Blue LED Inventor Nakamura Awarded $8.1 Million

redkingca writes "The New York Times (reg required) has an article about an $8.1 million settlement in the blue-LED royalty case. Mr. Nakamura created the blue LED while working for the Nichia Corporation but never received any bonuses or royalties for his invention. A lower court had awarded 20 billion yen, nearly $200 million, and ordered Nichia to pay Mr. Nakamura last year. The settlement came after the company appealed that ruling."

Comments

A great acheivement

[Lindsay Lohan]

Mr. Nakamura created the blue LED... A lower court had awarded 20 billion yen, nearly $200 million

Nice cut for a sweet invention--one that will change laser technology forever. Gallium Nitride LEDs have started to replace lightbulbs and fluorescent tubes for lighting. GaN based blue lasers allow data storage with much higher density than traditional red lasers, and there are many more application areas.

Here's an interesting article from ScienceWatch (no bloodsucking reg required) which goes into more detail on the history and application of this *very* cool technology.

Re:What an awful precedent, though

[BJH]

Please note that under Japanese law, there is a provision for employees to be compensated for exceptional performance (which I would hope few people would deny was true of Nakamura's discovery).

So his lawsuit was based on a legal requirement for the company to pay him fairly.