MPEP 2100 – Patentability

This page consolidates and annotates enforceable requirements under MPEP 2100 — Patentability, including statutory authority, regulatory rules, examiner guidance, and practice notes. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.

Metric	Value	Share of total
Rules extracted	7,437	19.8%
Citations to Authorities	MPEP10,039 USC7,501 CFR1,308 PCT50	15.4%
Avg citations per rule	2.54
Topics covered	393 primary + 536 secondary	38.2%

Pages in this chapter

Page
MPEP § 2103 — Patent Examination Process78 rules
MPEP § 2104 — Requirements of 35 U.S.C. 10126 rules
MPEP § 2104.01 — Barred by Atomic Energy Act7 rules
MPEP § 2105 — Patent Eligible Subject Matter — Living Subject Matter28 rules
MPEP § 2106 — Patent Subject Matter Eligibility63 rules
MPEP § 2106.03 — Eligibility Step 1: The Four Categories of Statutory Subject Matter50 rules
MPEP § 2106.04 — Eligibility Step 2A: Whether a Claim is Directed to a Judicial Exception72 rules
MPEP § 2106.04(a) — Abstract Ideas23 rules
MPEP § 2106.04(b) — Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena & Products of Nature30 rules
MPEP § 2106.04(c) — The Markedly Different Characteristics Analysis86 rules
MPEP § 2106.04(d) — Integration of a Judicial Exception Into A Practical Application60 rules
MPEP § 2106.05 — Eligibility Step 2B: Whether a Claim Amounts to Significantly More57 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(a) — Improvements to the Functioning of a Computer or To Any Other Technology or Technical Field65 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(b) — Particular Machine31 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(c) — Particular Transformation35 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(d) — Well-Understood, Routine, Conventional Activity47 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(e) — Other Meaningful Limitations17 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(f) — Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception57 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(g) — Insignificant Extra-Solution Activity26 rules
MPEP § 2106.05(h) — Field of Use and Technological Environment29 rules
MPEP § 2106.06 — Streamlined Analysis5 rules
MPEP § 2106.06(a) — Eligibility is Self Evident5 rules
MPEP § 2106.06(b) — Clear Improvement to a Technology or to Computer Functionality15 rules
MPEP § 2106.07 — Formulating and Supporting Rejections For Lack Of Subject Matter Eligibility17 rules
MPEP § 2106.07(a) — Formulating a Rejection For Lack of Subject Matter Eligibility52 rules
MPEP § 2106.07(b) — Evaluating Applicant’s Response14 rules
MPEP § 2106.07(c) — Clarifying the Record6 rules
MPEP § 2107 — Guidelines for Examination of Applications for Compliance with the Utility Requirement29 rules
MPEP § 2107.01 — General Principles Governing Utility Rejections105 rules
MPEP § 2107.02 — Procedural Considerations Related to Rejections for Lack of Utility108 rules
MPEP § 2107.03 — Special Considerations for Asserted Therapeutic or Pharmacological Utilities54 rules
MPEP § 2109 — Inventorship41 rules
MPEP § 2109.01 — Joint Inventorship31 rules
MPEP § 2111 — Claim Interpretation; Broadest Reasonable Interpretation29 rules
MPEP § 2111.01 — Plain Meaning87 rules
MPEP § 2111.02 — Effect of Preamble33 rules
MPEP § 2111.03 — Transitional Phrases45 rules
MPEP § 2111.04 — “Adapted to,” “Adapted for,” “Wherein,” “Whereby,” and Contingent Clauses21 rules
MPEP § 2111.05 — Functional and Nonfunctional Descriptive Material40 rules
MPEP § 2112 — Requirements of Rejection Based on Inherency; Burden of Proof61 rules
MPEP § 2112.01 — Composition, Product, and Apparatus Claims26 rules
MPEP § 2112.02 — Process Claims23 rules
MPEP § 2113 — Product-by-Process Claims25 rules
MPEP § 2114 — Apparatus and Article Claims — Functional Language25 rules
MPEP § 2115 — Material or Article Worked Upon by Apparatus11 rules
MPEP § 2116.01 — Novel, Nonobvious Starting Material or End Product16 rules
MPEP § 2117 — Markush Claims74 rules
MPEP § 2120 — Rejection on Prior Art60 rules
MPEP § 2120.01 — Rejections 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 Patent10 rules
MPEP § 2120.02 — Rejections 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 Sale21 rules
MPEP § 2121 — Prior Art; General Level of Operability Required to Make a Prima Facie Case11 rules
MPEP § 2121.01 — Use of Prior Art in Rejections Where Operability is in Question11 rules
MPEP § 2121.02 — Compounds and Compositions — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art16 rules
MPEP § 2121.03 — Plant Genetics — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art9 rules
MPEP § 2121.04 — Apparatus and Articles — What Constitutes Enabling Prior Art1 rules
MPEP § 2122 — Discussion of Utility in the Prior Art4 rules
MPEP § 2123 — Rejection Over Prior Art’s Broad Disclosure Instead of Preferred Embodiments13 rules
MPEP § 2124 — Exception to the Rule That the Reference Must be Prior Art6 rules
MPEP § 2124.01 — Tax Strategies Deemed Within the Prior Art19 rules
MPEP § 2125 — Drawings as Prior Art9 rules
MPEP § 2126 — Availability 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)12 rules
MPEP § 2126.01 — Date of Availability of a Patent as a Reference4 rules
MPEP § 2126.02 — Scope of Reference’s Disclosure Which Can Be Used to Reject Claims When the Reference Is a “Patent” but Not a “Publication”9 rules
MPEP § 2127 — Domestic and Foreign Patent Applications as Prior Art24 rules
MPEP § 2128 — “Printed Publications” as Prior Art52 rules
MPEP § 2128.01 — Level of Public Accessibility Required52 rules
MPEP § 2128.02 — Date Publication Is Available as a Reference5 rules
MPEP § 2129 — Admissions as Prior Art12 rules
MPEP § 2131 — Anticipation — Application of 35 U.S.C. 1029 rules
MPEP § 2131.01 — Multiple Reference 35 U.S.C. 102 Rejections29 rules
MPEP § 2131.02 — Genus-Species Situations37 rules
MPEP § 2131.03 — Anticipation of Ranges16 rules
MPEP § 2131.04 — Secondary Considerations1 rules
MPEP § 2131.05 — Nonanalogous or Disparaging Prior Art8 rules
MPEP § 2132 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)17 rules
MPEP § 2132.01 — Overcoming a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) Rejection based on a Printed Publication or Patent26 rules
MPEP § 2133 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)8 rules
MPEP § 2133.01 — Rejections of Continuation-In-Part (CIP) Applications8 rules
MPEP § 2133.02 — Rejections Based on Publications and Patents7 rules
MPEP § 2133.02(a) — Overcoming a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) Rejection Based on a Printed Publication or Patent8 rules
MPEP § 2133.03 — Rejections Based on “Public Use” or “On Sale”24 rules
MPEP § 2133.03(a) — “Public Use”47 rules
MPEP § 2133.03(b) — “On Sale”65 rules
MPEP § 2133.03(c) — The “Invention”27 rules
MPEP § 2133.03(d) — “In This Country”9 rules
MPEP § 2133.03(e) — Permitted Activity; Experimental Use9 rules
MPEP § 2134 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(c)17 rules
MPEP § 2135 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)12 rules
MPEP § 2135.01 — The Four Requirements of Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)36 rules
MPEP § 2136 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)60 rules
MPEP § 2136.01 — Status of Unpublished or Published as Redacted U.S. Application as a Reference Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)26 rules
MPEP § 2136.02 — Content of the Prior Art Available Against the Claims15 rules
MPEP § 2136.03 — Critical Reference Date39 rules
MPEP § 2136.04 — Different Inventive Entity; Meaning of “By Another”9 rules
MPEP § 2136.05 — Overcoming a Rejection Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e)6 rules
MPEP § 2136.05(a) — Antedating a Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) Reference16 rules
MPEP § 2136.05(b) — Showing The Reference Is Describing An Inventor's Or At Least One Joint Inventor's Own Work42 rules
MPEP § 2137 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(f)18 rules
MPEP § 2138 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g)16 rules
MPEP § 2138.01 — Interference Practice27 rules
MPEP § 2138.02 — “The Invention Was Made in This Country”8 rules
MPEP § 2138.03 — “By Another Who Has Not Abandoned, Suppressed, or Concealed It”16 rules
MPEP § 2138.04 — “Conception”20 rules
MPEP § 2138.05 — “Reduction to Practice”45 rules
MPEP § 2138.06 — “Reasonable Diligence”48 rules
MPEP § 2139 — Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 1024 rules
MPEP § 2139.01 — Effective Filing Date of a Claimed Invention Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 1027 rules
MPEP § 2139.02 — Determining Whether To Apply Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a), (b), or (e)29 rules
MPEP § 2139.03 — Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102108 rules
MPEP § 2141 — Examination Guidelines for Determining Obviousness Under 35 U.S.C. 103134 rules
MPEP § 2141.01 — Scope and Content of the Prior Art26 rules
MPEP § 2141.01(a) — Analogous and Nonanalogous Art69 rules
MPEP § 2141.02 — Differences Between Prior Art and Claimed Invention42 rules
MPEP § 2141.03 — Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art31 rules
MPEP § 2142 — Legal Concept of Prima Facie Obviousness43 rules
MPEP § 2143 — Examples of Basic Requirements of a Prima Facie Case of Obviousness302 rules
MPEP § 2143.01 — Suggestion or Motivation To Modify the References53 rules
MPEP § 2143.02 — Reasonable Expectation of Success Is Required34 rules
MPEP § 2143.03 — All Claim Limitations Must Be Considered18 rules
MPEP § 2144 — Supporting a Rejection Under 35 U.S.C. 10319 rules
MPEP § 2144.01 — Implicit Disclosure2 rules
MPEP § 2144.02 — Reliance on Scientific Theory2 rules
MPEP § 2144.03 — Reliance on Common Knowledge in the Art or “Well Known” Prior Art38 rules
MPEP § 2144.04 — Legal Precedent as Source of Supporting Rationale43 rules
MPEP § 2144.05 — Obviousness of Similar and Overlapping Ranges, Amounts, and Proportions72 rules
MPEP § 2144.06 — Art Recognized Equivalence for the Same Purpose6 rules
MPEP § 2144.07 — Art Recognized Suitability for an Intended Purpose3 rules
MPEP § 2144.08 — Obviousness of Species When Prior Art Teaches Genus94 rules
MPEP § 2144.09 — Close Structural Similarity Between Chemical Compounds (Homologs, Analogues, Isomers)36 rules
MPEP § 2145 — Consideration of Applicant’s Rebuttal Arguments and Evidence169 rules
MPEP § 2146 — Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)31 rules
MPEP § 2146.01 — Prior Art Disqualification Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)28 rules
MPEP § 2146.02 — Establishing Common Ownership or Joint Research Agreement Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)90 rules
MPEP § 2146.03 — Examination Procedure With Respect to Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c)18 rules
MPEP § 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)19 rules
MPEP § 2147 — Biotechnology Process Applications; Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(b)13 rules
MPEP § 2148 — Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 10360 rules
MPEP § 2151 — Overview of the Changes to 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 in the AIA50 rules
MPEP § 2152 — Detailed Discussion of AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) and (b)22 rules
MPEP § 2152.01 — Effective Filing Date of the Claimed Invention17 rules
MPEP § 2152.02 — Prior Art Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) (Patented, Described in a Printed Publication, or in Public Use, on Sale, or Otherwise Available to the Public)4 rules
MPEP § 2152.02(a) — Patented11 rules
MPEP § 2152.02(b) — Described in a Printed Publication19 rules
MPEP § 2152.02(c) — In Public Use24 rules
MPEP § 2152.02(d) — On Sale17 rules
MPEP § 2152.02(e) — Otherwise Available to the Public6 rules
MPEP § 2152.02(f) — No Requirement of “By Others”3 rules
MPEP § 2152.03 — Admissions5 rules
MPEP § 2152.04 — The Meaning of “Disclosure”3 rules
MPEP § 2152.05 — Determining Whether To Apply 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2)19 rules
MPEP § 2152.06 — Overcoming a 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) Rejection3 rules
MPEP § 2152.07 — Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 10256 rules
MPEP § 2153 — Prior Art Exceptions Under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)2 rules
MPEP § 2153.01 — Prior 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)6 rules
MPEP § 2153.01(a) — Grace Period Inventor-Originated Disclosure Exception18 rules
MPEP § 2153.02 — Prior 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)39 rules
MPEP § 2154 — Provisions Pertaining to Subject Matter in a U.S. Patent or Application Effectively Filed Before the Effective Filing Date of the Claimed Invention2 rules
MPEP § 2154.01 — Prior Art Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) “U.S. Patent Documents”8 rules
MPEP § 2154.01(a) — WIPO Published Applications3 rules
MPEP § 2154.01(b) — Determining When Subject Matter Was Effectively Filed Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(d)17 rules
MPEP § 2154.01(c) — Requirement Of “Names Another Inventor”3 rules
MPEP § 2154.01(d) — Provisional Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2); Reference Is a Copending U.S. Patent Application11 rules
MPEP § 2154.02 — Prior Art Exceptions Under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)2 rules
MPEP § 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)14 rules
MPEP § 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)35 rules
MPEP § 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)20 rules
MPEP § 2155 — Use of Affidavits or Declarations Under 37 CFR 1.130 To Overcome Prior Art Rejections12 rules
MPEP § 2155.01 — Showing That the Disclosure Was Made by the Inventor or a Joint Inventor65 rules
MPEP § 2155.02 — Showing That the Subject Matter Disclosed Had Been Previously Publicly Disclosed by the Inventor or a Joint Inventor29 rules
MPEP § 2155.03 — Showing 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 Inventor5 rules
MPEP § 2155.04 — Enablement2 rules
MPEP § 2155.05 — Who May File an Affidavit or Declaration Under 37 CFR 1.1305 rules
MPEP § 2155.06 — Situations in Which an Affidavit or Declaration Is Not Available7 rules
MPEP § 2156 — Joint Research Agreements19 rules
MPEP § 2157 — Improper Naming of Inventors11 rules
MPEP § 2158 — AIA 35 U.S.C. 10330 rules
MPEP § 2158.01 — Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 10366 rules
MPEP § 2159 — Applicability Date Provisions and Determining Whether an Application Is Subject to the First Inventor To File Provisions of the AIA1 rules
MPEP § 2159.01 — Applications Filed Before March 16, 20135 rules
MPEP § 2159.02 — Applications Filed on or After March 16, 201311 rules
MPEP § 2159.03 — Applications Subject to the AIA but Also Containing a Claimed Invention Having an Effective Filing Date Before March 16, 20134 rules
MPEP § 2159.04 — Applicant Statement in Transition Applications Containing a Claimed Invention Having an Effective Filing Date on or After March 16, 20132 rules
MPEP § 2161 — Three Separate Requirements for Specification Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph12 rules
MPEP § 2161.01 — Computer Programming, Computer Implemented Inventions, and 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph112 rules
MPEP § 2162 — Policy Underlying 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph8 rules
MPEP § 2163 — Guidelines 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” Requirement243 rules
MPEP § 2163.01 — Support for the Claimed Subject Matter in Disclosure5 rules
MPEP § 2163.02 — Standard for Determining Compliance With the Written Description Requirement15 rules
MPEP § 2163.03 — Typical Circumstances Where Adequate Written Description Issue Arises29 rules
MPEP § 2163.04 — Burden on the Examiner with Regard to the Written Description Requirement19 rules
MPEP § 2163.05 — Changes to the Scope of Claims40 rules
MPEP § 2163.06 — Relationship of Written Description Requirement to New Matter16 rules
MPEP § 2163.07 — Amendments to Application Which Are Supported in the Original Description15 rules
MPEP § 2163.07(a) — Inherent Function, Theory, or Advantage7 rules
MPEP § 2163.07(b) — Incorporation by Reference3 rules
MPEP § 2164 — The Enablement Requirement14 rules
MPEP § 2164.01 — Test of Enablement25 rules
MPEP § 2164.01(a) — Undue Experimentation Factors23 rules
MPEP § 2164.01(b) — How to Make the Claimed Invention7 rules
MPEP § 2164.01(c) — How to Use the Claimed Invention9 rules
MPEP § 2164.02 — Working and Prophetic Examples38 rules
MPEP § 2164.03 — Relationship of Predictability of the Art and the Enablement Requirement16 rules
MPEP § 2164.04 — Burden on the Examiner Under the Enablement Requirement19 rules
MPEP § 2164.05 — Determination of Enablement Based on Evidence as a Whole14 rules
MPEP § 2164.05(a) — Specification Must Be Enabling as of the Filing Date16 rules
MPEP § 2164.05(b) — Specification Must Be Enabling to Persons Skilled in the Art7 rules
MPEP § 2164.06 — Quantity of Experimentation15 rules
MPEP § 2164.06(a) — Examples of Enablement Issues-Missing Information32 rules
MPEP § 2164.06(b) — Examples of Enablement Issues — Biological and Chemical Cases25 rules
MPEP § 2164.06(c) — Examples of Enablement Issues – Computer Programming Cases75 rules
MPEP § 2164.07 — Relationship of Enablement Requirement to Utility Requirement of 35 U.S.C. 10124 rules
MPEP § 2164.08 — Enablement Commensurate in Scope With the Claims52 rules
MPEP § 2164.08(a) — Single Means Claim2 rules
MPEP § 2164.08(b) — Inoperative Subject Matter6 rules
MPEP § 2164.08(c) — Critical Feature Not Claimed6 rules
MPEP § 2165 — The Best Mode Requirement19 rules
MPEP § 2165.01 — Considerations Relevant to Best Mode9 rules
MPEP § 2165.02 — Best Mode Requirement Compared to Enablement Requirement2 rules
MPEP § 2165.03 — Requirements for Rejection for Lack of Best Mode9 rules
MPEP § 2165.04 — Examples of Evidence of Concealment16 rules
MPEP § 2166 — Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph29 rules
MPEP § 2171 — Two Separate Requirements for Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph9 rules
MPEP § 2172 — Subject Matter Which the Inventor or a Joint Inventor Regards as The Invention8 rules
MPEP § 2172.01 — Unclaimed Essential Subject Matter13 rules
MPEP § 2173 — Claims Must Particularly Point Out and Distinctly Claim the Invention8 rules
MPEP § 2173.01 — Interpreting the Claims29 rules
MPEP § 2173.02 — Determining Whether Claim Language is Definite89 rules
MPEP § 2173.03 — Correspondence Between Specification and Claims16 rules
MPEP § 2173.04 — Breadth Is Not Indefiniteness9 rules
MPEP § 2173.05 — Specific Topics Related to Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph6 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(a) — New Terminology14 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(b) — Relative Terminology49 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(c) — Numerical Ranges and Amounts Limitations22 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(d) — Exemplary Claim Language (“for example,” “such as”)5 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(e) — Lack of Antecedent Basis19 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(f) — Reference to Limitations in Another Claim3 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(g) — Functional Limitations36 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(h) — Alternative Limitations28 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(i) — Negative Limitations16 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(j) — Old Combination10 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(k) — Aggregation2 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(m) — Prolix2 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(n) — Multiplicity15 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(o) — Double Inclusion5 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(p) — Claim Directed to Product-By- Process or Product and Process10 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(q) — “Use” Claims13 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(r) — Omnibus Claim4 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(s) — Reference to Figures or Tables4 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(t) — Chemical Formula12 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(u) — Trademarks or Trade Names in a Claim9 rules
MPEP § 2173.05(v) — Mere Function of Machine3 rules
MPEP § 2173.06 — Practice Compact Prosecution14 rules
MPEP § 2174 — Relationship Between the Requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and (b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First and Second Paragraphs8 rules
MPEP § 2175 — Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Second Paragraph29 rules
MPEP § 2181 — Identifying and Interpreting a 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Sixth Paragraph Limitation303 rules
MPEP § 2182 — Search and Identification of the Prior Art17 rules
MPEP § 2183 — Making a Prima Facie Case of Equivalence32 rules
MPEP § 2184 — Determining Whether an Applicant Has Met the Burden of Proving Nonequivalence After a Prima Facie Case Is Made31 rules
MPEP § 2185 — Related Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or (b) and Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First or Second Paragraphs9 rules
MPEP § 2186 — Relationship to the Doctrine of Equivalents9 rules
MPEP § 2187 — Form Paragraphs for Use Relating to 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, Sixth Paragraph32 rules
MPEP § 2190 — Prosecution Laches and Res Judicata20 rules