“Patent profanity” refers to the use of certain words that arguably limit the scope of a claim or alter the meaning because they use absolute phrasing or terms. Often these words are found in the specification section of a patent as well as in the prosecution history. The downloadable tables are meant as a guideline for avoiding the use of certain patent profanity terms when drafting patent applications. Some of the terms are okay to use with a specific intent and with specific implications, but are best to avoid if you do not know how to use them in that manner. For more context, please see our full write-up on the use of patent profanity.
