<div dir="ltr"><div>The examiner is wrong. I often use either no article or multiple "a" when i've got a computer network invention, and there are multiple tasks. I do not want my claim to say that all steps must necessarily be performed on one and the same computer. I use these quotes from the MPEP regularly, and here's form language I use regularly. The question is whether there's some larger stakes to fight for, or whether the best response is to just roll for it. If it's the only amendment you;d make, then I would resist making the amendment, to make it harder for the next action to be final.</div><div></div><div>
<p class="gmail-double-dentquote" style="margin:12pt 0.5in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><b>2173.</b><b>04<span>
</span>Breadth<span> Is Not Indefiniteness</span></b><b><span style="font-size:13pt"><span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="gmail-double-dentquote" style="margin:3pt 0.5in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">Breadth
of a claim is not to be equated with indefiniteness. <i>In re Miller</i>, 441 F.2d 689, 169 USPQ 597 (CCPA 1971). If the scope
of the subject matter embraced by the claims is clear, and if applicants have
not otherwise indicated that they intend the invention to be of a scope
different from that defined in the claims, then the claims comply with 35
U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph.</p></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>
<p class="gmail-double-dentquoteChar" style="margin:12pt 0.5in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><b><span style="font-size:11pt">2173.02
Clarity and Precision<span></span></span></b></p><p class="gmail-double-dentquoteChar" style="margin:3pt 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt">The examiner\u2019s
focus during examination of claims for compliance with the requirement for
definiteness of 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, is whether the claim meets the
threshold requirements of clarity and precision, not whether more suitable
language or modes of expression are available. \u2026<span> </span>he or she should allow claims which define
the patentable subject matter with a <u>reasonable</u> degree of particularity
and distinctness. <b>Some latitude in the manner of expression and the aptness
of terms should be permitted even though the claim language is not as precise
as the examiner might desire. Examiners \u2026 should not reject claims or insist on
their own preferences</b> if other modes of expression selected by applicants
satisfy the statutory requirement.<span></span></span></p><br></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:22pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span> </span>In a case
where pedantic conformance to \u201cantecedent basis\u201d was the only reason to
question definiteness, the Federal Circuit squarely rejected \u201cantecedent basis\u201d
as a controlling principle.<span> </span>The Federal
Circuit made clear that indefiniteness turns on consideration of surrounding
claim language, the specification, and the knowledge of those in the art, to
identify substantive indefiniteness, not rules of form:</p>
<p class="gmail-double-dentquote" style="margin:12pt 0.5in 3pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">When the meaning of the
claim would reasonably be understood by persons of ordinary skill when read in
light of the specification, the claim is not subject to invalidity upon
departure from the protocol of "antecedent basis."<span> </span><i>Energizer Holdings, Inc. v Int\u2019l Trade
Comm\u2019n</i>, 435 F.3d 1366, 1370, 77 USPQ2d 1625, 1628 (Fed. Cir. 2006).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:22pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span> </span>The MPEP
teaches the same.<span> </span>MPEP § 2173.05,
by its terms, applies only to statutory indefiniteness, but gives valuable
advice here.<span> </span>MPEP § 2173.05(e)
instructs that mere lack of antecedent basis \u201cdoes not always render a claim
indefinite.\u201d<span> </span>Rather, an Action <b><i>must
in addition</i></b> show \u201cit would be unclear as to what element the limitation
was making reference.\u201d<span> </span>The examples
given in MPEP § 2173.05(e) all require that there be two of something, and
that the claim language be ambiguous as to which of the two is being referred
to, or some similar <i>ambiguity</i>.<span> </span>No
such showing exists in the Action.<span> </span>MPEP
§ 2173.05(e) cautions that no rejection should be raised when \u201cthe scope
of a claim would be reasonably ascertainable by those skilled in the art.\u201d<span> </span><span style="font-family:Times-Roman">MPEP § 2173.02(II)
cautions that \u201cExaminers should note that Office policy is not to employ </span><i><span style="font-family:Times-Italic">per se </span></i><span style="font-family:Times-Roman">rules to make technical rejections.\u201d <i>See also </i></span>
<i><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">Evolusion Concepts, Inc. v. HOC Events, Inc.</span></i><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">, 22 F.4th 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2022) (departure from strict "antecedent basis" is not indefinite).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:22pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span> </span>The Action
makes no showing that the scope of any of the objected-to claims is anything
other than \u201creasonably ascertainable.\u201d<span>
</span>Without that explanation, it\u2019s impossible to know whether there\u2019s a real
problem, let alone what the appropriate cure would be.</p>
<br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Sep 26, 2025 at 10:38\u202fAM George Jakobsche via Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg-1333995756631440377">
<div lang="EN-US" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="m_-1333995756631440377WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">An examiner objected to a claim like the following (emphasis added):<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">A doohickie comprising:
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> <u>XYZ apparatus</u> that defines a volume and comprises:
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> a port in fluid communication with the volume;
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> ... ; and<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> a ABC disposed directly below the XYZ apparatus ...<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The examiner asserts \u201cXYZ apparatus\u201d requires a leading indefinite article, i.e., \u201ca\u201d. This seems like a relatively minor point, but it seems to me that \u201capparatus\u201d here refers collectively
to its components (as recited after its \u201ccomprising\u201d). If so, \u201capparatus\u201d is <i>
uncountable</i> and, therefore, does not take an indefinite article before it, as discussed
<a href="https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/grammar/articles.html" target="_blank">here</a> and
<a href="https://usingaborrowedlanguage.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/apparatus/" target="_blank">here</a>.
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Are there any grammarians on this list who can opine on necessity of an indefinite article before \u201capparatus\u201d in the subject claim?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Situations like this make me wish I still had access to my nineth grade English teacher (Mrs. Pollard), who I sorely underappreciated at the time.
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Best regards,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div style="border-width:medium medium 1.5pt;border-style:none none solid;border-color:currentcolor currentcolor windowtext;padding:0in 0in 1pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">George<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">George Jakobsche Patent Counsel PLLC<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">39 Old Farm Road, Concord, MA 01742-5234<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:George@JakobscheLaw.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">George@JakobscheLaw.com</span></a> | +1-978-245-8100<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">This e-mail is from George Jakobsche Patent Counsel PLLC, a law firm, and it may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended
recipient, do not read, copy, or distribute this message or any attachment(s). Instead, please notify the sender and delete the message and the attachment(s). Thank you.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
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