US Retailers Walmart, Target, Ikea, Amazon, and Bed Bath & Beyond are now all facing a lawsuit filed by the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) for apparent patent infringement. The university alleges that the five major retailers violated its patents on "filament" LED light bulbs, which look similar to the light bulbs invented by Thomas Edison more than 140 years ago.
The bulbs that were patented by UCSB were made to look like the original light bulbs invented by Edison in 1879. The main difference is that the University's light bulbs used light-emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of wire filaments.
The lawsuit against the five US retailers was filed on Tuesday in a Long Angeles federal court by law firm Nixon Peabody.
UCSB currently holds a number of patents for its filament-style LED technologies. The bulbs were designed to aesthetically look antique. However, their function was modernized through the use of LED technologies, which made them much more energy efficient.
According to the filing, UCSB is demanding for the retailers to pay it royalties for any future sales of the said filament-style LED light bulbs. The amount or percentage of the royalties being asked from the retailers was not specified. UCSB is also asking for compensation for the past sales of the bulbs, which it claimed clearly infringed on its patents.
The court filings also revealed that UCSB estimated that the sale of the bulbs had already exceeded $1 billion for this year alone. The university stated that the manufacturers along with the retailers knowingly stole its patented technology without any regard for their copyrights.
The university tried to protect its copyright licenses in the past but has now chosen a more "aggressive" approach given its previously unsuccessful efforts.
Apart from the lawsuit, UCSB has also filed a similar complaint with the International Trade Commission in Washington. The university is asking the agency to launch an investigation into the matter to determine if there was indeed a violation of its patents. If the agency finds that the university's patents were infringed, it could potentially halt the importation of the light bulbs to the United States from overseas manufacturers.
Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Bed Bath & Beyond have not yet issued statements in response to the lawsuit. Ikea issued a statement through a spokesperson, who explained that the company was now looking into the lawsuit. The retailer mentioned that it was still premature to comment any further at this time as it is still trying to gather all of the pertinent information for it to plan its next steps.
