News & Analysis

Oct. 10, 2005
Super Vision suffers major setbacks in patent battle against Color Kinetics, Philips takes control of LED maker Lumileds, US Energy Policy Act provides funding for solid-state lighting.
Extreme irony

Super Vision has suffered three straight defeats in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts in its patent war against Color Kinetics but plans to keep fighting on behalf of the LED Alliance. The group believes that Color Kinetics has been granted a series of patents that are substantially based on prior art.

Philips takes control of LED maker Lumileds Lighting

Philips is to acquire the 47% stake owned by Agilent Technologies in Lumileds Lighting, the high-power LED manufacturer set up as a joint venture by Philips Lighting and Agilent in 1999. The deal is worth $950 million (€765 million) to be paid in cash on completion. Philips will hold 96.5% of Lumileds' issued and outstanding share capital, with the remaining 3.5% owned by an employee trust company.

US Energy Policy Act provides funding for solid-state lighting

The US government has finally passed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which will provide significant levels of funding for the development of white LED lighting technology. This is the culmination of several years of political maneuvering involving many interested parties.

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