Copyright is something you have straight away when you make something original. So that's not a problem. Trademarks mean **** all, you're just registering the phrase/name. Patent's are tricky, especially as it's very hard to buy them for every country. A UK patent just protects you in the UK. Often the best thing to do is just go ahead and do it, and don't worry about patenting. If a big company wants to use your idea, they WILL find a way. But being the first to market with a product and getting your name out first, can often be your saviour - even if the market is flooded with cheap alternatives.