A typical U.S. patent specification is about 20-30 pages in length. Everything in that specification exists to support the patent claims, the numbered paragraphs at the end of a granted patent. Those claims define the scope of the invention what is excluded from the public domain in favor of the patent holder. For new attorneys and agents, finding the correct terminology for both the components, and their relationship can be challenging. The glossary of claim terms that follows helps identify the lexicon for various engineering disciplines.
Mechanical Claims
For mechanic and process claims, it is important to do more that list out the components (unless it is a composition claim). Describe the relationship between the components. For example, a pencil might have both an elongate wooden housing and a corresponding elongate graphite member. However, an experienced patent attorney will describe the relationship with greater precision:
a substantially rigid elongate member permanently encasing a pigment core extending through the longitudinal axis of said member, the member carvable to expose the pigment core whereby the exposed core creates visible marks upon a surface medium by physical abrasion.
Computer Software Claims
For computer software, the 2014 Supreme Court decision in Alice v. CLS Bank sought to prevent broad, abstract claims of a common process enabled on a general purpose computer from preempting future innovation. To that extent, computer software patent claims should focus on how (1) the innovation changes the operation of the computer or peripherals; and (2) integrate into a defined, practical solution. For more detailed information on this, see our post of USPTO Guidance on the subject.
Computer terminology to avoid (without more): receiving; detecting; analyzing; outputting; reporting; gathering; transmitting.
Computer terminology to use: partition; synthesize; combine; cluster; convert; extract; produce; block.
Table of Contents
Mechanical Components
- Structural Elements
- Primary: arm, beam, column, rod, shaft
- Supportive: base, bracket, frame, truss, upright
- Movement-related: axle, hinge, joint, pivot, slider
- Operational Mechanisms
- Transmission: belt, gear, pulley, screw, wheel
- Actuation: cam, crank, lever, piston, valve
- Control: clutch, brake, damper, lock, switch
Interaction Methods
- Mounting & Fixation
- Temporary: clamp, hook, magnet, suction
- Permanent: bolt, nail, rivet, screw, weld
- Coupling Systems
- Linear: dowel, key, pin, spline, tongue
- Rotational: collar, flange, hub, sprocket, coupling
Material Forms & Properties
- Structures
- Open: grid, mesh, net, rack, scaffold
- Enclosed: capsule, casing, chamber, shell, vessel
- Material Characteristics
- Mechanical: ductile, hard, soft, tough, wear-resistant
- Thermal: insulative, refractive, thermal-resistant, transparent, translucent
Functional Groups
- Fluid Dynamics
- Channels: conduit, duct, pipe, tube, tunnel
- Devices: pump, reservoir, seal, siphon, valve
- Motion Facilitation
- Guiding: rail, track, trajectory, groove, path
- Restricting: barrier, brake, catch, lock, stop
Geometric and Spatial Relationships
- Positional Descriptions
- Relative Location: adjacent, opposite, surrounding, below, above
- Alignment: axial, concentric, parallel, perpendicular, tangential
- Form Factors
- Shapes: arcuate, conical, cubic, spherical, tubular
- Profiles: annular, corrugated, flat, helical, tapered
Operative Effects and Actions
- Dynamic Actions
- Movement Types: oscillating, rotating, sliding, tilting, turning
- Force Actions: compressing, expanding, pulling, pushing, twisting
- Resultant Motions
- Linear: back-and-forth, side-to-side, up-and-down
- Rotary: clockwise, counter-clockwise
Specialized Applications
- Optical Functions
- Light Manipulation: lens, mirror, prism, reflector, window
- Emission & Reception: bulb, laser, photodetector, solar cell
- Electrical & Electronic Components
- Conductive: cable, fuse, resistor, wire, transformer
- Control: capacitor, inductor, transistor, diode, sensor
Computer and Software Components
Hardware Elements
- Data Processing Units: central processing units, graphics processing units, application-specific integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays, digital signal processors
- Storage Solutions: hard disk drives, solid-state drives, memory cards, volatile memory, non-volatile memory
- Peripheral Devices: input devices, output devices, combined input-output devices, display screens, scanning devices
Network and Communication
- Transmission Media: wired connections, fiber optics, wireless adapters, satellite communications, digital modems
- Network Devices: networking routers, network switches, network gateways, network bridges, signal repeaters
- Data Interfaces: serial buses, video interfaces, high-speed data transfer interfaces, short-range wireless communication, near-field communication
Software and Algorithms
- Operating Systems: desktop operating systems, mobile operating systems, network operating systems, embedded systems
- Application Software: text editors, spreadsheet software, database management systems, web browsers, communication software
- Utilities and Tools: security software, monitoring tools, file management tools, data backup software, data compression tools
Digital Structures
- Data Structures: linear data structures, hierarchical data structures, associative data structures, complex data structures
- Software Design Patterns: creation patterns, structural patterns, behavioral patterns, concurrency patterns
Interactive Elements
- User Interface Components: interactive controls, adjustable controls, selection controls, informational dialogs, navigation menus
- Graphical Elements: graphical icons, interface widgets, toolbars, visual dashboards, animated graphics
Security and Encryption
- Protective Measures: cryptographic methods, network firewalls, authentication systems, data tokenization, verification challenges
- Security Protocols: secure web protocols, secure socket layers, secure shell protocols, secure network protocols, wireless security protocols
Programming and Development
- Programming Paradigms: procedural programming, object-oriented programming, functional programming, script-based programming
- Development Tools: programming compilers, software debuggers, integrated development environments, version control systems, software build systems
Computational Processes
- Algorithms: data sorting algorithms, data searching algorithms, optimization algorithms, algorithmic learning methods, data processing algorithms
- System Operations: system initialization, task scheduling, system logging, data caching, parallel processing
Software Architectures
- Frameworks and Libraries: software frameworks, utility libraries, user interface libraries, data handling libraries
- Architectural Styles: model-view-controller, service-oriented architecture, event-driven architecture, layered architecture, client-server architecture