Thanks for the clarification. From what you describe, it sounds like there is no way for anyone to complete a search to see if that specific product has already been invented. Here is a hypothetical example:

You design a product and slap a copyright on it. You market it and sell one unit to a guy on a mountain in Colorado. Theoretically, you and him along with some of your friends and family only know about the product.

At the same time, a guy in Florida invents the same product and markets it world wide with a patent. He researched the product and found nothing on the market so the patent is his. I mean, you can't fault the guy for doing research and finding nothing so he tries to market it.

Can a copyright really stop a patent? Is there anywhere "official" to file a copyright?