Samsung files patent lawsuit against Osram, aims to keep company's products out of U.S.

The increasingly lucrative and competitive market for light-emitting diodes (LEDS) in the U.S. just got a bit more heated, according to a published report.

The Associated Press reports that South Korea-based LED manufacturer Samsung is intensifying its battle against fellow LED-maker Osram as it looks to increase its market share in the world's biggest economy.

According to the news provider, Samsung filed a petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday that seeks to bar products developed and manufactured by Osram GmbH and two units from entering the country. The suit was filed amid an ongoing patent dispute between the two companies that has pitted the two businesses against one another throughout the globe.

LEDs are more energy efficient and have a longer lifespan than traditional light bulbs. What's more, since the U.S. government passed a law in 2007 that effectively bars manufactures from developing certain outdated forms of incandescents, many industry analysts assert that there is a lot of money that could potentially be made as consumers switch to LEDs.

Samsung alleges that Osram infringed on its patent rights in its development of its own LED products. Osram has denied those claims and has counter-sued in various courts.

"Osram is well prepared regarding possible actions by Samsung," Osram head of media relations Stefan Schmidt said in a statement.

For its part, Samsung said it is merely defending its products as LEDs become more widely adopted. The U.S. is one of the globe's biggest consumer markets and many experts believe that LEDs have the ability to become the dominant light bulb choice in the country over the next decade.

"Samsung LED intends to vigorously enforce its intellectual property rights, and these lawsuits reflect Samsung LED's commitment to that enforcement," Samsung said in its own release.

According to industry experts, such disputes over technological patents are common and they often do not lead to supply chain disruptions because litigation can take years to complete. Samsung is also involved in lawsuits with other technology companies, including Apple, which it says stole some of its original ideas for smartphone and tablet technology. Apple has denied those claims.