New York (CNN Business) 140 years after its invention, the Edison light bulb is having another moment. Now Edison-style bulbs are the center of a new lawsuit.

Walmart WMT Target TGT Amazon AMZN Bed Bath & Beyond BBBY The University of California Santa Barbara is suing five major retailers —, Ikea and— for violating its patents on "filament" LED light bulbs. The bulbs are designed to look like the some of the original light bulbs produced by inventor Thomas Edison.

A filament LED light bulb.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in a Los Angeles federal court, UCSB demands the retailers pay it unspecified royalties on future sales of "filament" light bulbs, and it seeks compensation for past sales of the bulbs that allegedly infringed upon their patents.

UCSB filed a similar complaint with the International Trade Commission in Washington, in which it seeks a review of the alleged patent violations. The ITC could prevent overseas manufacturers from importing the light bulbs to the United States, although it's unclear whether the commission will issue such a ban.

In the court filings, the university expects sales for the Edison bulbs to exceed $1 billion this year. The lawsuit said manufacturers stole their patented technology with "utter disregard" for their rights.

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