MPEP 2100
Patentability
This is the Ninth Edition of the MPEP, Revision 07.2022, Last Revised in February 2023
Chapter 2100: Patentability
2101: Reserved
2103: Patent Examination Process
2104: Requirements of
2104.01: Barred by Atomic Energy Act
2105: Patent Eligible Subject Matter — Living Subject Matter
2106: Patent Subject Matter Eligibility
2106.01: Reserved
2106.02: Reserved
2106.03: Eligibility Step 1: The Four Categories of Statutory Subject Matter
2106.04: Eligibility Step 2A: Whether a Claim is Directed to a Judicial Exception
2106.04(a): Abstract Ideas
2106.04(a)(1): Examples of Claims That Do Not Recite Abstract Ideas
2106.04(a)(2): Abstract Idea Groupings
2106.04(a)(3): Tentative Abstract Ideas
2106.04(b): Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena & Products of Nature
2106.04(c): The Markedly Different Characteristics Analysis
2106.04(d): Integration of a Judicial Exception Into A Practical Application
2106.04(d)(1): Evaluating Improvements in the Functioning of a Computer, or an Improvement to Any Other Technology or Technical Field in Step 2A Prong Two
2106.04(d)(2): Particular Treatment and Prophylaxis in Step 2A Prong Two
2106.05: Eligibility Step 2B: Whether a Claim Amounts to Significantly More
2106.05(a): Improvements to the Functioning of a Computer or To Any Other Technology or Technical Field
2106.05(b): Particular Machine
2106.05(c): Particular Transformation
2106.05(d): Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional Activity
2106.05(e): Other Meaningful Limitations
2106.05(f): Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception
2106.05(g): Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity
2106.05(h): Field of Use and Technological Environment
2106.06: Streamlined Analysis
2106.06(a): Eligibility is Self Evident
2106.06(b): Clear Improvement to a Technology or to Computer Functionality
2106.07: Formulating and Supporting Rejections For Lack Of Subject Matter Eligibility
2106.07(a): Formulating a Rejection For Lack of Subject Matter Eligibility
2106.07(a)(1): Form Paragraphs for use in Lack of Subject Matter Eligibility Rejections
2106.07(b): Evaluating Applicant’s Response
2106.07(c): Clarifying the Record
2107: Guidelines for Examination of Applications for Compliance with the Utility Requirement
2107.01: General Principles Governing Utility Rejections
2107.02: Procedural Considerations Related to Rejections for Lack of Utility
2107.03: Special Considerations for Asserted Therapeutic or Pharmacological Utilities
2108: Reserved
2109: Inventorship
2109.01: Joint Inventorship
2110: Reserved
2111: Claim Interpretation; Broadest Reasonable Interpretation
2111.01: Plain Meaning
2111.02: Effect of Preamble
2111.03: Transitional Phrases
2111.04: "Adapted to," "Adapted for," "Wherein," "Whereby," and Contingent Clauses
2111.05: Functional and Nonfunctional Descriptive Material
2112: Requirements of Rejection Based on Inherency; Burden of Proof
2112.01: Composition, Product, and Apparatus Claims
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: Novel, Nonobvious Starting Material or End Product
2116.01: Novel, Nonobvious Starting Material or End Product
2117: Markush Claims
2118: Reserved
2120: Rejection on Prior Art
2120.01: Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) and Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), or (e): Printed Publication or Patent
2120.02: Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) or (b): Knowledge by Others, or Public Use, or On Sale
2121: Prior Art; General Level of Operability Required to Make a Prima Facie Case
2121.01: Use of Prior Art in Rejections Where Operability is in Question
2121.02: Compounds and Compositions — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
2121.03: Plant Genetics — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
2121.04: Apparatus and Articles — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
2122: Discussion of Utility in the Prior Art
2123: Rejection Over Prior Art’s Broad Disclosure Instead of Preferred Embodiments
2124: Exception to the Rule That the Reference Must be Prior Art
2124.01: Tax Strategies Deemed Within the Prior Art
2125: Drawings as Prior Art
2126: Availability of a Document as a "Patent" for Purposes of Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), and (d)
2126.01: Date of Availability of a Patent as a Reference
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
2128: "Printed Publications" as Prior Art
2128.01: Level of Public Accessibility Required
2128.02: Date Publication Is Available as a Reference
2129: Admissions as Prior Art
2130: Reserved
2131: Anticipation — Application of
2131.01: Multiple Reference 35 U.S.C. 102 Rejections
2131.02: Genus-Species Situations
2131.03: Anticipation of Ranges
2131.04: Secondary Considerations
2131.05: Nonanalogous or Disparaging Prior Art
2132: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)
2132.01: Overcoming a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) Rejection based on a Printed Publication or Patent
2133: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)
2133.01: Rejections of Continuation-In-Part (CIP) Applications
2133.02: Rejections Based on Publications and Patents
2133.02(a): Overcoming a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) Rejection Based on a Printed Publication or Patent
2133.03: Rejections Based on "Public Use" or "On Sale"
2133.03(a): "Public Use"
2133.03(b): "On Sale"
2133.03(c): The "Invention"
2133.03(d): "In This Country"
2133.03(e): Permitted Activity; Experimental Use
2133.03(e)(1): Commercial Exploitation
2133.03(e)(2): Intent
2133.03(e)(3): "Completeness" of the Invention
2133.03(e)(4): Factors Indicative of an Experimental Purpose
2133.03(e)(5): Experimentation and Degree of Supervision and Control
2133.03(e)(6): Permitted Experimental Activity and Testing
2133.03(e)(7): Activity of an Independent Third Party Inventor
2134: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(c)
2135: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
2135.01: The Four Requirements of Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
2136: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
2136.01: Status of Unpublished or Published as Redacted U.S. Application as a Reference Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
2136.02: Content of the Prior Art Available Against the Claims
2136.03: Critical Reference Date
2136.04: Different Inventive Entity; Meaning of "By Another"
2136.05: Overcoming a Rejection Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
2136.05(a): Antedating a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) Reference
2136.05(b): Showing The Reference Is Describing An Inventor's Or At Least One Joint Inventor's Own Work
2137: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(f)
2137.01: Reserved
2137.02: Reserved
2138: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g)
2138.01: Interference Practice
2138.02: "The Invention Was Made in This Country"
2138.03: "By Another Who Has Not Abandoned, Suppressed, or Concealed It"
2138.04: "Conception"
2138.05: "Reduction to Practice"
2138.06: "Reasonable Diligence"
2139: Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
2139.01: Effective Filing Date of a Claimed Invention Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
2139.02: Determining Whether To Apply Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), or (e)
2139.03: Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
2140: Reserved
2141: Examination Guidelines for Determining Obviousness Under 35 U.S.C. 103
2141.01: Scope and Content of the Prior Art
2141.01(a): Analogous and Nonanalogous Art
2141.02: Differences Between Prior Art and Claimed Invention
2141.03: Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art
2142: Legal Concept of Prima Facie Obviousness
2143: Examples of Basic Requirements of a Prima Facie Case of Obviousness
2143.01: Suggestion or Motivation To Modify the References
2143.02: Reasonable Expectation of Success Is Required
2143.03: All Claim Limitations Must Be Considered
2144: Supporting a Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 103
2144.01: Implicit Disclosure
2144.02: Reliance on Scientific Theory
2144.03: Reliance on Common Knowledge in the Art or "Well Known" Prior Art
2144.04: Legal Precedent as Source of Supporting Rationale
2144.05: Obviousness of Similar and Overlapping Ranges, Amounts, and Proportions
2144.06: Art Recognized Equivalence for the Same Purpose
2144.07: Art Recognized Suitability for an Intended Purpose
2144.08: Obviousness of Species When Prior Art Teaches Genus
2144.09: Close Structural Similarity Between Chemical Compounds (Homologs, Analogues, Isomers)
2145: Consideration of Applicant’s Rebuttal Arguments and Evidence
2146: Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
2146.01: Prior Art Disqualification Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
2146.02: Establishing Common Ownership or Joint Research Agreement Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
2146.03: Examination Procedure With Respect to Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
2146.03(a): Provisional Rejection (Obviousness) Under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) Using Provisional Prior Art Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
2147: Biotechnology Process Applications; Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(b)
2148: Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103
2149: Reserved
2150: Examination Guidelines for 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 as Amended by the First Inventor To File Provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
2151: Overview of the Changes to
2152: Detailed Discussion of AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) and (b)
2152.01: Effective Filing Date of the Claimed Invention
2152.02: Prior Art Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) (Patented, Described in a Printed Publication, or in Public Use, on Sale, or Otherwise Available to the Public)
2152.02(a): Patented
2152.02(b): Described in a Printed Publication
2152.02(c): In Public Use
2152.02(d): On Sale
2152.02(e): Otherwise Available to the Public
2152.02(f): No Requirement of "By Others"
2152.03: Admissions
2152.04: The Meaning of "Disclosure"
2152.05: Determining Whether To Apply 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2)
2152.06: Overcoming a
2152.07: Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
2153: Prior Art Exceptions Under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)
2153.01: Prior Art Exception Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(A) To AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) (Grace Period Inventor-Originated Disclosure Exception)
2153.01(a): Grace Period Inventor-Originated Disclosure Exception
2153.01(b): Reserved
2153.02: Prior Art Exception Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)(B) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) (Inventor-Originated Prior Public Disclosure Exception)
2154: Provisions Pertaining to Subject Matter in a U.S. Patent or Application Effectively Filed Before the Effective Filing Date of the Claimed Invention
2154.01: Prior Art Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) "U.S. Patent Documents"
2154.01(a): WIPO Published Applications
2154.01(b): Determining When Subject Matter Was Effectively Filed Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
2154.01(c): Requirement Of "Names Another Inventor"
2154.01(d): Provisional Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2); Reference Is a Copending U.S. Patent Application
2154.02: Prior Art Exceptions Under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)
2154.02(a): Prior Art Exception Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) (Inventor-Originated Disclosure Exception)
2154.02(b): Prior Art Exception Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) (Inventor-Originated Prior Public Disclosure Exception)
2154.02(c): Prior Art Exception Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) (Common Ownership or Obligation of Assignment)
2155: Use of Affidavits or Declarations Under 37 CFR 1.130 To Overcome Prior Art Rejections
2155.01: Showing That the Disclosure Was Made by the Inventor or a Joint Inventor
2155.02: Showing That the Subject Matter Disclosed Had Been Previously Publicly Disclosed by the Inventor or a Joint Inventor
2155.03: Showing That the Disclosure was Made, or That Subject Matter had Been Previously Publicly Disclosed, by Another Who Obtained the Subject Matter Disclosed Directly or Indirectly From the Inventor or a Joint Inventor
2155.04: Enablement
2155.05: Who May File an Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.130
2155.06: Situations in Which an Affidavit or Declaration Is Not Available
2156: Joint Research Agreements
2157: Improper Naming of Inventors
2158: AIA 35 U.S.C. 103
2158.01: Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103
2159: Applicability Date Provisions and Determining Whether an Application Is Subject to the First Inventor To File Provisions of the AIA
2159.01: Applications Filed Before March 16, 2013
2159.02: Applications Filed on or After March 16, 2013
2159.03: Applications Subject to the AIA but Also Containing a Claimed Invention Having an Effective Filing Date Before March 16, 2013
2159.04: Applicant Statement in Transition Applications Containing a Claimed Invention Having an Effective Filing Date on or After March 16, 2013
2160: Reserved
2161: Three Separate Requirements for Specification Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
2161.01: Computer Programming, Computer Implemented Inventions, and 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
2162: Policy Underlying 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
2163: Guidelines for the Examination of Patent Applications Under the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, "Written Description" Requirement
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
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
2163.07(a): Inherent Function, Theory, or Advantage
2163.07(b): Incorporation by Reference
2164: The Enablement Requirement
2164.01: Test of Enablement
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 and Prophetic Examples
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 — Biological and Chemical Cases
2164.06(c): Examples of Enablement Issues – Computer Programming Cases
2164.07: Relationship of Enablement Requirement to Utility Requirement of
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
2166: Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
2167: Reserved
2171: Two Separate Requirements for Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 112 (b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
2172: Subject Matter Which the Inventor or a Joint Inventor Regards as The Invention
2172.01: Unclaimed Essential Subject Matter
2173: Claims Must Particularly Point Out and Distinctly Claim the Invention
2173.01: Interpreting the Claims
2173.02: Determining Whether Claim Language is Definite
2173.03: Correspondence Between Specification and Claims
2173.04: Breadth Is Not Indefiniteness
2173.05: Specific Topics Related to Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
2173.05(a): New Terminology
2173.05(b): Relative Terminology
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
2173.05(f): Reference to Limitations in Another Claim
2173.05(g): Functional Limitations
2173.05(h): Alternative Limitations
2173.05(i): Negative Limitations
2173.05(j): Old Combination
2173.05(k): Aggregation
2173.05(l): Reserved
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
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: Practice Compact Prosecution
2174: Relationship Between the Requirements of
2175: Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
2176: Reserved
2181: Identifying and Interpreting a
2182: 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(a) or (b) and Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First or Second Paragraphs
2186: Relationship to the Doctrine of Equivalents
2187: Form Paragraphs for Use Relating to
2188: Reserved
2190: Prosecution Laches and Res Judicata