Cree, rival LED producer strike patent sharing agreement; analyst firm calls Cree a 'buy'

Light-emitting diode manufacturer Cree (Nasdaq: CREE) and Toyoda Gosei, a rival manufacturer, have struck an agreement covering patent-sharing and other product technology.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

In other news Wednesday, analyst firm Kaufman Brothers initiated coverage of Cree with a "buy" rating.

The agreement provides both firms with "access to each other's patented LED chip and packaged LED technology,” Cree said in a statement.

In March, Toyoda Gosei reached a patent-licensing agreement with Gertrude Neumark Rothschild, professor emerita of materials science and engineering at Columbia University. Several other firms, including Sony Corp and Sanyo Electric Co Ltd, reached an agreement with Rothschild on Tuesday, according to the publication Semiconductor Today.

Cree has not settled its dispute with Rothschild, Semiconductor Today added.

In a lawsuit, Rothschild alleged infringement by 31 firms of a patent covering LED technology.

Toyoda Gosei operates facilities in several different countries.

"Cree and Toyoda Gosei are responsible companies that respect the intellectual property rights of others and strive to enhance the development of LED technology," said Chris James, Cree's vice president of marketing and business development, in a statement. "The agreement highlights the importance of intellectual property in the LED marketplace and helps to alleviate the [intellectual property] concerns of LED customers."

Disclaimers of Warranties
1. The website does not warrant the following:
1.1 The services from the website meets your requirement;
1.2 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the service;
1.3 The accuracy, reliability of conclusions drawn from using the service;
1.4 The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness, or security of any information that you download from the website
2. The services provided by the website is intended for your reference only. The website shall be not be responsible for investment decisions, damages, or other losses resulting from use of the website or the information contained therein<
Proprietary Rights
You may not reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, display, perform, publish, distribute, disseminate, broadcast or circulate to any third party, any materials contained on the services without the express prior written consent of the website or its legal owner.
New XLamp® S Line LEDs enhance growth, last longer, lower energy costs Horticulture and other forms of agricultural lighting require application-tuned ratios of spectral content, high efficacy and long lifetimes. Whether you are interest... READ MORE
Cree LED delivers superior brightness, light quality and efficiency for portable applications. Our XLamp® LEDs are ideally suited for torch, flashlight, tactical flashlight, head lamp, bike light, weapon light and lantern portable applicat... READ MORE