Patents are about owning the idea, even if you don't have the means to act on it. Car window wipers were a great idea, but the guy who first had it didn't have

Patents are about owning the idea, even if you don't have the means to act on it. Car window wipers were a great idea, but the guy who first had it didn't have the $$$ nor connections to actually put them on cars; the car makers thought it was a great idea and implemented it without paying him ... the result made for an interesting documentary.