I second the Hobbit about the copyright issue. It also sounds as though some of your ideas would require a utility patent.
(Design patents are for aesthetic aspects of articles.)
Also my comment about the self addressed envelope is only if you need proof of inception in a court of law (before you begin the patent process - and you never know when another thought up the idea - but it's cheap).
I would do a patent search on any idea you may have, though you can not search patent pending ideas. And the search isn't easy like googling.
Also as Bilbo stated patents offer broader protection (dependent on how well the patent was drafted).
Copyrights are great for artwork and the written word, but suck for protecting how a thing works, well they really don't offer any protection for that to be honest.
Again, Good Luck!
(Design patents are for aesthetic aspects of articles.)
Also my comment about the self addressed envelope is only if you need proof of inception in a court of law (before you begin the patent process - and you never know when another thought up the idea - but it's cheap).
I would do a patent search on any idea you may have, though you can not search patent pending ideas. And the search isn't easy like googling.
Also as Bilbo stated patents offer broader protection (dependent on how well the patent was drafted).
Copyrights are great for artwork and the written word, but suck for protecting how a thing works, well they really don't offer any protection for that to be honest.
Again, Good Luck!