Signify Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Nanoleaf Canada
Signify Holding B.V., the global leader in connected lighting, has filed a high-profile lawsuit against Nanoleaf Canada Ltd. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges willful infringement of six U.S. patents covering innovations in smart LED lighting technology.
According to the 67-page filing, Signify accuses Nanoleaf of incorporating patented technologies across several popular product lines, including Smart Bulbs, Lightstrips, Skylight, Downlight, Canvas, Shapes, and Aurora. The patents-in-suit cover a wide range of technologies, such as RF antenna integration, color-mixing LED controllers, and modular lighting systems.
The six patents cited are:
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U.S. Patent No. 10,612,726 (Lighting System for Color Mixing)
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RE49,320 (Lighting Device with Built-in RF Antenna)
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9,494,730 (Multiple Waveguide Edge Lit Structure)
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8,378,591 (Light Output Device)
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8,111,022 (Lighting System with Interconnectable Modules)
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7,358,961 (User Interface for Controlling LEDs)
Signify claims Nanoleaf was previously a licensee under its LED lighting IP portfolio but allowed the agreement to lapse in 2019. Despite repeated notices of infringement since then, Nanoleaf allegedly continued to market and sell products using Signify’s patented designs.
The lawsuit calls for a jury trial, monetary damages, and a permanent injunction to prevent Nanoleaf from further infringing on the patents. Signify describes the ongoing infringement as deliberate and egregious, citing internal meetings and multiple communications with Nanoleaf’s CEO, Gimmy Chu.
If successful, this case could have wide-reaching implications for the smart lighting market, especially in terms of IP enforcement and product development practices across competitive brands.
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Read the 67-page complaint here