DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to remarks filed by Applicant on 4/27/2026. Applicant provides no amendments to the claims.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant presents arguments with respect to pending claims 1–8 and 15–20. All arguments have been fully considered.
Applicant asserts that the previous Office Action states that “Fu does not teach or suggest performing any operations with key shares, but rather only “reconstructed” entire keys.” The Examiner responds: The Examiner is unaware of any such statement or position.
Applicant asserts that the previously-cited reference, Fu, does not apply because “[i]n the invention, a private key is never constructed as all, much less “reconstructed” … key shares always remain separate, and operations are performed using shares, never an entire “reconstructed” key.” The Examiner responds: Applicant’s assertions about the elements and functioning of the invention are not borne out by the claim language. The requirement that the key shares always remain separate and reconstruction of a key never takes place, is a limitation that is found nowhere in the claim.
Applicant further asserts that the reference fails to teach, “providing the result of the operation performed with the network private key share to the network”. The Examiner responds: Applicant’s claim broadly defines “an operation” and “providing the result of the operation performed with the network private key share to the network”. The Examiner is required to take the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language. The claimed “operation” can be almost any function of the computing system, as long as it is “performed … with the network private key share”. With respect to the cited reference, the embodiment of the claimed operation (particularly since there is minimal qualifying conditions, parameters or other information connected with the term to assist in interpretation) could be reasonably understood as the “reconstruction” operation, which is subsequently provided to the network. This is asserted and spelled out in detail in the previous Office Action in the mapping of the reference to the claim.
Applicant has ample freedom to choose the language used to articulate the invention. If Applicant intends for the broadly-claimed “share of a network private key” to be generated in a specific way or to have a specific characteristic, or the broadly-claimed “performing an operation … wherein the operation produces a result” to amount to a specific function or result, Applicant best articulate that. As the language stands, Applicant’s claim language is anticipated by the Fu reference such that each and every limitation reads on the teachings of the prior art. Any additional distinctions or requirements that distinguish the invention from the cited prior art need to exist in the claims.
Applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1–2, 4, 6–8, 15–16, 18, 20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fu (US 10,305,873 B2, issued May 28, 2019).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Fu discloses: a method for decentralized cryptography and encryption comprising: accessing a network of decentralized nodes (interconnected network of key management devices. Fu 5:35–63.); a first node receiving a request from the network to generate a share of a network private key (QSKS device receives a request for acquiring an authorized private key from a QSKD device of a requester, which forwards the request to a predetermined number of QSKD devices (second QSKD devices). Fu Figure 5, elements 201–202 and 12:34–42.); the first node generating a share of a network private key in response to the request, wherein a second node on the network generates a second share of the network private key (in response to the received request, the predetermined number of second QSKD devices generate a plurality of authorized sub-private keys based on the identifier information of the requester and from a plurality of system sub-private keys. Fu Figure 5, element 203 and 12:43–46.); wherein the first share and the second share are on separate nodes (the plurality of second QSKD devices are different devices and directly connected with each other or connected with each other through a routing device having a key relaying function. Fu Figure 4, element 122 and 6:23–25, 9:34–42.); the first node receiving a request from the network to use the network private key share (QSKD device of a requester forwards the request to QSKD devices (second QSKD devices). Fu Figure 5, elements 201–202 and 12:34–42.); performing an operation with the network private key share, wherein the operation produces a result (the first QSKD device reconstructs an identity-based authorized private key by using the threshold secret sharing mechanism in accordance with the acquired authorized sub-private keys. Fu Figure 5, element 205 and 13:4–7.); and, providing the result of the operation performed with the network private key share to the network (using a reconstruction algorithm of the threshold secret sharing mechanism based on Lagrange interpolation, generates an identity-based signature certificate in accordance with the identity-based authorized private key. Fu 13:8–13.).
Regarding claims 2 and 16, Fu discloses the limitations of claims 1 and 15, respectively, further comprising: receiving a request from a user of the network to generate a signature share of the network private key share (QSKS device receives a request for acquiring an authorized private key from a QSKD device of a requester, which forwards the request to a predetermined number of QSKD devices (second QSKD devices). Fu Figure 5, elements 201–202 and 12:34–42.); generating a signature share of the network private key share; and, providing the signature share to the user over the network (using a reconstruction algorithm of the threshold secret sharing mechanism based on Lagrange interpolation, generates an identity-based signature certificate in accordance with the identity-based authorized private key. Fu 13:8–13.).
Regarding claims 4 and 18, Fu discloses the limitations of claims 1 and 15, respectively, further comprising: receiving a request from a user of the network to generate a decryption share of the network private key share (QSKS device receives a request for acquiring an authorized private key from a QSKD device of a requester, which forwards the request to a predetermined number of QSKD devices (second QSKD devices). Fu Figure 5, elements 201–202 and 12:34–42.); and, generating a decryption share of the network private key share; and, providing the decryption share to the user over the network (the requestor owned first QSKD device acquires the authorized sub-private keys from the nodes. Fu Figure 5, element 205 and 13:4–7.).
Regarding claims 6 and 20, Fu discloses the limitations of claims 1 and 15, respectively, wherein the request comprises executable code and further comprising executing the code to define the use of the network private key share (QSKS device receives a request for acquiring an authorized private key from a QSKD device of a requester, which forwards the request to a predetermined number of QSKD devices (second QSKD devices). Fu Figure 5, elements 201–202 and 12:34–42.).
Regarding claim 7, Fu discloses the limitations of claim 6, wherein the use of the network private key share comprises generating a signature share of the network private key share (using a reconstruction algorithm of the threshold secret sharing mechanism based on Lagrange interpolation, generates an identity-based signature certificate in accordance with the identity-based authorized private key. Fu 13:8–13.).
Regarding claim 8, Fu discloses the limitations of claim 6, wherein the use of the network private key share comprises generating a decryption share of the network private key share (using a reconstruction algorithm of the threshold secret sharing mechanism based on Lagrange interpolation, generates an identity-based signature certificate in accordance with the identity-based authorized private key. Fu 13:8–13.).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 3, 5, 17, 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu in view of Zappier (US 2018/0204213 A1, published Jul. 19, 2018).
Regarding claims 3, 5, 17 and 19, Fu discloses the limitations of claims 2 and 16, respectively. Fu does not disclose: further comprising: receiving with the request access control conditions for the network private key; verifying the access control conditions are met before generating the signature share.
However, Zappier does disclose: further comprising: receiving with the request access control conditions for the network private key; verifying the access control conditions are met before generating the signature share (nodes are configured to require authentication to access any portion of the blockchain. Zappier ¶ 40.).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the generation of isolated sub-private keys by network nodes for a providing a requested threshold encryption key of Fu with requiring access control conditions for receiving a private network key based upon the teachings of Zappier. The motivation being to restrict access to the cryptographic security mechanics of the blockchain to protect the system. Zappier ¶ 40.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VANCE LITTLE whose telephone number is (571) 270-0408. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jung (Jay) Kim can be reached at (571) 272-3804. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VANCE M LITTLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2494
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