35 U.S.C. 101 — Inventions patentable
Ninth Edition, Revision 01.2024
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
(Public Law 112-29, sec. 33, 125 Stat. 284 (Sept. 16, 2011) provided a limitation on the issuance of patents (see AIA § 33 ).)
Cited authority
Cited by
- 1451 Divisional Reissue Applications; Continuation Reissue Applications Where the Parent is Pending
- 1502.01 Distinction Between Design and Utility Patents
- 1504.06 Double Patenting
- 1601 Introduction: The Act, Scope, Type of Plants Covered
- 1605 Specification and Claim
- 1608 Examination
- 1893.03(d) Unity of Invention
- 1901.02 Information Which Can Be Relied on in Protest
- 201 Types of Applications
- 201.06(c) 37 CFR 1.53(b) and 37 CFR 1.63(d) Divisional-Continuation Procedure
- 2103 Patent Examination Process
- 2104 Requirements of 35 U.S.C. 101
- 2105 Patent Eligible Subject Matter — Living Subject Matter
- 2106 Patent Subject Matter Eligibility
- 2106.03 Eligibility Step 1: The Four Categories of Statutory Subject Matter
- 2106.04 Eligibility Step 2A: Whether a Claim is Directed to a Judicial Exception
- 2106.04(a) Abstract Ideas
- 2106.04(a)(3) Tentative Abstract Ideas
- 2106.04(b) Laws of Nature, Natural Phenomena & Products of Nature
- 2106.05 Eligibility Step 2B: Whether a Claim Amounts to Significantly More
- 2106.05(a) Improvements to the Functioning of a Computer or To Any Other Technology or Technical Field
- 2106.05(b) Particular Machine
- 2106.05(f) Mere Instructions To Apply An Exception
- 2106.07 Formulating and Supporting Rejections For Lack Of Subject Matter Eligibility
- 2106.07(a) Formulating a Rejection For Lack of Subject Matter Eligibility
- 2106.07(a)(1) Form Paragraphs for use in Lack of Subject Matter Eligibility Rejections
- 2107 Guidelines for Examination of Applications for Compliance with the Utility Requirement
- 2107.01 General Principles Governing Utility Rejections
- 2107.02 Procedural Considerations Related to Rejections for Lack of Utility
- 2107.03 Special Considerations for Asserted Therapeutic or Pharmacological Utilities
- 2109 Inventorship
- 2111 Claim Interpretation; Broadest Reasonable Interpretation
- 2111.05 Functional and Nonfunctional Descriptive Material
- 2117 Markush Claims
- 2124.01 Tax Strategies Deemed Within the Prior Art
- 2133.03(e)(6) Permitted Experimental Activity and Testing
- 2137 Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(f)
- 2138 Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g)
- 2138.01 Interference Practice
- 2139.03 Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
- 2151 Overview of the Changes to 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 in the AIA
- 2152.07 Form Paragraphs for Use in Rejections Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
- 2154.02(c) Prior Art Exception Under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) (Common Ownership or Obligation of Assignment)
- 2157 Improper Naming of Inventors
- 2161.01 Computer Programming, Computer Implemented Inventions, and 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
- 2163 Guidelines for the Examination of Patent Applications Under the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, “Written Description” Requirement
- 2164.04 Burden on the Examiner Under the Enablement Requirement
- 2164.07 Relationship of Enablement Requirement to Utility Requirement of 35 U.S.C. 101
- 2166 Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First Paragraph
- 2173.05(k) Aggregation
- 2173.05(q) “Use” Claims
- 2185 Related Issues Under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or (b) and Pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, First or Second Paragraphs
- 2201 Introduction
- 2217 Statement Applying Prior Art in a Request Filed under 35 U.S.C. 302
- 2258 Scope of Ex Parte Reexamination
- 2402 The Deposit Rules
- 2403 Deposit of Biological Material
- 2403.02 Plant Material
- 2802 Supplemental Examination
- 2809 Items of Information
- 2811 Content of Request for Supplemental Examination
- 2811.01 Detailed Explanation of the Relevance and Manner of Applying Each Item of Information
- 2816.02 Criteria for Making the Determination
- 2816.03 Content of the Determination
- 608.01(p) Completeness of Specification
- 701 Statutory Authority for Examination
- 704.11(a) Examples of Information Reasonably Required
- 706 Rejection of Claims
- 706.03(a) [Reserved]
- 706.06 Rejection of Claims Copied From Patent
- 707.07(l) Comment on Examples
- 716 Affidavits or Declarations Under 37 CFR 1.132 and Other Evidence Traversing Rejections
- 716.08 Utility and Operability of Applicant’s Disclosure
- 803 Restriction — When Proper
- 803.02 Election of Species Requirements – Markush Claims
- 804 Definition of Double Patenting
- 804.01 Prohibition of Nonstatutory Double Patenting Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. 121
- 804.02 Avoiding a Double Patenting Rejection
- 804.03 Commonly Owned Inventions of Different Inventive Entities; Non-Commonly Owned Inventions Subject to a Joint Research Agreement
- 806.05(f) Process of Making and Product Made
- 806.05(h) Product and Process of Using
- 808.02 Establishing Burden
- 809.02(a) Election of Species Required
- 817 Outline of Letter for Restriction Requirement
- 821.04 Rejoinder
- 821.04(b) Rejoinder of Process Requiring an Allowable Product
- 37 CFR 1.801 Biological material