What must be true about the claims in a U.S. application for it to be eligible for PPH?

For an application to be eligible for the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), the claims must be similar to or have a narrower scope than the corresponding allowed claims from a related application. This requirement is in place because the PPH is designed to expedite the examination process by utilizing the work that has already been completed by another patent office.

When claims are similar or narrower, it indicates that the examination has already determined the novelty and non-obviousness of the claims, easing the burden on the second office to examine the same issues. This alignment with previously allowed claims ensures that the new application is not introducing broader or fundamentally different subject matter that would necessitate a thorough new examination. Hence, having claims that fall within a similar or narrower scope promotes consistency and efficiency in the examination of related patent applications.

The other options do not align with the established guidelines of the PPH, which specifically calls for similarity or narrower scope relative to previously allowed claims.