A sign that more Chinese LED manufacturing companies realize that intellectual property is crucial to the industry's sustainable development, a new patent association for the sector was founded last month in Dongguan city, according to China Intellectual Property News.

The association in Guangdong province has already attracted 13 local companies that will establish a joint patent pool to help break down patent barriers. They will also integrate resources to use in possible overseas IP disputes.

The local government plans to support the association with a "patent navigation system" to help research, collect, track and analyze global LED patents. It will form a database and issue alerts to member companies on existing patents, local officials said.