Have you ever got an idea...

Hmm... patenting an idea?
I wonder how many people actually do that.

So, what happens if you patent the idea. And then could not get the idea translated into reality yourself. What happens then? You can use the patent to claim royalties for the product that is launched eventhough you did not make the end product?

How then do you patent an idea such that it is all encompassing to variants of it when a product similar to what you have thought out of is launched?

So, what you mean is that if I have that idea and I patent it, no one else can use that idea for their products till my patent expires?
So if my idea can lead to variants, what happens then? Can I still protect my idea?

Take for example, apple pie. I have the ingredients for a special crust. And the recipe is for apple. If some one comes across a similar crust recipe, and uses mango instead of apples to make the pie, do I still have a say about the end product?

Patents are very specific and apply to one particular thing. So I think your crust would be covered if that was what the patent was for, but the whole pie probably not. Hope this helps some.

I guess you are not alone in that.
I too have some dreams about stuff that may be possible. But research is required in order to make it viable. And not having the money to spearhead the research, I can only shelve it.

About 7 years ago, during my final year in the varsity, I thought that an engine could be run by compressed air. Some fellow in France (I think) recently started rolling out compressed air engines for light duty vehicles in his town and is doing a great business selling hand made cars.

So even if I had the opportunity to patent my idea, it could only be patented in the local country where I am. Not world wide. And not being in the engineering field, I could only think of it as an idea. No knowing how to go about taking the next step to make it a reality.

Sigh...

yup, cars running by compressed air is selling well now.. And now, there's also ideas of cars running on water!! MAybe u can think of something, sell it to the government instead.. mAybe that will be your channel towards your next step.. Because in singapore, whatever u wanan do, government will always want a share in it, it does really work.. Thus, it's better to bring up to your MPs for help if possible^_^

I may just do that!
I am having some fresh ideas around and am pondering what to do to make that next step.
If it works, that would be great!
Otherwise, it is back to the drawing board again.
And then fresh ideas will come again!

Ha ha ha ha ha... the segway is now being used in Europe as a form of tour.
If you are game for it, you can sign up to use the segway and a guide will bring you around on a day tour.

You raised some really good points there though. Not all ideas will take off.
It is when you have that idea and someone else beat you to it and it takes off, that is where you will be slapping yourself for not doing more to take that next step towards making your idea a reality!