MPEP § 706.01 — Contrasted With Objections (Annotated Rules)

§706.01 Contrasted With Objections

USPTO MPEP version: BlueIron's Update: 2025-12-31

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 706.01, 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.

Contrasted With Objections

This section addresses Contrasted With Objections. Contains: 1 requirement, 1 guidance statement, 1 permission, and 4 other statements.

Key Rules

Topic

PTAB Jurisdiction

7 rules
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-706-01-4ee01f639fbd1ffbce1c1086]
Rejection of Unpatentable Claims
Note:
An examiner’s action refusing claims due to unpatentability is called a rejection and can be reviewed by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

The refusal to grant claims because the subject matter as claimed is considered unpatentable is called a “rejection.” The term “rejected” must be applied to such claims in the examiner’s action. If the form of the claim (as distinguished from its substance) is improper, an “objection” is made. An example of a matter of form as to which objection is made is dependency of a claim on a rejected claim, if the dependent claim is otherwise allowable. See MPEP § 608.01(n). The practical difference between a rejection and an objection is that a rejection, involving the merits of the claim, is subject to review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, while an objection, if persisted, may be reviewed only by way of petition to the Director of the USPTO.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresStatutory Authority of USPTO Director (MPEP 1001)
MPEP GuidanceRequiredAlways
[mpep-706-01-5804fa69f5dc68829f8a561d]
Rejected Claim Term Must Be Used in Examiner’s Action
Note:
The term 'rejected' must be applied to claims that are refused due to unpatentable subject matter as claimed.

The refusal to grant claims because the subject matter as claimed is considered unpatentable is called a “rejection.” The term “rejected” must be applied to such claims in the examiner’s action. If the form of the claim (as distinguished from its substance) is improper, an “objection” is made. An example of a matter of form as to which objection is made is dependency of a claim on a rejected claim, if the dependent claim is otherwise allowable. See MPEP § 608.01(n). The practical difference between a rejection and an objection is that a rejection, involving the merits of the claim, is subject to review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, while an objection, if persisted, may be reviewed only by way of petition to the Director of the USPTO.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresStatutory Authority of USPTO Director (MPEP 1001)
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-706-01-c2eb4420f8a554a0b06fc709]
Objection for Improper Claim Form
Note:
An objection is made if the form of a claim, but not its substance, is improper. This differs from a rejection which involves the merits and can be reviewed by PTAB.

The refusal to grant claims because the subject matter as claimed is considered unpatentable is called a “rejection.” The term “rejected” must be applied to such claims in the examiner’s action. If the form of the claim (as distinguished from its substance) is improper, an “objection” is made. An example of a matter of form as to which objection is made is dependency of a claim on a rejected claim, if the dependent claim is otherwise allowable. See MPEP § 608.01(n). The practical difference between a rejection and an objection is that a rejection, involving the merits of the claim, is subject to review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, while an objection, if persisted, may be reviewed only by way of petition to the Director of the USPTO.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresStatutory Authority of USPTO Director (MPEP 1001)
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-706-01-103d0bdadc9cc5bd64460b64]
Dependent Claim Must Not Reference Rejected Claim
Note:
A dependent claim cannot rely on a rejected claim if it is otherwise allowable.

The refusal to grant claims because the subject matter as claimed is considered unpatentable is called a “rejection.” The term “rejected” must be applied to such claims in the examiner’s action. If the form of the claim (as distinguished from its substance) is improper, an “objection” is made. An example of a matter of form as to which objection is made is dependency of a claim on a rejected claim, if the dependent claim is otherwise allowable. See MPEP § 608.01(n). The practical difference between a rejection and an objection is that a rejection, involving the merits of the claim, is subject to review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, while an objection, if persisted, may be reviewed only by way of petition to the Director of the USPTO.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresStatutory Authority of USPTO Director (MPEP 1001)
MPEP GuidancePermittedAlways
[mpep-706-01-f71ae2cc39763b306272a09e]
Difference Between Rejection and Objection Review
Note:
The rule explains that rejections, which involve the merits of claims, can be reviewed by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, while objections, if not resolved, can only be appealed to the Director of the USPTO.

The refusal to grant claims because the subject matter as claimed is considered unpatentable is called a “rejection.” The term “rejected” must be applied to such claims in the examiner’s action. If the form of the claim (as distinguished from its substance) is improper, an “objection” is made. An example of a matter of form as to which objection is made is dependency of a claim on a rejected claim, if the dependent claim is otherwise allowable. See MPEP § 608.01(n). The practical difference between a rejection and an objection is that a rejection, involving the merits of the claim, is subject to review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, while an objection, if persisted, may be reviewed only by way of petition to the Director of the USPTO.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresStatutory Authority of USPTO Director (MPEP 1001)
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-706-01-459e862862e2e919fde09397]
Issues Not Properly Before Board Not Decidable
Note:
The Board will not hear or decide objections and formal matters that are not properly before it.

Similarly, the Board will not hear or decide issues pertaining to objections and formal matters which are not properly before the Board. These formal matters should not be combined in appeals to the Board.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresEx Parte Appeals to PTAB
MPEP GuidanceRecommendedAlways
[mpep-706-01-80924535f6930479f415d72d]
Appeals Must Not Combine Formal Issues
Note:
The Board will not hear appeals that combine formal matters not properly before it.

Similarly, the Board will not hear or decide issues pertaining to objections and formal matters which are not properly before the Board. These formal matters should not be combined in appeals to the Board.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTAB JurisdictionPTAB Contested Case ProceduresEx Parte Appeals to PTAB

Citations

Primary topicCitation
PTAB JurisdictionMPEP § 608.01(n)

Source Text from USPTO’s MPEP

This is an exact copy of the MPEP from the USPTO. It is here for your reference to see the section in context.

BlueIron Last Updated: 2025-12-31