What is the significance of indefiniteness rejections in relation to specification and claim correspondence?

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.

Indefiniteness rejections play a crucial role in ensuring proper correspondence between the specification and claims. According to MPEP 2173.03:

“A claim, although clear on its face, may also be indefinite when a conflict or inconsistency between the claimed subject matter and the specification disclosure renders the scope of the claim uncertain as inconsistency with the specification disclosure or prior art teachings may make an otherwise definite claim take on an unreasonable degree of uncertainty.”

This means that even if a claim appears clear, it can be rejected as indefinite if there’s a discrepancy between the claim language and the specification. This ensures that the claims accurately reflect the invention described in the specification, maintaining the integrity of the patent application.