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Blue LED Inventor Nakamura Awarded $8.1 Million

Posted by timothy on from the least-they-could-do dept.

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."

3 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. A great acheivement by Lindsay+Lohan · · Score: 5, Informative
    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.
  2. Re:Man... that's harsh. Good for Nakamura tho by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Morale could be helped a lot by sharing the wealth and kudos. It does not help if a company earns 50 million off of an employee's idea, but only gives him/her a T-shirt. What message does that send to employees? At least give the inventor a nice fat bunus. Some people and companies are just so fucking greedy that it blows the mind. Their greed is beyond rationality. If you want yet another 50-million invention to come along, then share the wealth a bit to prime the pump for the next idea. Otherwise you are just biting the hand that feeds your greed.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  3. Re:What an awful precedent, though by BJH · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.