Hi Teacher,

You need to do your research.

http://gb.espacenet.com/search97cgi/s97_cgi.exe?Action=FormGen&Template=gb/en/advanced.hts

Chances are your idea isn't original at all.

Get an NDA drawn up. Do not talk to or discuss with anyone your idea without first getting your NDA signed and witnessed.

World wide patents will cost around $100,000 to $200,000.

Also remember that if your idea has the potential to make millions of dollars, your patent lawyer will most likey try and steal your idea from you as well and sell it under the table on to the competition whose millions of dollars you'll be taking out of their pockets.

Probably the best way to proceed is just get your idea/product developed and manufactured in China (there are hundreds of factories in China, who will manufacture your product, no questions asked), sell and market it worldwide ASAP and if any patent competition decides to sue, offer a proportion of the profits to the plaintif to buy him/her off especially if you really have infringed their IP rights (this doesn't work with the big boys though). This why the research at the very beginning is so important.

And finally rememeber, the world is full of second rate ideas, but its the proper marketing of those second rate ideas, which makes the money. There are a also few companies in this world you don't want to mess with unless you've got really good life insurance.

Oh and you should be prepared to lose the shirt off your back at any time especially if you go down the patent route.