DETAILED ACTION
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 Amendment
The amendment filed on February 10, 2026 has been entered. Applicant has amended claims 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10. Claims 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10 are now pending have been examined and currently stand rejected.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 10, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites, in part, “the plurality of blockchain nodes includes at least one physical blockchain node, and at least one virtual blockchain node within at least one physical blockchain node, wherein the at least one physical blockchain node is configured to create and manage the at least one virtual blockchain node…”. However, Applicant disclosure does not describe a physical blockchain node configured to create and manage a virtual blockchain node e.g., Spec, p, 10. disclose “each of the plurality of blockchain nodes 100 may be configured as a physically independent system or may be configured as a virtual node” and further stated that: “one physically existing server may be divided into two and then virtualized and then configured and two blockchain nodes.” (Spec., p.10). Additionally, Specification disclose “creating multiple virtual blockchain nodes within one physical blockchain node and permanently managing the multiple virtual blockchain nodes”. However the disclosure does not recite a node creating a virtual node.
Furthermore, claim 1 recites, in part, “the plurality of blockchain nodes each comprising comprises a user interface, a database interface, a network interface, a memory, and a web server configured to provide the user interface to a client application…”. Because the claim requires both physical and virtual node (i.e., a plurality of blockchain nodes, wherein the plurality of blockchain nodes includes at least one physical blockchain node, and at least one virtual blockchain node within at least one physical blockchain node), the claim requires each virtual node comprising these components (i.e., a user interface, a database interface, a network interface, a memory, and a web server). However, Applicant disclosure fails to have a written description of a virtual node including these components.
Claim 7 is substantially similar to claim 1 and represents the method claims. Therefore claim 7 is rejected under the same rationale of claim 1. Claims 3, 5, 8 and 10 are also rejected at least for their dependency to claims 1 and 7.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention recites and is directed to a judicial exception to patentability (i.e., an abstract idea) and does not provide an integration of the recited abstract idea into a practical application nor include an inventive concept that is “significantly more” than the recited abstract idea to which the claim is directed. MPEP §2106.
In determining subject matter eligibility in an Alice rejection under 35 U.S.C. §101, it is first determined as Step 1 whether the claims are directed to one of the four statutory categories of an invention (i.e., a process, a machine, a manufacture, or a composition of matter). MPEP §2106.03.
Here, the claims are directed to the statutory category of a machine (claims 1-6) and a process (claims 7-10). Therefore, we proceed to Step 2A, Prong 1. MPEP §2106.
Under a Step 2A, Prong 1 analysis, it must be determined whether the claims recite an abstract idea that falls within one or more enumerated categories of patent ineligible subject matter that amounts to a judicial exception to patentability. MPEP §2106.04. Independent Claim 1 is selected as being representative of the independent claims in the instant application. Claim 1 recites:
A computer-implemented system for executing blockchain-based public registration of a share for an owner unspecified common asset including Mars or the Moon for which no recognized private ownership exists, the system comprising:
databases including a share/lot number database, a blockchain database, management database; and a plurality of blockchain nodes
a plurality of blockchain nodes, wherein the plurality of blockchain nodes includes at least one physical blockchain node, and at least one virtual blockchain node within at least one physical blockchain node,
wherein the at least one physical blockchain node comprises a processor and a memory storing program code executable by the processor,
wherein the plurality of blockchain nodes each comprises a user interface, a database interface, a network interface, a memory, and a web server configured to provide the user interface to a client application which is a program installed and executed on a customer terminal, and
wherein the at least one physical blockchain node is configured to create and manage the at least one virtual blockchain node, and wherein the at least one virtual blockchain node is configured to:
split the owner unspecified common asset into a plurality of equal sized shares, subdivide each of the plurality of shares into smaller units of shares, or g combination thereof, and store the share in the share/lot number database via the database interface;
generate a lot number by allocating a unique identifier to each of the plurality of split shares, add a personal identifier assigned by an individual who registers the share to a unique identifier according to a request for registration for the share from the customer terminal, or g combination thereof, and store the lot number and the unique identifier in the share/lot number database via the database interface;
compose a first register specifying a share selected from the plurality of equal sized shares and associated lot number stored in the share/lot number database via the database interface, generate a first block comprising the first register, store the first block in the blockchain database, and distribute the first block to the other blockchain nodes, so that the share requested for registration from the customer terminal through the user interface of the web server is registered as an ownership-on-the-blockchain;
provide information on shares, lot numbers, or ownership of each of the shares registered in a blockchain network maintained by the plurality of blockchain nodes to the customer terminal through the user interface of the web server, wherein the information is retrieved by the customer terminal through the user interface of the client application from the share/lot number database via the database interface or the blockchain database via the network interface, in response to a request for the information from the customer terminal through the user interface of the web server;
execute a contract for a share selected from shares that are recorded in the share/lot number database without an associated ownership-on-the-blockchain between the blockchain node and an individual as a next right holder, or for a share selected from the registered shares between a previous right holder and an individual as the next right holder, after predetermined transaction amount for the share is paid to the blockchain node or the previous right holder, by linking cryptocurrency, a bank account, or a credit card of the individual via the web server, wherein the contract is carried out, with the customer terminal agreeing with registration conditions, as a machine-executable agreement recorded through scripts, data structures, program, metadata, or combinations thereof;
execute a composition of a subsequent register specifying the share, the lot number additionally with a personal identifier assigned to the next right holder, and the registration conditions;
execute a request for an endorsement of a registration by transmitting the subsequent register to other blockchain nodes designated to be participating in the endorsement of the registration which examine whether the registration conditions violate a rule of public registration et in advance and stored in the management database and delivering the endorsement result to the blockchain node that requested the endorsement of the registration;
execute confirmation of the registration after receiving the subsequent register endorsed by the other blockchain nodes, which perform the endorsement of the registration according to a registration endorsement policy that is made using a signature of the blockchain node, with a registration endorsing function requiring that the blockchain node receive, from the other blockchain nodes, endorsement signatures generated based on the signature of the blockchain node and
execute the registration of an ownership- on-the-blockchain for the share to the next right holder, by creating a subsequent block with the subsequent register, storing the subsequent block in the blockchain database via the database interface, and distributing the subsequent block to the other blockchain nodes via the network interface,
wherein the ownership-on-the-blockchain representing a publicly registered right is granted, by the other blockchain nodes participating in the blockchain network, to the individual identified as a right holder through registration of the share on the blockchain network.
Here, the claims recite an abstract idea, or combination of abstract ideas, of dividing and organizing ownership and managing transfers of shares in an asset of which ownership does not exist or cannot be specified. This concept/abstract idea, which is identified in the bolded sections seen above, falls within the Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity grouping because it describes a mental process (e.g., assigning identifier to assets). Additionally, the claims describes a commercial or legal interactions (e.g., management of shares). Accordingly, it is determined that the claims recite an abstract idea since they fall within one or more of the three enumerated categories of patent ineligible subject matter. MPEP §2106.04.
Since it is determined that the claim(s) contain a judicial exception, it must then be determined, under Step 2A, Prong 2, whether the judicial exception is integrated into a practical application of the exception. MPEP §2106.04. In order to make this determination, the additional element(s) are analyzed to determine if the claim as a whole integrates the recited judicial exception into a practical application of that exception. A claim that integrates a judicial exception into a practical application will apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the judicial exception, such that the claim is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the judicial exception. Here claim 1 recites the additional elements of a system, a processor, a memory, databases, a user interface, a network interface, a memory, a program installed on a customer terminal, a processor, plurality of units, blockchain node, virtual nodes and web server. Independent claim 7 recites the same additional elements of claim 1. These additional elements are all recited at a high-level of generality such that they amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception, or a portion thereof, using a generic computer component and/or “apply it” to a particular technology (i.e., blockchain). See MPEP 2106.05(f). The claims use of these additional elements does not transform the claimed subject matter into a patent-eligible application because the claims do not require any nonconventional computer components, or even a “non-conventional and non-generic arrangement of known, conventional pieces,” but merely call for the performance of the abstract idea on a generic computing/processing device. Additionally, Examiner finds no indication in the Specification, that the operations recited in the independent claims require any specialized computer hardware or other inventive computer components, i.e., a particular machine, invoke any allegedly inventive programming, or that the claimed invention is implemented using other than generic computer components to perform generic computer functions. Furthermore, there is no indication in the claim(s) that the use of a system, databases, a user interface, a network interface, a memory, a program installed on a customer terminal, a processor, plurality of units, blockchain node, virtual nodes, and web server in combination with the abstract idea leads to an improvement of the processor, memory, another technology, or to a technical field. Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Looking at the elements as a combination does not add anything more than the elements analyzed individually. Examiner further notes that even though the claims may not preempt all forms of the abstraction, this alone, does not make them any less abstract.
When analyzed under step 2B, the claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using a generic computing component (e.g., a system, databases, a user interface, a network interface, a memory, a program installed on a customer terminal, a processor, plurality of units, blockchain node, virtual nodes and web server) to implement the abstract idea amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept or significantly more than the judicial exception. Considered as an ordered combination, the additional elements recited in the claim(s) add nothing that is not already present when the steps are considered separately.
Therefore, claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §101 and are not patent eligible. Dependent claims 3, 5, 8 and 10 when analyzed are held to be patent ineligible under 35 U.S.C. §101 because the additional recited limitation(s) fail to establish that the claim(s) is/are not directed to an abstract idea.
Dependent claim 3 describes an additional abstract idea enabling right holders to recognize a confidence to individual in the blockchain. This claim fails to include any new additional elements that integrate the abstract idea(s) into a practical application or provide significantly more than the abstract idea.
Dependent claims 5 and 10 further refine the abstract idea by describing the registering process. These claims fail to include any new additional elements that integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide significantly more than the abstract idea.
Dependent claim 8 further refine the abstract idea by allowing public confidence granted by right holders. This claim fail to include any new additional elements that integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide significantly more than the abstract idea.
In summary, the dependent claims considered both individually and as an ordered combination do not provide meaningful limitations to transform the abstract idea into a patent eligible application of the abstract idea such that the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract ideas itself. The claims do not recite an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or provide meaningful limitations beyond generally linking an abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, the dependent claims are also not patent eligible.
Accordingly, it is determined that all claims are directed to non-statutory subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101 and are ineligible.
Response to Arguments
Claim Rejections -35 U.S.C §112
Applicant’s arguments, filed February 10, 2026, with respect to claims rejections under 112(b) have been fully considered and has corrected the previous identified issue Accordingly, the claims rejections under 35 USC 112(b) has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S. C §101
Applicant's arguments filed February 10, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant asserts that “These amendments are not merely nominal or descriptive. Rather, they introduce specific structural and architectural limitations directed to the technical configuration of the blockchain network itself”. The broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) of the claims is considered to determine subject matter eligibility. Examiner was unable to find support for the new language of the claims. Specifically, Examiner was unable to find support for “the at least one physical blockchain node is configured to create and manage the at least one virtual blockchain node, and wherein the at least one virtual blockchain node” and “the plurality of blockchain nodes each comprises a user interface, a database interface, a network interface, a memory, and a web server configured to provide the user interface to a client application”.
Conclusion
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/K.G.M/ Examiner, Art Unit 3698
/EDUARDO CASTILHO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3698