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2100 Patentability
2100 Patentability
2105 Patentable Subject Matter - Living Subject Matter
2106 Patent Subject Matter Eligibility [R-6]
2106.01 Computer-Related Nonstatutory Subject Matter [R-6]
2106.02 Mathematical Algorithms [R-5]
2107 Guidelines for Examination of Applications for Compliance with the Utility Requirement
2107.01 General Principles Governing Utility Rejections [R-5]
2107.02 Procedural Considerations Related to Rejections for Lack of Utility [R-5]
2107.03 Special Considerations for Asserted Therapeutic or Pharmacological Utilities
2111 Claim Interpretation; Broadest Reasonable Interpretation [R-5]
2111.01 Plain Meaning [R-5]
2111.02 Effect of Preamble [R-3]
2111.03 Transitional Phrases [R-3]
2111.04 "Adapted to," "Adapted for," "Wherein," and "Whereby" Clauses [R-3]
2112 Requirements of Rejection Based on Inherency; Burden of Proof [R-3]
2112.01 Composition, Product, and Apparatus Claims [R-3]
2112.02 Process Claims
2113 Product-by-Process Claims
2114 Apparatus and Article Claims - Functional Language
2115 Material or Article Worked Upon by Apparatus
2116 Material Manipulated in Process
2116.01 Novel, Unobvious Starting Material or End Product [R-6]
2121 Prior Art; General Level of Operability Required to Make a Prima Facie Case [R-6]
2121.01 Use of Prior Art in Rejections Where Operability Is in Question [R-3]
2121.02 Compounds and Compositions - What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art [R-3]
2121.03 Plant Genetics - What Con-stitutes Enabling Prior Art [R-3]
2121.04 Apparatus and Articles - What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
2122 Discussion of Utility in the Prior Art [R-6]
2123 Rejection Over Prior Art's Broad Disclosure Instead of Preferred Embodiments [R-5]
2124 Exception to the Rule That the Critical Reference Date Must Precede the Filing Date
2125 Drawings as Prior Art
2126 Availability of a Document as a "Patent" for Purposes of Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a), (b), and (d) [R-5]
2126.01 Date of Availability of a Patent as a Reference [R-3]
2126.02 Scope of Reference's Disclosure Which Can Be Used to Reject Claims When the Reference Is a "Patent" but Not a "Publication"
2127 Domestic and Foreign Patent Applications as Prior Art [R-6]
2128 "Printed Publications" as Prior Art [R-5]
2128.01 Level of Public Accessibility Required [R-3]
2128.02 Date Publication Is Available as a Reference
2129 Admissions as Prior Art [R-6]
2131 Anticipation - Application of 35 U.S.C. 102 (a), (b), and (e)
2131.01 Multiple Reference 35 U.S.C. 102 Rejections
2131.02 Genus-Species Situations [R-6]
2131.03 Anticipation of Ranges [R-6]
2131.04 Secondary Considerations
2131.05 Nonanalogous or Disparaging Prior Art [R-5]
2132 35 U.S.C. 102(a)
2132.01 Publications as 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) Prior Art
2133 35 U.S.C. 102(b)
2133.01 Rejections of Continuation-In-Part (CIP) Applications
2133.02 Rejections Based on Publications and Patents
2133.03 Rejections Based on "Public Use" or "On Sale" [R-5]
2133.03(a) "Public Use" [R-5]
2133.03(b) "On Sale" [R-5]
2133.03(c) The "Invention" [R-5]
2133.03(d) "In This Country"
2133.03(e) Permitted Activity; Experimental Use [R-3]
2133.03(e)(1) Commercial Exploitation
2133.03(e)(2) Intent
2133.03(e)(3) "Completeness" of the Invention [R-3]
2133.03(e)(4) Factors Indicative of an Experimental Purpose [R-5]
2133.03(e)(5) Experimentation and Degree of Supervision and Control [R-5]
2133.03(e)(6) Permitted Experimental Activity and Testing [R-3]
2133.03(e)(7) Activity of an Independent Third Party Inventor
2134 35 U.S.C. 102(c)
2135 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
2135.01 The Four Requirements of 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
2136 35 U.S.C. 102(e) [R-3]
2136.01 Status of U.S. Application as a Reference [R-3]
2136.02 Content of the Prior Art Available Against the Claims [R-3]
2136.03 Critical Reference Date [R-6]
2136.04 Different Inventive Entity; Meaning of "By Another"
2136.05 Overcoming a Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
2137 35 U.S.C. 102(f)
2137.01 Inventorship [R-3]
2137.02 Applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) [R-3]
2138 35 U.S.C. 102(g) [R-3]
2138.01 Interference Practice [R-3]
2138.02 "The Invention Was Made in This Country"
2138.03 "By Another Who Has Not Abandoned, Suppressed, or Concealed It"
2138.04 "Conception" [R-5]
2138.05 "Reduction to Practice" [R-5]
2138.06 "Reasonable Diligence"
2141 Examination Guidelines for Determining Obviousness Under 35 U.S.C. 103 [R-6]
2141.01 Scope and Content of the Prior Art [R-6]
2141.01(a) Analogous and Nonanalogous Art [R-6]
2141.02 Differences Between Prior Art and Claimed Invention [R-5]
2141.03 Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art [R-6]
2142 Legal Concept of Prima Facie Obviousness [R-6]
2143 Examples of Basic Requirements of a Prima Facie Case of Obviousness
2143.01 Suggestion or Motivation To Modify the References [R-6]
2143.02 Reasonable Expectation of Success Is Required [R-6]
2143.03 All Claim Limitations Must Be Considered [R-6]
2144 Supporting a Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 103 [R-6]
2144.01 Implicit Disclosure
2144.02 Reliance on Scientific Theory [R-6]
2144.03 Reliance on Common Knowledge in the Art or "Well Known" Prior Art [R-6]
2144.04 Legal Precedent as Source of Supporting Rationale [R-6]
2144.05 Obviousness of Ranges [R-5]
2144.06 Art Recognized Equivalence for the Same Purpose [R-6]
2144.07 Art Recognized Suitability for an Intended Purpose
2144.08 Obviousness of Species When Prior Art Teaches Genus [R-6]
2144.09 Close Structural Similarity Between Chemical Compounds (Homologs, Analogues, Isomers) [R-6]
2145 Consideration of Applicant's Rebuttal Arguments [R-6]
2146 35 U.S.C. 103(c) [R-3]
2161 Three Separate Requirements for Specification Under 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
2161.01 Computer Programming and 35 U.S.C. 112 , First Paragraph [R-5]
2162 Policy Underlying 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
2163 Guidelines for the Examination of Patent Applications Under the 35 U.S.C. 112 , para. 1, "Written Description" Requirement [R-5]
2163.01 Support for the Claimed Subject Matter in Disclosure
2163.02 Standard for Determining Compliance With the Written Description Requirement
2163.03 Typical Circumstances Where Adequate Written Description Issue Arises
2163.04 Burden on the Examiner with Regard to the Written Description Requirement [R-6]
2163.05 Changes to the Scope of Claims
2163.06 Relationship of Written Description Requirement to New Matter
2163.07 Amendments to Application Which Are Supported in the Original Description [R-6]
2163.07(a) Inherent Function, Theory, or Advantage
2163.07(b) Incorporation by Reference [R-3]
2164 The Enablement Requirement
2164.01 Test of Enablement [R-5]
2164.01(a) Undue Experimentation Factors
2164.01(b) How to Make the Claimed Invention
2164.01(c) How to Use the Claimed Invention
2164.02 Working Example
2164.03 Relationship of Predictability of the Art and the Enablement Requirement
2164.04 Burden on the Examiner Under the Enablement Requirement
2164.05 Determination of Enablement Based on Evidence as a Whole
2164.05(a) Specification Must Be Enabling as of the Filing Date
2164.05(b) Specification Must Be Enabling to Persons Skilled in the Art
2164.06 Quantity of Experimentation
2164.06(a) Examples of Enablement Issues-Missing Information
2164.06(b) Examples of Enablement Issues - Chemical Cases
2164.06(c) Examples of Enablement Issues - Computer Programming Cases [R-5]
2164.07 Relationship of Enablement Requirement to Utility Requirement of 35 U.S.C. 101
2164.08 Enablement Commensurate in Scope With the Claims
2164.08(a) Single Means Claim
2164.08(b) Inoperative Subject Matter
2164.08(c) Critical Feature Not Claimed
2165 The Best Mode Requirement
2165.01 Considerations Relevant to Best Mode
2165.02 Best Mode Requirement Compared to Enablement Requirement
2165.03 Requirements for Rejection for Lack of Best Mode
2165.04 Examples of Evidence of Concealment [R-3]
2171 Two Separate Requirements for Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
2172 Subject Matter Which Applicants Regard as Their Invention
2172.01 Unclaimed Essential Matter
2173 Claims Must Particularly Point Out and Distinctly Claim the Invention
2173.01 Claim Terminology
2173.02 Clarity and Precision [R-3]
2173.03 Inconsistency Between Claim and Specification Disclosure or Prior Art
2173.04 Breadth Is Not Indefiniteness
2173.05 Specific Topics Related to Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
2173.05(a) New Terminology [R-3]
2173.05(b) Relative Terminology [R-6]
2173.05(c) Numerical Ranges and Amounts Limitations
2173.05(d) Exemplary Claim Language ("for example," "such as")
2173.05(e) Lack of Antecedent Basis [R-5]
2173.05(f) Reference to Limitations in Another Claim
2173.05(g) Functional Limitations [R-3]
2173.05(h) Alternative Limitations
2173.05(i) Negative Limitations
2173.05(j) Old Combination [R-6]
2173.05(k) Aggregation
2173.05(m) Prolix
2173.05(n) Multiplicity
2173.05(o) Double Inclusion
2173.05(p) Claim Directed to Product-By- Process or Product and Process [R-5]
2173.05(q) "Use" Claims
2173.05(r) Omnibus Claim
2173.05(s) Reference to Figures or Tables
2173.05(t) Chemical Formula
2173.05(u) Trademarks or Trade Names in a Claim
2173.05(v) Mere Function of Machine
2173.06 Prior Art Rejection of Claim Rejected as Indefinite
2174 Relationship Between the Requirements of the First and Second Paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 112
2181 Identifying a 35 U.S.C. 112 , Sixth Paragraph Limitation [R-6]
2182 Scope of the Search and Identification of the Prior Art
2183 Making a Prima Facie Case of Equivalence
2184 Determining Whether an Applicant Has Met the Burden of Proving Nonequivalence After a Prima Facie Case Is Made
2185 Related Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112 , First or Second Paragraphs [R-6]
2186 Relationship to the Doctrine of Equivalents
2190 Prosecution Laches [R-5]
2100 Patentability
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