Fierce patent competition among Korean large corporations and foreign companies is fierce to preempt the technology of `micro LED display` which is attracting attention as a next generation display. Korea is dominating the market thanks to its technological competitiveness in OLED and other display fields. Overseas companies are confronted with an urgent need to take the lead in the next generation display market through active technology development.

According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the total number of patent applications related to micro LED technology for the past 10 years from 2008 to 2017 was 358.

The number of patent applications filed in 2008 was only 13 cases in 2010, 36 cases in 2014, 62 cases in 2015, 67 cases in 2016, and 120 cases in the previous year.

The micro LED is an ultra-compact LED with a chip size of 5 to 100 micrometers (㎛). Unlike the conventional backlight, the LED chip itself can be used as a pixel. Especially, it is suitable for realizing flexible or roller-blind screen, and is remarkably superior to OLED in terms of color reproducibility, power consumption, and response speed, and is attracting attention as a next generation display technology.

The number of patent applications related to micro LED technology has increased by 33.2% in Korea over the past 10 years, 119 in foreign companies (32.4%, 116 cases). Followed by SMEs (16.2%, 58), universities and research institutes (15.4%, 55), and individuals (2.8%, 10).

It is important to note that unlike OLED technology, which is dominated by large corporations in foreign countries, micro-LED-related patents are comparable to those of foreign companies and large domestic companies. This is because foreign companies are aggressively investing in the development of micro LED technology to take the lead in the next generation display market. Kim Jong-chan, head of the inspection team for the display device of Kim Jong-chan, said, "Domestic companies are the most important task to acquire superiority by acquiring patent rights for related core technology in order to prevail micro LED display technology and to gain market competitiveness."

Daejeon=By Lee Joon Gee bongchu@


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