A limited-validity passport is a passport that is issued for less than the full validity period (10 years for adult passports 16 and older and 5 years for minor passports for applicants 15 and under). The process to apply for a full-validity passport depends on the reason the limited-validity passport was issued.
If your passport was issued while you were in the U.S., then you may be able to replace your passport using the DS-5504 application form. If your passport was issued more than two years ago, you will likely need to follow the DS-11 application form process.