Patent Description Requirements: Everything You Need to Know
Patent description requirements are the aspects of the patent application that are required for a valid application.3 min read
Patent description requirements are the aspects of the patent application that are required for a valid application. The patent description is meant to show a person with ability in the same field of study how to make or use the invention.
What Are the Patent Description Requirements?
The requirements for a patent description are in three main parts:
- Enablement requirement.
- Best mode requirement.
- Written description requirement.
The enablement requirement says that the inventor has to describe their invention in such a way that others with skill in the same field of study are enabled to make or use the invention. The best mode requirement says that the information disclosed must provide the instructions for carrying out the creation or use of the invention in the best way the inventor knows.
Finally, the written description requirement is the place where these other requirements are carried out. The inventor provides a thorough description of the patented invention in the patent application. This application is published publicly so that others can learn from the patent.
The aspects of the written description required for a patent application submitted to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are:
- Invention title.
- Cross-reference information.
- Statements of federal sponsorship for the research of the invention.
- Background of the invention.
- Invention summary.
- Description of drawings.
- Description of the invention.
- Sequence listing.
- Abstract.
Title, Cross-References, Federal Sponsorship
The invention's title should clearly represent the invention in a short phrase. If there are any other patent applications that relate to this patent, you'll need to cross-reference those patents. If the inventor is claiming priority to any other provisional patent applications, reference those applications. Patent applications that continue a parent application, should also reference the parent application.
Patented inventions that had any federal sponsorship should state the nature of the sponsorship and any grant money from the government used to research the invention.
Background and Summary
Providing the background of the patent is especially important when the current patent application's intention is to become an improvement on a previous application. The summary of the invention will discuss it, in general, to give readers a basic idea of what it is. This summary will usually note any benefits of the invention and problems it might solve in its industry. Readers should understand the purpose of the patent at this point.
Descriptions of the Drawings and Invention
Include drawings in the patent application if they are necessary for the manufacturing or use of the invention. Pair any drawings included with helpful descriptions. The invention's description should make up the bulk of the patent application.
The invention's description section should give a complete explanation of the invention and how to manufacture it or put it to use properly. This section will have two main parts, the general explanation and the examples for practice.