Kind of a shit deal. While I believe in protecting one's rights I don't have much faith in the patents business. How can you really prove if you came up with an idea on your own, autonomously, or if you came up with it first? And what is the problem with inspired ideas? If you can't invent, innovate.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you think of something and a little later you see someone on TV talking about it like they're reading it right out of your head?