There is a Maxim in practice of Law that every "Case" has a "settlement" value. That is why most Courts now have RULES governing "mediation, arbitration, settlement, etc."...

The emphasis is on settling rather that trial...The most important job of an attorney is to "assess up front" what the "Value" of each case is and then prepare the case so as the facts will support the end result he seeks...

I am sure if SAMSUNG offered to buy EDIG as one of its multiple sunsidiaries and the offer was good enough that it will be accepteable by the Board they may just do that...

An EDIG whose patents are close to the end of their lives may want to settle for 4-6 billion and then get on with synergistically with SAMSUNG accomplishing the same objective of its BUSINESS PLAN...

On the other hand, if DM is looking at a 170+ list of infringers, and needs to have a POSITIVE MARKMAN RULING to facilitate his collections down the line, they mat refuse a couple of hundred million for a settlement from SAMSUNG as Samung as as good a case to take to a Markman Hearing as they could hope to have...

Gil...