Hisense International Co. Ltd. is part of the Hisense Group (Hisense Group Co., Ltd.), a Chinese state-owned multinational conglomerate headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong. Founded in 1969 as the Qingdao No. 2 Radio Factory, the company has grown into a major global enterprise. The group's ownership is a mixed model, with ultimate control held by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the Qingdao Municipal Government, alongside publicly traded subsidiaries. While there are multiple listed entities, two of the major ones are Hisense Visual Technology (SSE: 600060) and Hisense Home Appliances Group (SZSE/HKEX: 000921/0921). The broader Hisense Group employs over 100,000 people worldwide and generated revenue of approximately $27.9 billion in 2023.
Hisense is an operating company that manufactures and sells a wide array of consumer electronics and home appliances. Its main products are television sets, and it has been the largest TV manufacturer in China by market share for many years. The company's product portfolio also includes refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, mobile phones, projectors, and audio equipment. Hisense sells products under its own name as well as other brands it has acquired, such as Toshiba TV, Gorenje, and ASKO. The company also acts as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), producing goods sold under other brand names.
Based on its litigation history, Hisense is an operating company defending itself against patent assertions. The company's single tracked case is as a defendant, a typical posture for a large product manufacturer. This lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, a venue frequently chosen by patent plaintiffs.
The one tracked case is Light Guide Innovations LLC v. Hisense Company Ltd. et al., filed in early 2025. The plaintiff, Light Guide Innovations LLC, is a non-practicing entity (NPE) that has also sued other major electronics manufacturers like Samsung and TCL using a portfolio of patents related to LED backlight technology used in modern televisions. The patents were originally developed by LG Innotek and acquired by Light Guide Innovations before the litigation campaign began. Unified Patents has identified Light Guide Innovations as an NPE.