restriction

if two or more independent and distinct inventions are claimed in a single application, the examiner may require the applicant to elect (designate) a single invention to which the claims will be restricted (limited to). This requirement is known as a requirement for restriction (also known as a requirement for division). Such requirement will normally be made before any action on the merits; however, it may be made at any time before final action (final rejection). (-- see 37 CFR § 1.141 and § 1.142)

A requirement by an Examiner that an applicant choose which of multiple claimed, distinct inventions disclosed in a patent application that he/she wishes to be examined. MPEP 802, MPEP 802.02, MPEP 803.

In OWL, properties are used to create restrictions. As the name may suggest, restrictions are used to restrict the individuals that belong to a class. Restrictions in OWL fall into three main categories:

• Quantifier Restrictions
• Cardinality Restrictions
• hasValue Restrictions

A restriction actually describes an anonymous class (an unnamed class).