What is a Jepson claim primarily used for?

A Jepson claim is primarily designed for claiming new inventions that are improvements or modifications based on existing subject matter. Its structure allows an applicant to acknowledge prior art while clearly distinguishing the novel aspects of their own invention. By specifically stating what is already known and then delineating the differences, a Jepson claim effectively highlights the inventive step or enhancement over the existing technology.

This approach is particularly useful in fields where incremental improvements are common, as it enables a clearer understanding of how the new invention builds upon and differs from previous inventions. This format also helps in addressing potential rejections based on prior art, as it explicitly lays out the distinctions, aligning with the USPTO's requirement for clarity and specificity in claims.

In contrast, other options either relate to more general claims or fail to encapsulate the specific intent of a Jepson claim. For instance, simply listing all features of a new compound does not focus on improvements over previous inventions. Similarly, describing a novel approach to a patented process or outlining alternative uses of known inventions does not utilize the unique structure or intention of a Jepson claim, which specifically identifies improvements in relation to existing subject matter.