Seoul Viosys files patent suit against P3 International in US

By Lee Min-hyung

Seoul Viosys, a Seoul Semiconductor affiliate manufacturing ultraviolet light-emitting-diodes (UV LED), has filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against U.S.-based electronics firm, P3 International, claiming the latter violated Viosys’ LED chip-making technology to produce mosquito traps.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claims that mosquito traps of P3 International copied manufacturing processes of Viosys’ UV LED mosquito trap “Mosclean,” Seoul Viosys said in a statement.

“We requested the U.S. court to block sales of P3 International’s mosquito trap, as the firm clearly breached our patented LED chip packaging and manufacturing processes _ including production of a mosquito trap engine,” a Seoul Viosys official said.

“We decided to file the lawsuit to protect our LED patents and will continue to maintain a hard-line stance on any acts of breaching patents,” said the company spokesman.

Seoul Viosys said the company developed Mosclean with its “Violeds” technology and years-long collaboration with the nation’s most renowned mosquito expert Lee Dong-gyu.

The company previously developed the Violeds technology with U.S.-based UV LED maker Sensor Electronics Technology (SETi) for more than 10 years. The technology is used to remove bacteria and viruses by using UV LED.

Seoul Viosys President Kang Tae-yoong said: “We are seeking to expand distribution of the Violeds-converged products all across the world.”

“We will continue to put more effort into protecting the technology and other patented products to become the most renowned UV LED chipmaker in the world,” he said.

The company chief said this will allow the firm to achieve an economy of scale in the UV LED industry, mass-producing its products at a cheaper price.”