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It\\u2019s been several years since much of America has fallen under the spell of the Edison bulb \\u2013 the trendy lightbulb that goes hand-in-hand with today\\u2019s standard hipster d\\xe9cor comprised of bronze industrial fixtures and reclaimed barnwood.\\xa0

But the Edison bulb offers more than just style: these vintage-looking bulbs come with LEDs, meaning they\\u2019re more efficient \\u2013 and last longer \\u2013 than bulbs equipped with actual old technology\\u2026 so the combination of the look and function has catapulted Edison lightbulbs to such popularity that they are now a billion-dollar industry.

But they might be on the verge of becoming more expensive, and that\\u2019s because UC Santa Barbara is saying that its scientists actually invented the technology and everyone under the sun has been infringing on their patent by selling them.

The university\\u2019s legal team is calling this a \\u201cgroundbreaking patent enforcement campaign\\u201d and centers on the technical term for a new generation of light bulb technology known as filament LED, where the glowing filaments are visible behind the glass. The new tech is said to last years longer than traditional bulbs and UC Santa Barbara wants to be compensated for their contribution to improving sustainability.

But it\\u2019s not quite so simple. Since most of the bulbs are being produced overseas, the university is actually going after the retailers who sell them once they\\u2019re on U.S. soil, and these include Amazon, Target, Ikea, Walmart and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

The university hopes to establish licensing agreements with the retailers and also secure what it deems reasonable royalties. They also want the U.S. International Trade Commission to issue \\u201ccease and desist orders to prevent retailers from importing and trafficking in these products without UC\\u2019s permission.\\u201d Outside of the ITC complaint, lawsuits have been filed against the aforementioned five retailers.

The university\\u2019s legal team says that the overall goal of the suit is \\u201cto ensure that UC\\u2019s patent rights are respected so it can reinvest in education and research to create more world-changing technologies.\\u201d

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