Generally, a patentee who amends a patent and narrows a claim gives up protection only for those things that were foreseeable by those skilled in the art covered by the patent.

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When a patentee narrows a claim through an amendment, they are giving up protection only for the subject matter that was foreseeable by those skilled in the art covered by the patent. This is known as the doctrine of equivalents, and it allows the patentee to maintain protection over their invention while also making adjustments to the scope of the claim.

Generally, a Patentee Who Amends a Patent and Narrows a Claim