Which is a requirement for filing a utility application?

The requirement that claims should build upon prior claims without exclusions aligns with established patent application standards. In a utility application, particularly when dealing with dependent claims, each dependent claim must reference a preceding independent claim and clarify or specify additional features of that claim. This structure emphasizes the relevance of each claim to its foundation, and it is essential for establishing a proper claim chain.

This requirement ensures that the relationships between claims are clear and that each claim progresses logically from prior claims, which ultimately facilitates comprehensive examination and understanding of the invention as a whole. Such a framework is instrumental in evaluating the novelty and non-obviousness of claimed inventions, which are central tenets of patentability.

In contrast, the other options present guidelines or prohibitions that do not accurately reflect the requirements for filing a utility application. For example, all claims do not need to be granted within a single application; instead, the application can be amended. Similarly, distinct inventions cannot be combined into a single application unless they meet certain criteria, and while multiple dependent claims are indeed more complex, they are not outright prohibited. Therefore, the construction of claims to build logically on prior claims without exclusions is a fundamental aspect of filing a utility application.