An administrative law judge (ALJ) at the U.S. International Trade Commission has found a violation of three LED patents owned by UK-based Litepanels, a company that make LED lighting systems for use in film and TV production, and has recommended that the infringing products be banned from importation into the U.S. 

The ALJ found infringement of at least one claim of each of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,948,823 (‘823 Patent), 7,318,652 (‘652 Patent) and 7,972,022 (‘022 Patent). 

The ‘823 Patent is entitled “Wide area lighting apparatus and effects system” and directed to a camera mountable lighting frame (302) having multiple lamp segments (306) arranged in a radial pattern around a center hole (303).  Each lamp segment 306 comprises a plurality of LEDs (305).

 

The portable frame could be circular (as picture above) or rectangular.  When the portable frame is mounted to a movable camera, the frame follows the movements of the camera.

The ‘652 Patent is a continuation of the ‘823 Patent and is entitled “Versatile stand-mounted wide are lighting apparatus.”  The ‘033 Patent is also part of the same family and is entitled “Stand-mounted light panel for natural illumination in film, television or video.”

The ITC complaint was filed in August 2011 against several U.S. and Chinese companies.

Litepanels previously sued two competitors in federal court in Texas and before that, asserted the ‘823 Patent against Sony, which quickly settled the case about a month after the complaint was filed.

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