An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof
我遇到的實務狀況是，不見得所有的元件都可寫為這種step for或是means for的形式，在台灣專利法施行細則第18條最後一項中有段話：
複數技術特徵組合之發明，其申請專利範圍之技術特徵，得以手段功能用語或步驟功能用語表示。於解釋申請專利範圍時，應包含發明說明中所敘述對應於該功能之結構、材料或動作及其均等範圍。
這段話就像是美國專利法112的翻譯
台灣專利審查基準有更補述：
申請專利範圍中物之技術特徵以手段功能用語，或方法之技術特徵以步驟功能用語表示時，其必須為複數技術特徵組合之發明。於解釋申請專利範圍時，應包含發明說明中所敘述對應於該功能之結構、材料或動作及其均等範圍，而其均等範圍應以該發明所屬技術領域中具有通常知識者不會產生疑義之範圍為限。
至少以上這段話是算"規定"，"必須"如此！
通常這樣的寫法是在一個"組合"的發明，或說該元件/步驟是組合一些元件或是步驟的組合技術
舉例來說，一個影像解析度調整的步驟，就可能是由好幾個步驟共同完成，但此又可能只是個習知技術，並非特定發明的主要特徵，應就可以"step for adjusting an image's resolution"統包這個步驟，並非一定要寫解取影像、分析、影像運算等處理步驟！
另舉例，一個濾波手段，其實是指一個濾波器，但是或許濾波的方式有許多種，專利說明書內容最好能夠列舉幾種，免得被認為不符合複數個技術特徵組合的規定
一個緩衝手段，如果僅是指一個彈簧，就不見得適合寫成緩衝手段，如果說明書又能夠列舉可能是彈簧、海綿、塑膠塊、具有空腔結構的容器等具有緩衝效果的物體，就非常適合寫成緩衝手段！
再如美國專利第4177511號中的Claim 1：
1. An apparatus for establishing communication paths between a plurality of peripheral devices and a serial-bit data processor, said processor including means for providing external interface control signals and serial peripheral designation information, each of said plurality of peripheral devices being enabled for communications with said processor responsive to said external interface control signals, comprising:
- means for transforming said serial designation information from said processor to parallel information;
- means connected to said transforming means for decoding said transformed designation information;
- means connected to said plurality of peripheral devices and to said means for providing said external interface control signals and responsive to said decoding means for selectively gating said control signals to said plurality of peripheral devices in accordance with said decoded designation information, said means for selectively gating including;
- a first matrix connected between said means for providing external interface signals and said plurality of peripheral devices and responsive to said decoding means for providing a given one of said external interface control signals to said one of said plurality of peripheral devices specified by said decoded designation information,
- a second matrix connected between said means for providing external interface signals and said plurality of peripheral devices and responsive to said decoding means for providing a second given one of said external interface control signals to said one of said plurality of peripheral devices specified by said decoded designation information, and
- a third matrix connected between said means for providing external interface signals and said plurality of peripheral devices and responsive to said decoding means for providing a third given one of said external interface control signals to said one of said plurality of peripheral devices specified by said decoded designation information, said communications path being enabled only when said one of said plurality of peripheral devices specified by said decoded designation information has received said given one, said second given one and said third given one of said external interface control signals; and
- means responsive to said selectively gated control signals for enabling a communications path between said processor and one of said plurality of peripheral devices specified by said decoded designation information.
細節中又把其中之一means界定出有其他的元件！
其中means for transforming ...在說明書中的內容是：
The address may be transformed to parallel-bit information and then decoded to instruct a plurality of pulse selection matrices in the distribution of operation timing pulses to the specified peripheral device.
Ron
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