Re: There is no reaction image for this
> I disagree, it's entirely possible that people could independently come up with the same idea, obvious or not, particularly if you're working on the same problems.
That's pretty much a contradiction I'm afraid.
If the likelihood is high that someone skilled in the art could come up with the same solution at the same time, then it is not innovative or non-obvious, it is evolutionary.
So many "breakthroughs" down history have landed people with patents not because they are revolutionary but because they were first. The light bulb, photography, the moving image projector and many others were developments that were ripe at the time because that was the state of technology.
There is very little that is truly innovative. For me, the barrier should be set high indeed. If you are the only one, then it is probably innovative. If there are a number on the verge of the invention, then it is not a proper subject for patent.