How should I amend the brief description of drawings when canceling a figure?

When canceling a figure in a patent application, it’s important to also amend the brief description of the drawings to reflect this change. Here’s how to do it:

• Remove any reference to the canceled figure from the brief description.
• Renumber the remaining figures if necessary.
• Update any cross-references to the figures throughout the specification.

MPEP 608.02(t) mentions this requirement: “The brief description of the drawings should also be amended to reflect this change.” This ensures consistency between the drawings and their description in the specification, which is crucial for a clear and accurate patent application.

To learn more:

• Brief description of drawings
• Figure cancellation
• Patent application amendment
• Specification updates