| There are many different types of claims of a | | | | most likely to pass muster with the USPTO. |
| patent application. Some patent claims are about | | | | There are also independent claims and dependent |
| the type of invention. There are apparatus | | | | claims. You can think of independent claims and |
| claims, method or process claims, claims to | | | | the dependent claims as being one really long, and |
| designs, chemical composition, etc. | | | | grammatically incorrect sentence, which your high |
| There are also claims which are related to the | | | | school English teacher would be quick to fail in a |
| scope of a patent. Generally speaking, broad | | | | book report. In other words, you can pretend |
| patent claims are more valuable and marketable | | | | that there is no period between the independent |
| than narrow claims. Broad patent claims are | | | | claim and the dependent claim because the |
| similar to a fishing net. The bigger the net, the | | | | dependent claim is conflated in scope with the |
| more fish on your plate. In patent terms, a | | | | independent claim. |
| broad claim will give you a larger monopoly and | | | | It should be noted that if the independent claim is |
| potentially more opportunities for licensing. | | | | infringed, you do not need to worry about the |
| Narrow claims are claims with less scope. These | | | | dependent claims. However, if there is no |
| claims are more difficult to infringe, and are | | | | infringement on the independent claim, but there is |
| typically less valuable. The narrowest claims are | | | | infringement on the dependent claim, there is still |
| called “picture claims” which typically list | | | | infringement. |
| many different components and are usually the | | | | |