He was looking at me, and I could almost watch some idea coming to life in his mind.

While he is doing so, an idea comes to him.

He was about to go when another idea came to him.

The idea had just come to him, out of the blue.

A better idea, however, came into her mind before going to bed.

An idea came to her and she felt better still.

When the idea came to her she did not know.

He said the idea came to him one night at home.

She did not know where the idea had come from.

Don't want any good ideas coming out of a big company.