Toyoda Gosei and Sharp sign agreement on LED patents

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has entered into a patent cross-licensing agreement with Sharp Corporation to allow the companies to use each other’s patents for LED consisting of nitride-based compound semiconductors.
The two companies say that they will "continue to develop high-quality, high-brightness LEDs and pursue expansion of the LED market through fair competition."

Toyoda Gosei and Sharp each possess wide-ranging patents in the area of optoelectronics. As a result of this cross-license agreement, the two companies say they "will be able to step up their R&D efforts and meet the rapidly-growing demand, thereby contributing to the development of the LED industry."

Sharp entered into a cross-licensing agreement with Nichia in November 2008 - see News.

Toyoda Gosei has entered into a number of cross-licensing deals, including agreements with Nichia, Tridonic, Cree, Osram and Lumileds