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.
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.