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MPEP Chapter 2100 — Patentability

Chapter 2100 of the USPTO Manual of Patent Examining Procedure covers patentability. It runs to 75 file-level sections and 213 subsections, of which 69 carry substantive text and 6 are marked [Reserved]. 69 of its sections are annotated as structured data, exposing 88 statutes and regulations and 1271 cited decisions.

Sections in this chapter

  • § 2103Patent Examination Process
  • § 2104Requirements of 35 U.S.C. 101
  • § 2105Patent Eligible Subject Matter — Living Subject Matter
  • § 2106Patent Subject Matter Eligibility
  • § 2107Guidelines for Examination of Applications for Compliance with the Utility Requirement
    • § 2107.01General Principles Governing Utility Rejections
    • § 2107.02Procedural Considerations Related to Rejections for Lack of Utility
    • § 2107.03Special Considerations for Asserted Therapeutic or Pharmacological Utilities
  • § 2108[Reserved]
  • § 2109Inventorship
  • § 2110[Reserved]
  • § 2111Claim Interpretation; Broadest Reasonable Interpretation
  • § 2112Requirements of Rejection Based on Inherency; Burden of Proof
  • § 2113Product-by-Process Claims
  • § 2114Apparatus and Article Claims — Functional Language
  • § 2115Material or Article Worked Upon by Apparatus
  • § 2116Novel, Nonobvious Starting Material or End Product
    • § 2116.01Novel, Nonobvious Starting Material or End Product
  • § 2117Markush Claims
  • § 2120Rejection on Prior Art
    • § 2120.01Rejections 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
    • § 2120.02Rejections 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
  • § 2121Prior Art; General Level of Operability Required to Make a Prima Facie Case
    • § 2121.01Use of Prior Art in Rejections Where Operability is in Question
    • § 2121.02Compounds and Compositions — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
    • § 2121.03Plant Genetics — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
    • § 2121.04Apparatus and Articles — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art
  • § 2122Discussion of Utility in the Prior Art
  • § 2123Rejection Over Prior Art’s Broad Disclosure Instead of Preferred Embodiments
  • § 2124Exception to the Rule That the Reference Must be Prior Art
    • § 2124.01Tax Strategies Deemed Within the Prior Art
  • § 2125Drawings as Prior Art
  • § 2126Availability 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)
    • § 2126.01Date of Availability of a Patent as a Reference
    • § 2126.02Scope of Reference’s Disclosure Which Can Be Used to Reject Claims When the Reference Is a “Patent” but Not a “Publication”
  • § 2127Domestic and Foreign Patent Applications as Prior Art
  • § 2128“Printed Publications” as Prior Art
    • § 2128.01Level of Public Accessibility Required
    • § 2128.02Date Publication Is Available as a Reference
  • § 2129Admissions as Prior Art
  • § 2130[Reserved]
  • § 2131Anticipation — Application of 35 U.S.C. 102
  • § 2132Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)
    • § 2132.01Overcoming a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) Rejection based on a Printed Publication or Patent
  • § 2133Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)
  • § 2134Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(c)
  • § 2135Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
    • § 2135.01The Four Requirements of Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)
  • § 2136Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
    • § 2136.01Status of Unpublished or Published as Redacted U.S. Application as a Reference Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)
    • § 2136.02Content of the Prior Art Available Against the Claims
    • § 2136.03Critical Reference Date
    • § 2136.04Different Inventive Entity; Meaning of “By Another”
    • § 2136.05Overcoming 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
  • § 2137Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(f)
  • § 2138Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g)
  • § 2139Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
    • § 2139.01Effective Filing Date of a Claimed Invention Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
    • § 2139.02Determining Whether To Apply Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), or (e)
    • § 2139.03Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
  • § 2140[Reserved]
  • § 2141Examination Guidelines for Determining Obviousness Under 35 U.S.C. 103
  • § 2142Legal Concept of Prima Facie Obviousness
  • § 2143Examples of Basic Requirements of a Prima Facie Case of Obviousness
    • § 2143.01Suggestion or Motivation To Modify the References
    • § 2143.02Reasonable Expectation of Success Is Required
    • § 2143.03All Claim Limitations Must Be Considered
  • § 2144Supporting a Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 103
    • § 2144.01Implicit Disclosure
    • § 2144.02Reliance on Scientific Theory
    • § 2144.03Reliance on Common Knowledge in the Art or “Well Known” Prior Art
    • § 2144.04Legal Precedent as Source of Supporting Rationale
    • § 2144.05Obviousness of Similar and Overlapping Ranges, Amounts, and Proportions
    • § 2144.06Art Recognized Equivalence for the Same Purpose
    • § 2144.07Art Recognized Suitability for an Intended Purpose
    • § 2144.08Obviousness of Species When Prior Art Teaches Genus
    • § 2144.09Close Structural Similarity Between Chemical Compounds (Homologs, Analogues, Isomers)
  • § 2145Consideration of Applicant’s Rebuttal Arguments and Evidence
  • § 2146Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
    • § 2146.01Prior Art Disqualification Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
    • § 2146.02Establishing Common Ownership or Joint Research Agreement Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)
    • § 2146.03Examination 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)
  • § 2147Biotechnology Process Applications; Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(b)
  • § 2148Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103
  • § 2149[Reserved]
  • § 2150Examination 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
  • § 2151Overview of the Changes to 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 in the AIA
  • § 2152Detailed Discussion of AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) and (b)
  • § 2153Prior Art Exceptions Under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)
    • § 2153.01Prior 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]
    • § 2153.02Prior 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)
  • § 2154Provisions Pertaining to Subject Matter in a U.S. Patent or Application Effectively Filed Before the Effective Filing Date of the Claimed Invention
    • § 2154.01Prior 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
    • § 2154.02Prior 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)
  • § 2155Use of Affidavits or Declarations Under 37 CFR 1.130 To Overcome Prior Art Rejections
    • § 2155.01Showing That the Disclosure Was Made by the Inventor or a Joint Inventor
    • § 2155.02Showing That the Subject Matter Disclosed Had Been Previously Publicly Disclosed by the Inventor or a Joint Inventor
    • § 2155.03Showing 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
    • § 2155.04Enablement
    • § 2155.05Who May File an Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.130
    • § 2155.06Situations in Which an Affidavit or Declaration Is Not Available
  • § 2156Joint Research Agreements
  • § 2157Improper Naming of Inventors
  • § 2158AIA 35 U.S.C. 103
    • § 2158.01Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103
  • § 2159Applicability Date Provisions and Determining Whether an Application Is Subject to the First Inventor To File Provisions of the AIA
    • § 2159.01Applications Filed Before March 16, 2013
    • § 2159.02Applications Filed on or After March 16, 2013
    • § 2159.03Applications Subject to the AIA but Also Containing a Claimed Invention Having an Effective Filing Date Before March 16, 2013
    • § 2159.04Applicant Statement in Transition Applications Containing a Claimed Invention Having an Effective Filing Date on or After March 16, 2013
  • § 2160[Reserved]
  • § 2161Three Separate Requirements for Specification Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
    • § 2161.01Computer Programming, Computer Implemented Inventions, and 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
  • § 2162Policy Underlying 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
  • § 2163Guidelines 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
    • § 2163.01Support for the Claimed Subject Matter in Disclosure
    • § 2163.02Standard for Determining Compliance With the Written Description Requirement
    • § 2163.03Typical Circumstances Where Adequate Written Description Issue Arises
    • § 2163.04Burden on the Examiner with Regard to the Written Description Requirement
    • § 2163.05Changes to the Scope of Claims
    • § 2163.06Relationship of Written Description Requirement to New Matter
    • § 2163.07Amendments to Application Which Are Supported in the Original Description
    • § 2163.07(a)Inherent Function, Theory, or Advantage
    • § 2163.07(b)Incorporation by Reference
  • § 2164The Enablement Requirement
  • § 2165The Best Mode Requirement
    • § 2165.01Considerations Relevant to Best Mode
    • § 2165.02Best Mode Requirement Compared to Enablement Requirement
    • § 2165.03Requirements for Rejection for Lack of Best Mode
    • § 2165.04Examples of Evidence of Concealment
  • § 2166Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
  • § 2171Two Separate Requirements for Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
  • § 2172Subject Matter Which the Inventor or a Joint Inventor Regards as The Invention
  • § 2173Claims Must Particularly Point Out and Distinctly Claim the Invention
  • § 2174Relationship Between the Requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First and Second Paragraphs
  • § 2175Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph
  • § 2181Identifying and Interpreting a 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Sixth Paragraph Limitation
  • § 2182Search and Identification of the Prior Art
  • § 2183Making a Prima Facie Case of Equivalence
  • § 2184Determining Whether an Applicant Has Met the Burden of Proving Nonequivalence After a Prima Facie Case Is Made
  • § 2185Related Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or (b) and Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First or Second Paragraphs
  • § 2186Relationship to the Doctrine of Equivalents
  • § 2187Form Paragraphs for Use Relating to 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Sixth Paragraph
  • § 2190Prosecution Laches and Res Judicata