With the development of LEDs, more and more manufactories started to emphasize their own technical patents, which also bring some patents competition and cooperation.

It is estimated that Unity Opto Technology revenues for 2010 would reach NT$7 billion (US$228 million), up 75% from 2009, and went up to NT$12 billion, up 71.4% in 2011. In 2010, Unity’s LED backlighting TV increasing orders mainly from customers in South Korea, Japan and China, and it would continue in 2011. a leader of Unity said, Unity wanted to global market share for LED backlighting products to rise from 10% in 2010 to up to 15% in 2011, and the revenues to increase from NT$1 billion in 2010 to NT$2 billion in 2011.

Taiwan-based CCFLs and LED light bars maker GIO Optoelectronics，is a member of the Chi Mei Group. The company noted, GIO mainly supplied LED light bars for Chimei making LED backlight units used in LCD TV panels. Due to increased orders from Chimei, GIO had reached full utilization of its CCFL and LED light bar production capacities.

Lumex has developed its QuantumBrite Flexible LED Backlight technology.

LG Electronics starts to sell 10 LED LCD TVs, including three premium FULL LED LCD TVs with 42, 47 and 55 inch screens and seven edge-lit LED LCD models with screen sizes ranging from 22 to 42 inches in Japan from November 19. Over 60 retail stores in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya will adopt LG TV models. The LX9500, a "Best of Innovation" award winner at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is placed at the top of the company's line-up.

New SafeSite® Series LED Linear Offers Complete Lighting System with Superior Power Factor, Exceptionally Low Interference and Much Longer Life than Traditional Fluorescent Fixtures; U.S.-Manufactured to Meet Buy American Act in Roxboro, NC

AUO has built a partnership with Arizona State University’s Flexible Display Center (FDC) to develop mixed oxide TFTs to speed the commercial availability of active-matrix OLED flexible displays. As AMOLED in conventional glass displays are already beginning to gain market traction for applications such as smart phones, the FDC-AUO partnership will continue to expand its application with bringing the benefits of AMOLED displays, including full-color, full-motion video, to flexible substrates.

Reportedly, California will become a test lab in 2011, to test nationwide consumers’ reaction to new federal lighting efficiency laws taking effect throughout the country on January 1, 2012.   Under Title 20, the Golden State's energy commission has the authority to regulate lighting products used by consumers and businesses.

To comply with a strict energy policy which aims to cut down CO2 emission and energy consumption from the Chinese government’s “11th Five Year Plan”, big enterprises in the mainland start seeking energy-stingy LED lamps to replace traditional lamps in their plants. According to LED-lighting makers, sales of T8 light tubes and light bulbs lit up by LEDs will obviously ramp up throughout this quarter.

Larson Electronics has added the LEDLB-4ETM LED machine light with optional magnetic mount to its range of industrial LED lighting.   Mounted within any enclosed machine, this LED light can provide operators additional lighting for setup, processing or inspection as standard overhead lighting runs out.  

Track Lighting Retrofit Positively Impacts 50 Timberland Stores

At SFT Lighting’s “Intelligent Control LED light source” press conference held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) on November 9, 2010, SFT Lighting and CREE officially signed the first order of high power LED chips in the amount of RMB 100 million (~USD 15 million, at 1 USD = 6.64 CNY).

Recently, Circuit protection device maker Polytronics Technology estimated its sales in 4Q10 to decrease 15%, but it would be a smaller drop compared to in the same time last year. In October, the company’s consolidated revenues was NT$106 million (US$3.5 million), down 15.6% on month but up 17.3% on year. In the first ten month of 2010, its consolidated sales were NT$1.17 billion, up 46.5% from the same period of 2009.

Taiwan LED chipmaker Epistar and Formosa Epitaxy, LED backlighting started to pick up in November 2010 and would increase in March 2011, with the vendors completing inventory adjustments. Epistar indicated that vendors had begun to order production with completing inventory adjustments, especially from Korea-based packaging houses.

A new trend of energy saving, E-CMOS provides the new HV LED driver IC - high efficiency, high energy saving, and heat-sinked without transformers. According to the rise of global environmental protection and the reduction of carbon emission, the traditional incandecesnt light is replaced by new LED lighting in the market. However, the insufficient luminous and heat problem are still major issues.

Recently, Nichia has filed two lawsuits.

PerkinElmer has released its new Environmentally Friendly LED Fiber Optic Illuminator Module, which is designed for ease of integration by medical OEMs in endoscopy, surgical microscopy and headlamp applications. In comparison to conventional high-intensity-discharge lamps, this new Illuminator Module is based on LED technology with a usable life that is up to 50 times longer. Furthermore, it produces no ultraviolet or infrared emissions.

San Francisco based LED lighting company, Elemental LED has introduced new LED grow lights which can solve the two common problems including heat and costing in indoor gardening lighting application. The new LED grow lights can stay cool and use a fraction of the energy of conventional indoor grow lights. Recent advancements in LED technology have led to the development of LED grow lights using red and blue LED lights.

Luminus Devices’s CBM-380-RGBW PhlatLight LEDs were used inside Vari*Lite’s VLX Wash Luminaires to light up the stage for Arcade Fire’s recent live HD webcast concert from Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City.   Lighting designer Susanne Sasic used 40 VLX Wash Luminaries to assist the Canadian indie rock band to light the band at MSG.  

COMPANY’S ARRAY™ R16 AND GU10 LAMPS ARE ADDED TO THE ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED LED LIGHT BULBS LIST

•    Parties value each other’s IP portfolio •    Cross-licensing for LED phosphor materials •    Intematix licenses BOSE application patents on white LEDs, offers simple licensing procedures  

Energy Smart Industry, which is well known for providing with cost efficient lighting solutions in USA, introduced stylish LED lights for outdoors. The new lights launched by the company are energy efficient and can help the clients to save on their energy bills. The new lights have been introduced for commercial and residential units and are available in different styles and designs.

AIXTRON AG today announced a new order for MOCVD reactors from Changelight Co., Ltd. The order comprises several AIX 2600G3 IC in a 49x2-inch wafer configuration and a double digit number of AIX 2800G4-R 60x2-inch configuration deposition systems. After delivery of the systems between the fourth quarter 2010 and the second quarter of 2011, they will be used for red-orange-yellow (ROY) high brightness LED production.  

Recently, Wafer Works reported that the company planed to invest US$600,000 for Formosa Epitaxy's new subsidiary in Jiangsu, China, with a 1% share. For Wafer Works, it was not a small stake, but the shareholder relations would improve its ability in the LED supply chain, with the sapphire substrate prices on the rise in 4Q.

Taiwan LED chip Supplier Epistar has acquired a 40% stake in Nan Ya Photonics for NT$1 billion to support the reinvested company for the output expansion. According to Epistar`s president, M.J. Chou, the reinvestment will pay off in 2011, when Epistar can secure expanded supply of LED lightings through Nan Ya Photonics.

Edison Opto Corp. debuts its first public offering on the main board of the Taiwan Stock Exchange at the price of NT$108 On Nov. 12.

Reportedly, Officials from U.S. Department of Agriculture including Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, have taken a visit to Purdue University greenhouses on Oct. 25 to get a preview of the work that will come from a $4.88 million grant for LED lighting research.

austriamicrosystems has unveiled the AS3696, the first 4-channel LED driver IC with dedicated 3D TV features and unique power feedback regulation.   Available for edge lighting in LCD televisions, the AS3696 is the first to include a special control mechanism for 3D effects and extends austriamicrosystems’ portfolio of LED backlight unit drivers for the next generation of LCD TVs.  

American Lighting has introduced its bright, fully dimmable, energy-saving under-cabinet PRIORI PLUS LED lights. This PRIORI PLUS LED can provide a full range of continuous dimming control from 100 percent light output to 0 percent.   Compared to standard incandescent under-cabinet fixtures, the PRIORI PLUS’ light output delivers 50 to 60 percent more lumens, while using 75 percent less electricity.

New Mexico’s Third Largest School District Outfits Five Education Facilities with 140 Hybrid Solar/Grid-Powered Parking Lot Lights from Qnuru