GE Licenses LED Technology from Rambus

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GE Lighting, a unit of the General Electric Company’s (NYSE: GE) Appliances & Lighting business, and Rambus Inc. (Nasdaq: RMBS), a technology licensing company, have signed a broad licensing agreement for the use of Rambus’ patented lighting innovations.

GE said it expects the deal will accelerate LED (light emitting diodes) product development. The initial focus will be to create a flat-panel LED lighting system for architectural and commercial lighting for global markets, the company said.

Michael B. Petras, Jr., president and CEO of GE Lighting, said, “We want
to provide customers with more unique LED innovations, and this
agreement helps us get there faster.”

Rambus launched its Lighting and Display Technology business in 2009, taking advantage of a technology-licensing platform that the company has developed over the past 20 years. During that time, Rambus has licensed its patented inventions to industry-leading electronics companies for computers, HDTVs and gaming systems.

Rambus’ suite of advanced lighting solutions is based on patented innovations, including LED edge-lit optical designs, MicroLens™ light distribution features, and multi-function film manufacturing technologies.

According to the International Energy Agency, approximately 19 percent
of electricity consumed globally is used for lighting. LED lighting,
also referred to as solid-state lighting, is among the most
energy-efficient lighting technologies of the 21st Century with great
promise for general lighting applications that could reduce energy
consumption worldwide. It is essentially a semiconductor-based light
source that provides long operating life and high energy efficiency,
making it superior to many traditional light sources.

In April, GE unveiled a new LED lightbulb that is designed to replace a standard 40-watt incandescent bulb.

Headquartered in Los Altos, California, Rambus has regional offices in
North Carolina, Ohio, India, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan.