Shuji Nakamura settles for a measly 840m Y

Shuji Nakamura settles his patent lawsuit with Nichia Corp. for a measly 840 million yen ($8m). Last year the Tokyo District Court had ordered the company to pay 20b yen, but the Tokyo High Court mediated the lower settlement.

What do you think the patents for GaN-based blue LEDs are worth in the long run? The Tokyo District Court put the value at 60b yen and said that Nakamura was due a huge chunk of that because he had contributed 50% of the labor and effort behind what will bring his former company bucketloads of money.

He says the award is too little. The company says the award is too high.

$8m is nothing to sneeze at.