Specification

A document filed as part of a patent application which describes an invention for which patent protection is sought.  It consists of four main parts, the description, the claims, the drawings, and an abstract.  The claims define the scope of protection for which a patent is sought.  The description, with the assistance of the drawings, explains to a skilled person how the invention can be performed.  It is a core requirement of a patent application that the specification must sufficiently describe the invention to enable it to be reproduced by a skilled person.  Failure to meet this requirement can result in a patent application being refused (or a granted patent being revoked when challenged).  This specification will usually be published by the patent office.