In re: Cree, Inc., No. 15-1365 (Fed. Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CaseCree’s 175 patent, filed in 1996, is entitled “Solid State White Light Emitter and Display Using Same.” The claims at issue are directed to the production of white light through the “down-conversion” of blue light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs”. Downconversion is the process in which high-energy (shorter wavelength) light is absorbed by a material and then reemitted as lower energy (longer wavelength) light. By choosing the particular absorbing material, light at a desired wavelength (and thus a desired color) can be produced. During ex parte reexamination, an examiner rejected six claims as obvious under multiple combinations of prior art references. The Board upheld the rejection. The Federal Circuit affirmed, rejecting arguments based on licensing of the patent and press releases. The court noted the lack of evidence that the commercial success was caused by the subject matter of the 175 patent as distinct from the prior art.
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