Siemens,the German industrial group,on Monday sued Samsung and LG in Germany and the United States,claiming the consumer electronics makers infringed on its LED lighting technology.
The lawsuits claim that Samsung and LG,both South Korean companies,used one of Siemens's patented light-emitting diode technologies.The technology transforms blue light into white light,a feature used in some flat-panel televisions and increasingly in common household LED light bulbs.
The German lawsuit was filed in Hamburg.In the United States,Siemens filed its complaints with the International Trade Commission in Washington and in United States District Court in Wilmington,Del.Siemens said it planned to file similar lawsuits against LG in Tokyo and China on Tuesday.
Siemens plans to sell a majority stake in the unit that owns the patents,Osram,the world's No.2 maker of lighting technology after Philips,in three months.
Analysts said the patent claims could be motivated in part by Siemens's desire to increase Osram's value before the initial public offering,which is tentatively set for September.Analysts estimate the business to be worth 5 billion to 6 billion euros,or$7.3 billion to$8.7 billion.
But the company is also looking to defend its technology against a growing number of low-cost Chinese rivals,analysts said.
"The Chinese are plowing billions into this branch and companies like Siemens are on the defensive,"said James Stettler,an analyst at UniCredit Bank in London.
