What is required for a reissue application that includes broadening claims?

For a reissue application that includes broadening claims, it is necessary for the application to be filed within two years of the original issuance of the patent. This timeframe is stipulated by the patent laws to ensure that the applicant does not delay the process of correcting or broadening a patent unnecessarily. If the reissue application is filed after this two-year window, it may not be accepted for broadening claims.

The requirement serves to balance the rights of the patent owner with the need for public certainty about the scope of patent protections. By imposing a two-year limit, the patent system encourages timely clarification and, if needed, broadening of the claims to address issues that may have arisen during or after the patent issuance.

Other options, while they may pertain to aspects of reissue applications or patent claims, do not accurately reflect the critical requirement tied specifically to the timing of filing a reissue application for broadening claims.