Total patents likely in the hundreds
LG InnoTek has transferred ownership of 76 patents registered in South Korea and the US to display chip firm LX Semicon last month, TheElec has learned.
It sold the patents to LX Semicon over two deals, on October 14 and 21. It sold 60 South Korean patents and 16 US patents, people familiar with the matter said.
Most of the patents are related to semiconductor wafer technologies. US patents include those related to semiconductor device, wafer manufacturing method and silicon carbide epiwafer.
Out of the 16 US patents, 15 were registered and one as pending. For the 60 South Korean patents, 43 were registered and 17 were pending.
LG InnoTek is likely to sell more US and South Korean patents to LX Semicon, previously called Silicon Works, the people said.
The patents already sold are also part of patent families so LG InnoTek likely sold hundreds of patents to LX Semicon registered worldwide, they added.
The deal is likely linked to the split of LX Group from LG Group that commenced earlier this year.
LX Semicon had said earlier that it bought various raw materials such as wafers from LG InnoTek and SK Hynix System IC.
LG InnoTek has been offloading many of its patents that aren’t related to its core businesses this year.
Earlier this year, it sold its patents related to wireless charging to Ireland-based non-practicing entity Scramoge Technology. It also sold its LED patents to China’s LEKIN Semiconductor.
