What is reduction to practice in patent law?

Reduction to practice in patent law refers to the process of demonstrating that an invention actually works for its intended purpose. There are two types of reduction to practice:

• Actual reduction to practice: This occurs when an inventor physically creates and tests the invention.
• Constructive reduction to practice: This occurs when a patent application is filed that fully describes the invention.

As stated in MPEP 2138.05: “Reduction to practice may be an actual reduction or a constructive reduction to practice which occurs when a patent application on the claimed invention is filed.”

To learn more:

• reduction to practice
• actual reduction
• constructive reduction
• patent application
• invention