What are mutually exclusive species in patent applications?

Mutually exclusive species in patent applications refer to different embodiments of an invention that have distinct characteristics or limitations. According to MPEP 806.04(f):

“Claims to different species are mutually exclusive if one claim recites limitations disclosed for a first species but not a second, while a second claim recites limitations disclosed only for the second species and not the first.”

In other words, mutually exclusive species have non-overlapping scopes, where each species has unique features not shared by the others.

To learn more:

• mutually exclusive species
• patent claims
• restriction requirement
• patent examination