What application-related items cannot be daisy chained?

Multiple dependent claims are a specific type of claim in patent applications that reference more than one prior claim. These claims can invoke the benefits of earlier claims, but they must adhere to certain regulations. Under the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rules, a multiple dependent claim cannot refer back to more than one claim at the same time in a manner that creates confusion or ambiguity.

The prohibition against daisy chaining arises because each claim must fully and distinctly specify its relationship to other claims, ensuring clarity in interpretation. If multiple dependent claims were allowed to reference each other in a "daisy chain" fashion, it would create a complex web of dependencies that can be difficult to comprehend, making it harder to ascertain the scope of protection provided by those claims.

For the other options: Background material references and patent citations from foreign patents are generally used to provide context or prior art information and can be cited multiple times without creating ambiguity. New invention disclosures represent the ideas or concepts being patented, which can also be separate and independently disclosed. Thus, they do not have the same restrictive requirements as multiple dependent claims, allowing for more straightforward presentation and interpretation.