Only extremely rarely does a billion-dollar invention arise. When an employee signs an invention-assignment agreement with his/her employer, the employer is on the hook (usually) for a known salary, benefits, etc., in exchange for which the inventor is giving up his rights in inventions of unpredictable number and -significance. That usually gives the employer the bargaining power.
It's not always that way: I once had a software-company client that paid commissions to its product architects; the architect of one of the company's flagship products ended up making a ton of money, as did its shareholders. Sadly, companies that can do this successfully are few and far between.
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Only extremely rarely does a billion-dollar invention arise. When an employee signs an invention-assignment agreement with his/her employer, the employer is on the hook (usually) for a known salary, benefits, etc., in exchange for which the inventor is giving up his rights in inventions of unpredictable number and -significance. That usually gives the employer the bargaining power.
It's not always that way: I once had a software-company client that paid commissions to its product architects; the architect of one of the company's flagship products ended up making a ton of money, as did its shareholders. Sadly, companies that can do this successfully are few and far between.