How is a claim rejected as anticipated?

To reject a claim as anticipated, the prior art reference must disclose every element of the claimed invention. The MPEP 2131 states:

To reject a claim as anticipated by a reference, the disclosure must teach every element required by the claim under its broadest reasonable interpretation.

Furthermore, the Federal Circuit has clarified:

A claim is anticipated only if each and every element as set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference. (Verdegaal Bros. v. Union Oil Co. of California)

This means that all elements of the claim must be present in a single reference for it to be considered anticipatory.

To learn more:

• anticipation
• claim rejection
• prior art
• patent examination