peer review?
Perhaps a peer review system?
You file a patent, which is a recorded event. Protection is provided immediately, however the granting the patent allows interested parties to say "I have prior art". If parties do not complain, they cannot complain later. I would see this a bit like copyright and "mark maintenance".
So the patent filer has to show their thing is unique , and the USPTO only has to consider interested parties.
Does this sound whacky?
P.