Violeds technology has been used by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
SETi also supplies UV LED products to America’s largest heating and cooling manufacturing brand company. This product has been recognised by customers for its high performance in sterilising various bacteria that live inside air conditioner equipment and preventing it from spreading inside a home or office during operation.
“SETi believes in furthering a market of fair competition and investment in intellectual property. We also believe in the importance of green technology (and) plan to make our products available at even more competitive pricing to encourage the distribution of our green technology products in the market, thereby contributing to a clean and healthy environment,” Kim concluded.
Semicon Light Co, Ltd., an investor of Bolb, did sales promotion for the accused UV LED and steriliser device UV LEDs in Japan and other countries.
SETi, a division of Seoul Semiconductor and Seoul Viosys, is a global supplier of deep UV LEDs (emission wavelengths shorter than 340nm), as well as a broad portfolio of UV-B, and UV-C LED products and application solutions.
The company's UV LEDs are certified to AS9100D with ISO 9001:2015.
