What is the doctrine of equivalents in patent law?
The doctrine of equivalents is a legal principle that arises in the context of patent infringement actions. As stated in MPEP 2186:
“If an accused product or process does not literally infringe a patented invention, the accused product or process may be found to infringe under the doctrine of equivalents.”
This doctrine allows for a finding of infringement even when the accused product or process doesn’t literally meet every element of a patent claim, but is substantially equivalent.
To learn more:
Topics:
MPEP 2100 - Patentability,
MPEP 2186 - Relationship To The Doctrine Of Equivalents,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure