The International Trade Commission has upheld the General Exclusion Order recommended by Judge Essex regarding LED lighting product patents held by Litepanels Inc. Litepanels was represented in the case by the law firm Pepper Hamilton. Judge Essex made his decision based upon tens of thousands of pages of Exhibits numerous Expert Opinions and voluminous testimony from the various Parties. “Litepanels is pleased with the result ” said Rudy Pohlert president of Litepanels. “This decision is also a victory for the rights of all those who invest their efforts ingenuity and resources to create innovative products and technologies.” Contrary to the substantial amount of misinformation surrounding this case the General Exclusion Order will not affect the importation of emergency lighting cellular phones automobile taillights or LED bulbs themselves. It also does not affect other forms of LED lighting used for film video or photography such as RGB and Remote Phosphor technologies. It simply prohibits the importation into the United States of LED lighting products for film video or photography that infringe certain claims of the Litepanels patents without the patent holder’s consent. Of the fourteen companies named in the complaint all of the major manufacturers have taken the professional route and chosen to license its intellectual property to continue manufacturing LED lighting products for sale in the United States. The overwhelming adoption of licensing will ensure that the marketplace for LED lighting products remains as diverse robust and competitive as ever. In fact the licensing agreements now allow these companies to build on top of Litepanels’ technology to create even more innovative products going forward.
