Blue LED Inventor Loses Patent Fight

Posted by Hemos on Friday September 20, 2002 @01:00PM from the not-just-the-us-patent-system dept.

Swamp writes "Just a little heads-up for you engineers. The Mainichi Daily News is running this story saying 'A Nobel Prize candidate who invented a blue light-emitting diode (LED) used for display panels has no patent rights over the product as he conceded it to his former employer, a court ruled Thursday.' 'Japan's Patent Law provides that researchers who invent products as part of their company jobs have the patent for them, but adds that their employers can claim the patent after paying "deserving bonuses" to the inventors.' I guess not even being a Nobel Prize [contender] gives you credit anymore." His 20,000 yen bonus is about US$162 now.

1 of 278 comments (clear)

Re:Labor/Capital balance gone awry? by pVoid · 2002-09-20 13:31 · Score: 0, Troll

As much as I hate to say this: if that company didn't exist in the first place, Kary Mullis wouldn't have invented PCR.

It's an dellusion we have (and I too am part of this group of people) to think that an invention is only the idea. It's the fostering of the idea, it's the resources... it's the risk.
That's what capitalism is all about: having capital. Risking capital.

Now, do I believe in this form of labour. No, but that's another story.