Not trying to put down the parent comment by MCRed, but my experience is very much in line with what you say and in fact getting a patent is even easier if you

Not trying to put down the parent comment by MCRed, but my experience is very much in line with what you say and in fact getting a patent is even easier if you work at large company (such as Sony). Those technical writers in the patent divisions of orgs are amazing at their job: 1) Submit a thin, whacky idea, with loose documentation to the patent department. 2) Hold a 1 hour phone call with technical writers. 3) Two weeks later you get emailed a 10 page patent application of your idea complete with diagrams asking you to review it.