From: Champ on
I've had an idea that I think is worth something. The only people who
could implement this idea are a small number of multinational
corporations, so I think the only way I could get some money for the
idea would be to sell it to one of them.

Does anyone know how I might go about protecting the idea, while I try
and flog it? I assume that a patent is the proper way to do it, but I
don't know how involved it is to get one - has anyone got any
experience of filing a patent?

I've heard of other ways of protection intellectual property - you
write it down and post it to yourself (registered delivery). Does
this actually work, or is it an urban myth?

Thanks in advance
--
Champ
We declare that the splendor of the world has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed.
ZX10R | Hayabusa | GPz750turbo
neal at champ dot org dot uk
From: Cane on
On 2 Jan, 18:04, Champ <n...(a)champ.org.uk> wrote:
> I've had an idea that I think is worth something.  The only people who
> could implement this idea are a small number of multinational
> corporations, so I think the only way I could get some money for the
> idea would be to sell it to one of them.
>
> Does anyone know how I might go about protecting the idea, while I try
> and flog it?  I assume that a patent is the proper way to do it, but I
> don't know how involved it is to get one - has anyone got any
> experience of filing a patent?
>
> I've heard of other ways of protection intellectual property - you
> write it down and post it to yourself (registered delivery).  Does
> this actually work, or is it an urban myth?
>
> Thanks in advance

A patent can cost a lot of money. If I were you I'd speak to these
people first: http://acid.eu.com/
From: Adrian on
Champ <news(a)champ.org.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

> I've heard of other ways of protection intellectual property - you write
> it down and post it to yourself (registered delivery). Does this
> actually work, or is it an urban myth?

It'll prove that the idea is "yours" and dates from <whenever> - but it
won't say any more than that. It won't protect the idea itself, merely
the detailed implementation of it, under copyright.

The big problem with copyright, trademarking, patents etc is not so much
getting it, but enforcing it.

You want to try to sue a multinational corporation? Feel free. I bet
their legal budget's bigger than yours...
From: Champ on
On 2 Jan 2010 18:21:43 GMT, Adrian <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote:

>Champ <news(a)champ.org.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
>saying:
>
>> I've heard of other ways of protection intellectual property - you write
>> it down and post it to yourself (registered delivery). Does this
>> actually work, or is it an urban myth?
>
>It'll prove that the idea is "yours" and dates from <whenever> - but it
>won't say any more than that. It won't protect the idea itself, merely
>the detailed implementation of it, under copyright.

Well, the idea really is just an idea. Implementation would probably
be specific to the implementors.

>The big problem with copyright, trademarking, patents etc is not so much
>getting it, but enforcing it.

Sure.

>You want to try to sue a multinational corporation? Feel free. I bet
>their legal budget's bigger than yours...

I guess this would only come to an issue if they behaved
'dishonorably' - if they listened to my idea, said "no thanks", and
then went and did it anyway. And, as you say, I might find it hard to
deal with that.
--
Champ
We declare that the splendor of the world has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed.
ZX10R | Hayabusa | GPz750turbo
neal at champ dot org dot uk
From: Adrian on
Champ <news(a)champ.org.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

>>You want to try to sue a multinational corporation? Feel free. I bet
>>their legal budget's bigger than yours...

> I guess this would only come to an issue if they behaved 'dishonorably'

Mmmm. What's the chances, eh?

> - if they listened to my idea, said "no thanks", and then went and did
> it anyway. And, as you say, I might find it hard to deal with that.

They've got three possible responses.

1. Decide your idea is a pile of shite, and they don't want to know.
2. Decide your idea is a go-er and...
a. pay you so much you can retire in splendour.
b. tell you it's a pile of shite, then do it anyway.

Clearly, only one of those is good for you. So what do _you_ think the
chances of 2a actually happening are? Yeh, me neither.
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