SmartCharge Bulb Innovator Vows to Do 'Everything Necessary’ to Protect IP
TVL International, the innovator of rechargeable SmartCharge light bulbs that can be controlled through a regular wall switch even when power goes out, is seeking new “vertical” commercial markets in which to deploy that technology, including the hospitality industry, CEO…
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Shailendra Suman told us. TVL last year licensed the technology for consumer distribution exclusively to lighting supplier Feit Electric. TVL holds U.S. patents and has pending applications on the technology and implementations using SmartCharge, including the core patent (8,907,523) landed in December 2014. As the technology reaches wider consumer distribution through the licensing deal with Feit, Suman vowed he will do all in his power to protect TVL’s IP against product infringers, starting with trying to raise retailer awareness to thwart cheap product knockoffs. On the IP hurdles confronting TVL, that online and physical retail are markets in which there are many knockoffs is “a very challenging thing,” said Suman. “You have a patent, maybe a portfolio of patents, but how do you protect yourself once your product goes into the market?” Enforcing one’s patents “is a very expensive process,” he said. TVL is going after Sengled for patent infringement and for breaching its agreement with TVL when it was the company’s OEM supplier, he said. Talks with the company are “pretty far along,” he said. Sengled representatives couldn’t be reached.