Broadest Reasonable Interpretation (BRI), as applied during USPTO examination, is often described as a “broad” claim construction standard. That description is accurate as far as it goes, but it is incomplete in a way that routinely drives avoidable disputes in prosecution. The controlling point is the one many applicants quote back to the Office: “The broadest reasonable interpretation does not mean the broadest possible interpretation.” MPEP § 2111. The difference between “reasonable” and “possible” is where the Person Of Ordinary Skill in Art (POSITA …
