A Chinese display material manufacturer has won a landmark legal victory in the U.S., securing an initial ruling of non-infringement in a high-stakes patent case.

This ruling not only gives Chinese-made glass substrates a compliance "green light" to enter the U.S. market, but also signifies a major advancement in breaking the global glass substrate monopoly and achieving technological autonomy in key materials.

The legal battle

On April 7, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued an initial ruling that Caihong Display Devices Co., Ltd.'s "616" formula glass substrate does not infringe on patents held by U.S.-based Corning Inc.

The case centered on glass substrate formulas determining key performance indicators.

Corning's three related patents sought to protect the company's dominant market position with over 50 percent global share. The patents focus on the key links in the manufacturing of glass substrates.

Caihong argued that Corning's so-called patents should be declared invalid due to a lack of novelty and feasibility. Its self-developed "616" formula is significantly different from Corning's patented technology.

The ITC initial ruling affirmed that Caihong's current products made with the 616 formula do not infringe on Corning's patents.

New opportunity

The core of the dispute was the chemical composition of the glass substrate, a foundational material for LCD panels.

According to Caihong, its independently developed "616" formula has essential properties like high flatness and low thermal expansion while enabling greener production, through a distinct design path.

Notably, Caihong fully upgraded its production lines for LCD glass in 2024 and has been using the "616" material formula since January 2025. Its previously used "615" formula product, which constituted patent infringement, was discontinued in 2024.

The initial ruling is seen as a significant step for China's display industry in breaking foreign technological monopolies in key upstream materials, clearing a major intellectual property hurdle for Caihong's new-generation products to enter the U.S. market.

Furthermore, the Corning patents are set to expire in October and November, limiting the potential impact of any final ruling.

Shift in the industry

This dispute reflects not only the changes in the global display industry landscape, but also the trend of the industry's capacity shifting to Asia in recent years.

Data shows that China has invested over 1.5 trillion RMB to build more than 60 LCD panel production lines, with an annual production capacity of 250 million square meters, accounting for 78 percent of global LCD panel capacity.

Caihong's technical compliance is critical in securing the supply chain for key materials like glass substrates.

This ruling supports the coordinated push by Chinese material makers and panel giants (such as BOE and Huaxing) to build an autonomous supply chain, marking a shift from a technology follower to a definer of industry standards.