What are the four categories of statutory subject matter in patent law?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

The four categories of statutory subject matter in patent law, as defined in 35 U.S.C. § 101, are:

• Process
• Machine
• Manufacture
• Composition of matter

As stated in the MPEP 2106.03: “The Supreme Court has acknowledged that Congress intended statutory subject matter to ‘include anything under the sun that is made by man.’” However, it’s important to note that abstract ideas, laws of nature, and natural phenomena are not patentable subject matter.