Most of the world, and recently the USA, all use a 'first to
file' issuance of patents. Until recently you could get a USA
patent overturned by proving you invented it first (Gordon Gould
Laser patents for example. He had a notarized notebook from the
late fifties which documented lots of appications for 'coherent light'
and he got a retroactive patent on for them, decades after the laser was
'invented' by Bells labs.
This 'ambush' patent cost laser manufactures a great deal
of retroactive royalties since it was easier to pay than litigate.

In summary, a 'sealed envelope' is now next to useless for getting
or challenging a patent in the USA.

Roman Black wrote:
>
> Excellent ideas, and another I have heard is
> that many bank branches offer a "sealed envelope"
> service in their bank vault, for a small fee they
> seal your envelope of legal documents or design
> papers, stamp it, witness the time and date and
> store it in their vault.
>
> As any patent is only as good as the amount of money
> you spend in court defending it, systems like this
> that prove the date of your design can be just as
> defendable in court even if someone patents it
> afterward.
> -Roman
>
> Jinx wrote:
> >
> > > How does Joe Public go about this?
> > > I've done it in a corporate setting, but that involved three steps.
> >
> > There is a cheap option that I use. It does indeed put people off
> > copying, I've used it so. As soon as possible, put your idea or
> > any documentation on a prototype in a registered envelope and
> > post it to yourself. Do not open it when you get it. In NZ this is
> > evidence that can be used to establish originality.
> >
> > The second alternative is to register the design, which will take
> > NZ$200-$300 for the full service
> >
> > Neither of the two above offer the full protection of a patent (but let's
> > face it, even the so-called protection of a full patent means nothing
> > to a fly-by-night sweatshop). They are, however, substantially less
> > expensive and at least show you mean business
>
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