It's very easy (and cheap) to say that after the idea has been born. The idea of someone profiting from the trademark or patent of an idea because they 'though

It's very easy (and cheap) to say that after the idea has been born. The idea of someone profiting from the trademark or patent of an idea because they 'thought of it first' may be abhorrent to you, but it's the way this patent system works. I think it's also important to distinguish between companies that think of ideas, then implement them, thus innovating in product; and companies who simply patent the ideas and use them to sue. We call those "patent trolls".