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Topic: Ricky (Read 1563 times) |
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Isaac
Senior Member
Posts: 3472
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Re: Ricky
« Reply #5 on: May 22nd, 2007, 12:52pm » |
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on May 22nd, 2007, 10:33am, patentboymanusa wrote:"means for" should not be used, however, I am sure you can change that language to "the ability to" for the method and cover what you would like.
Example:
The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes means for communicating on a network.
"The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes the ability to communicate on a network. |
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Means for is used to attempt to specify a device using functional means. The first claim does that while leaving the problem of establishing what types of things meet the limitation.
But specifying an "ability" to perform a function often does not specify a limitation at all. A structure might have an "ability" to perform a function just by not acting counter to that function. A twisted pair of wires routed from A to B has the ability to carry communications between A and B regardless of whether any communications devices are connected.
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Isaac
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TataBoxInhibitor
Full Member
Posts: 456
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Re: Ricky
« Reply #6 on: May 22nd, 2007, 1:42pm » |
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Sometimes, if you are going from apparatus to method and you have "means for" included in the appratus claim, you can simply take out the "means for" and use the gerund for the method. However, I am not sure this answers your question.
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JimIvey
Moderator
Senior Member
 
Posts: 2584
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Re: Ricky
« Reply #7 on: May 22nd, 2007, 6:36pm » |
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on May 22nd, 2007, 10:33am, patentboymanusa wrote:"The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes the ability to communicate on a network.
Are there any problems with this? |
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Maybe. The network includes the ability to communicate on [another?] network? Are you referring to an uplink or gateway where a network becomes, in effect, a node of another network?
What I think you're trying to say is:
The method of Claim 1 wherein the network facilitates communication between two or more computers operatively coupled to the network.
That's closer to what I'd say to indicate that the network has the ability to carry out communication between attached computers which is what I thought you were getting at.
Regards.
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James D. Ivey
Law Offices of James D. Ivey
http://www.iveylaw.com
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