What is the role of the specification in patent claim analysis?
The role of the specification in patent claim analysis is to provide context and support for the claims. According to MPEP 904.01:
The specification may be used to learn the meaning of terms and in interpreting the coverage of a claim, but limitations from the specification may not be read into the claims.
This means that while the specification helps understand the claims, examiners should not import limitations from the specification that are not explicitly stated in the claims themselves. The specification serves as a guide but does not override or modify the actual claim language.
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