You said:
I would like to develop a patentable idea. I have a good idea of what I would like to make, and because of economic realism I won't try to get a patent. Instead I will publish the idea at my blog so someone will manufacture the product and I will be able to buy one and use it myself.
ChatGPT said:
That makes sense. What you’re describing is often called defensive publication—sharing an invention publicly so it becomes prior art, preventing others from patenting it later, while at the same time encouraging adoption so you can eventually use it.
A few things you might want to consider before you publish:
- Clarity & Specificity – Make sure your description is detailed enough that it clearly establishes the novelty of the idea. Diagrams, schematics, and clear functional explanations are good.
- Timestamp & Attribution – Publishing on your blog will give it a time-stamped record. For stronger proof, you could also cross-post it somewhere like arXiv, OSF, or another public archive with a reliable timestamp.
- Practical Orientation – Think about your audience: manufacturers, engineers, or hobbyists who might pick up the idea. Writing in a style that balances vision with practical implementation will help adoption.
- Open Licensing – If you want to encourage production, you could explicitly state that the design is free for anyone to build, without restriction, or add something like a Creative Commons or Open Source Hardware license.
- Awareness of Risks – Once it’s out there, others can use and profit from it—but at least you’ll ensure it can’t be locked away behind a patent.
Would you like me to help you draft your blog post in a way that frames the idea clearly as prior art and also appeals to potential makers/manufacturers?
You said:
Yes thanks, you will likely be providing technical material suggestions as well to build it.
ChatGPT said:
Perfect — that’s the right way to approach it. We can structure your blog post so that it:
- Introduces the problem/need – why this invention matters.
- Describes the invention clearly – what it is, how it works, how it improves on existing solutions.
- Provides enough technical detail – diagrams, specs, materials, or design principles so someone could actually build it.
- Declares it open/public – so it’s legally considered prior art and others can’t patent it.
- Encourages makers to try it – invite manufacturers, DIY engineers, or startups to take it further.
I can help generate:
- Draft text for your blog (technical + explanatory).
- Schematics or conceptual diagrams (to illustrate how it works).
- Material or component suggestions (so someone could start prototyping).
- An “open disclosure” statement to make sure it’s treated as prior art.
Would you like to start by telling me your idea so I can help shape it into a solid, publishable disclosure?
You said:
Fine. The idea is this; I am an amateur builder working on a shed. Some of the material like plywood sometimes needs to be custom cut to fill in a missing piece. I would like to be able to photo the missing space with my phone (this invention can be an app as well, yet it might need a laser at some point that isn't included in a phone normally) an have the exact dimensions of the space with accurate measurements and outline shape of the image transferred to my phone app or tech piece. I would then like to be able to project those real size dimensions and shape of the missing piece onto a new medium- like a piece of plywood, in order to pencil in marks of the area very accurately and easily in order to cut out the right size piece
ChatGPT said:
That’s a very practical and inventive idea. What you’re describing is essentially a digital template capture and projection system for construction and carpentry. Let me break it down into components that would make sense for your blog disclosure (and for anyone who might later build it):
Title Suggestion
“Digital Template Capture and Projection System for Custom Cut Building Materials”
Problem / Motivation
- When building sheds, furniture, or any structure, workers often encounter irregular gaps or spaces that need to be filled with custom-cut material.
- Traditionally, this involves careful manual measurement, creating cardboard templates, or repeated trial and error, which wastes time and materials.
- An automated way to capture the exact outline of the gap and transfer it to new material would greatly simplify DIY projects and professional work.
The Invention
- Capture Module
- A smartphone camera (or tablet) is used to photograph the irregular gap or missing space.
- To ensure accuracy, the system uses a calibration reference (e.g., placing a known-size square marker or QR-coded target in the frame).
- Advanced version: Incorporate low-cost laser line projection or a plug-in LiDAR module to detect depth and true scale without reference markers.
- Processing App
- Software analyzes the captured image, extracts the outline of the gap, and converts it into a dimensionally accurate 2D template.
- User can adjust tolerance (e.g., add 2 mm slack for fitting).
- Output can be stored as a vector file (e.g., DXF or SVG).
- Projection / Transfer Module
- The app sends the template to a projection system that displays the outline at full scale onto a new sheet of plywood (or any other material).
- This could be done in several ways:
- Projector method: A portable pico-projector aligned above the work surface projects the shape in real size.
- Robotic plotter method: A low-cost XY drawing robot (like a pen plotter) sketches the shape directly onto the material.
- Augmented reality method: The app displays the outline on the phone/tablet screen, which is aligned over the plywood, showing exactly where to mark.
- Cutting & Use
- The worker traces the projected/printed outline with a pencil, then cuts the piece to fit perfectly.
Technical Notes / Materials
- Smartphone with camera (existing hardware).
- Calibration target: Could be a printable paper with known dimensions.
- Projection device: Portable LED projector or AR overlay.
- Software: Mobile app for image processing + shape extraction.
Advantages
- Saves time and reduces mistakes.
- Increases precision for amateur and professional builders.
- Replaces cardboard templates with digital precision.
- Could evolve into a consumer product (DIY app + projector bundle).
Open Disclosure Statement
“This invention is published here as a defensive disclosure. It is free for anyone to build, adapt, or commercialize. By publishing this, I dedicate it to the public domain and establish prior art to prevent others from patenting it.”
👉 I can also make a simple diagram for your blog (showing: phone capturing space → app processing → projector displaying outline → plywood marked).
Do you want me to draft the blog post text in full (ready to publish), including that diagram?
