DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/21/25 has been entered.
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to RCE filed on 12/2/25 and amendment and response filed on 11/21/25. Claims 1, 12 and 16 were amended. Claims 1, 3-5, 7-8, 10-14, 16, 18-19 and 21-23 are pending and examined.
Response to Arguments
101: The Applicant’s amendments and arguments have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
The Applicant essentially argues that the amended claims overcome the rejection.
The Examiner disagrees.
The Applicant’s arguments are moot because of claim amendments that are substantive. Per example, claim 1 recites additional elements (e.g.: “performing a user authentication”) that necessitate reconsideration of the claims.
As such, an updated rejection is provided that addresses the amended claims.
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, 10-14, 16, 18-19 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. (Step 1) The claims recite an apparatus (claims 1, 3-5, 7-8, 10-11), an article of manufacture (claims 12-14) and a process (claims 16, 18-19 and 21-23). For the purposes of this analysis, representative claim 1 is addressed (from claims 1, 12 and 16). (Step 2A, prong 1) Abstract ideas are in bold below, and represent organizing human activity as a method of converting an asset based on determined conversion risk, as are all a form of commercial or legal interactions and managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people.
A system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
a database in electrical communication with the one or more computer processors, the database storing a plurality of documents, the plurality of documents comprising asset related documents; memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, causes the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a request to convert one or more assets that are linked to a user to a converted asset,
performing a user authentication,
determining whether the request originates from a whitelisted server,
retrieving, from a risk score system, via a secure gateway, historical data associated with the user comprising analytical parameters associated with the one or more assets,
retrieving, from the database and by using a user identifier, the current data comprising current conversion factors applicable to the one or more assets,
generating a conversion score for converting the one or more assets, wherein the conversion score is indicative of a value of the converted asset, the conversion score comprising a weighted sum of a plurality of risk scores, each of the plurality of risk scores being determined by applying a machine learning model comprising a convolution function configured to process the retrieved historical data and the retrieved current data and output a convolved risk score, and wherein each of the plurality of risk scores is based at least one their respective output convolved risk score,
selectively enabling a conversion of the one or more assets based on a comparison of the conversion score to a conversion threshold wherein selectively enabling the conversion of at least one of the one or more assets comprises blocking the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is smaller than the conversion threshold,
automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets for the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is greater than the conversion threshold, wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain,
using the conversion to automatically generate an update of the current data associated with the one or more assets,
providing an instruction to display information indicating the conversion and the update of the current data associated with the one or more assets.
(Step 2A prong 2) The additional elements are as follows:
“A system comprising”, “one or more computer processors”, “a database in electrical communication with the one or more computer processors, the database storing a plurality of documents, the plurality of documents comprising asset related documents; memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, causes the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising”. This is no more than “apply it” as the “system” that comprises the “one or more computer processors”, “a database in electrical communication with the one or more computer processors, the database storing a plurality of documents, the plurality of documents comprising asset related documents; memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, causes the one or more computer processors to perform operations” are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and are claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3).
“performing a user authentication”. This is no more than “apply it” as “performing a user authentication” is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3).
“a white listed server” and “[retrieving], from a risk score system, via a secure gateway”. This is no more than “apply it” as the “white listed server” and “risk score system” are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and are claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3).
a “machine learning [model]”. This is no more than “apply it” as “machine learning” is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3). This is general linking as “machine learning” does no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h).
“automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets […], wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain”. This is no more than “apply it” because “automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets […], wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain” is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3). This is also general linking as the “blockchain” does no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h).
“[using …] automatically [generate an update …]”. This is no more than “apply it” because “automatically [generate]” is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3).
“providing an instruction to display [information …]”. This is no more than “apply it” because “providing an instruction to display” is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3).
(Step 2B) The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements amount do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of using generic computer components. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of converting an asset based on determined conversion risk, over a generic computer network with generic computing elements, and generic hardware.
Analysis of dependent claims 3, 13 and 18 recite additional elements.
“the historical data is encrypted for transmission, via the secure gateway”. This is no more than “apply it” because “the historical data is encrypted for transmission” and “via secure gateway” are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3).
The claim also does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements amount do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of using generic computer components. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of converting an asset based on determined conversion risk, over a generic computer network with generic computing elements, and generic hardware.
Analysis of dependent claims 5, 14 and 19 recite “wherein one of the one or more assets comprises a blockchain asset” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements.
A “blockchain [asset]”. This is general linking as the “blockchain” does no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h).
The claim also does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements amount do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of using generic computer components. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of converting an asset based on determined conversion risk, over a generic computer network with generic computing elements, and generic hardware.
Analysis of dependent claim 10 recites “wherein the analytical parameters comprise data recorded over a past period of time, encrypted, and stored in a distributed database of a system” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements.
“[data …] encrypted, and stored in a distributed database of a system”. This is no more than “apply it” because “[data …] encrypted, and stored in a distributed database of a system” is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3). This is also general linking as the “distributed database” does no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h).
The claim also does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements amount do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of using generic computer components. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of converting an asset based on determined conversion risk, over a generic computer network with generic computing elements, and generic hardware.
Analysis of dependent claim 22 recites additional elements.
“the smart contract comprises a set of self-executing actions for a blockchain transaction stored in a blockchain network. This is no more than “apply it” because “wherein the smart contract comprises a set of self-executing actions for a blockchain transaction stored in a blockchain network” is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2) and is claimed at a high level of generality, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(3). This is also general linking as the “blockchain network” does no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h).
The claim also does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements amount do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of using generic computer components. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of converting an asset based on determined conversion risk, over a generic computer network with generic computing elements, and generic hardware.
Analysis of dependent claims 4, 7-8, 11-12, 21 and 23 recited additional details which only further narrow the abstract idea and do not add any additional features, alone or in combination, that would provide a practical application or provide significantly more.
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 1, 3-5, 7-8, 10-14, 16, 18-19 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200294144 A1 (Vogl) in view of US 20040254876 A1 (Coval) in view of US 20220101383 A1 (Bloom) in further view of US 20210217023 A1 (Zhou).
Vogl teaches
retrieving, from a risk score system, via a secure gateway, historical data associated with the user comprising analytical parameters associated with the one or more assets (FIG. 2, para. 12 “accessing historical auction result data”),
retrieving, from the database and by using a user identifier, current data associated with the one or more assets, the current data comprising current conversion factors applicable to the one or more assets (para. 12 “during a current period of time: accessing a set of marketable securities held by a seller in Block S140; accessing characteristics of the set of marketable securities in Block S142”),
generating a conversion score for converting the one or more assets, wherein the conversion score is indicative of a value of the converted asset, the conversion score comprising a weighted sum of a plurality of risk scores, each of the plurality of risk scores being determined by applying a machine learning model (para. 36 “a liquidity model”) comprising a convolution function (para. 43 “liquidity function”) configured to process the retrieved historical data and the retrieved current data and output a convolved risk score (FIG. 2, para. 12 “calculating liquidity scores”), and wherein each of the plurality of risk scores is based at least one their respective output convolved risk score (FIG. 1, para. 12, 43)”,
selectively enabling a conversion of the one or more assets based on a comparison of the conversion score to a conversion threshold wherein selectively enabling the conversion of at least one of the one or more assets comprises blocking the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is smaller than the conversion threshold (para. 83 “a minimum liquidity score threshold at which to trigger an auction”),
using the conversion to automatically generate an update of the current data associated with the one or more assets (para. 57 “re-calculate liquidity scores for the security”),
providing an instruction to display information indicating the conversion and the update of the current data associated with the one or more assets (para. 57 “present to the seller a final set of auction rules that maximize the liquidity score of the security”).
Vogl does not teach,
receiving a request to convert one or more assets that are linked to a user to a converted asset,
performing a user authentication,
determining whether the request originates from a whitelisted server,
automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets for the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is greater than the conversion threshold, wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain.
however, Coval teaches,
receiving a request to convert one or more assets that are linked to a user to a converted asset (para. 98 “the financial market infrastructure 100 can generate trade requests comprising sell trade types and market order types to convert holdings of tradable securities”),
performing a user authentication (para. 108 “access to the portfolio data 140 can be based on one or more user authentication schemes”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval because automated conversion request improves asset evaluation and trading by “providing a realistic trading experience”, see Coval, para. 36.
combination of Vogl and Coval do not teach,
determining whether the request originates from a whitelisted server,
automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets for the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is greater than the conversion threshold, wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain.
however, Bloom teaches,
determining whether the request originates from a whitelisted server (para. 29 “a computing device sending the request has to initially provide data showing membership in the social network (e.g., login and password) matching the information in a member database 156”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval with asset related financial transaction recommendation of Bloom because the result would improve security.
combination of Vogl, Coval and Bloom do not teach,
automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets for the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is greater than the conversion threshold, wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain.
however, Zhou teaches,
automatically executing, using a smart contract, a transaction of at least one of the one or more assets for the conversion of the one or more assets based on determining that the conversion score is greater than the conversion threshold, wherein the smart contract comprises a digital contract stored on a blockchain (para. 30 “smart contract”, FIG. 2, item S203, para. 52 “When the data center determines that the balance of account number 1 is greater than the amount of financial settlement data, the amount of the secondary token in account number 1 is transferred to account number 2, and the on-chain cost of the secondary token is deducted from the balance of account number 1, the data center converts the on-chain cost into the data currency; the data center sends transaction records and data currency to settlement node 2”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval with asset related financial transaction recommendation of Bloom with blockchain based asset conversion of Zhou because blockchain based asset conversion improves asset evaluation and trading by “improving the security of financial settlement”, see Zhou, para. 19.
Additionally with respect to claim 1,
Vogl teaches,
A system (para. 16, “a computer system”) comprising:
one or more computer processors (para. 136 “a processor”);
a database (para. 34 “database”) in electrical communication with the one or more computer processors, the database storing a plurality of documents, the plurality of documents comprising asset related documents; memory (para. 136 “a computer-readable medium”) storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, causes the one or more computer processors to perform operations (para. 136) comprising.
Additionally with respect to claim 12,
Vogl teaches,
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming code, which when executed by at least one data processor, causes operations (para. 136) comprising.
As to claims 3, 13 and 18, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claims 1, 12 and 16.
Vogl does not teach,
wherein the historical data is encrypted for transmission, via the secure gateway.
however, Bloom teaches,
wherein the historical data is encrypted for transmission, via the secure gateway (para. 17 “Data passing through the respective network interface circuits 112 may be encrypted”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval with asset related financial transaction recommendation of Bloom with blockchain based asset conversion of Zhou because asset related financial transaction recommendation improves asset evaluation and trading by analyzing “the individual members' financial health to recommend deal offers that are financially healthy for the individuals”, see Bloom, para. 13.
As to claim 4, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Vogl teaches,
generating a notification indicating completion of asset conversion (para. 29 “confirmation that a security “traded””).
As to claims 5 , 14 and 19, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claims 1, 12 and 16.
Vogl does not teach,
one of the one or more assets comprises a blockchain asset.
however, Bloom teaches,
one of the one or more assets comprises a blockchain asset (para. 60 “math-based currencies (often referred to as cryptocurrencies)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval with asset related financial transaction recommendation of Bloom with blockchain based asset conversion of Zhou because asset related financial transaction recommendation improves asset evaluation and trading by analyzing “the individual members' financial health to recommend deal offers that are financially healthy for the individuals”, see Bloom, para. 13.
As to claim 7, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Vogl teaches,
wherein the conversion of the one or more assets comprises generating a converted asset value (para. 16 “quantitative value or “score” representative of price, bid quantity, unique bidder quantity, bid frequency, bid variance …”).
As to claim 8, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Vogl teaches,
wherein the machine learning model comprises a recurrent neural network (¶ 36 “deep learning”).
As to claim 10, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Vogl does not teach,
wherein the analytical parameters comprise data recorded over a past period of time, encrypted, and stored in a distributed database of a system.
however, Bloom teaches,
wherein the analytical parameters comprise data recorded over a past period of time, encrypted, and stored in a distributed database of a system (para. 19 “encrypted”, para. 20 “historical transactions”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval with asset related financial transaction recommendation of Bloom with blockchain based asset conversion of Zhou because asset related financial transaction recommendation improves asset evaluation and trading by analyzing “the individual members' financial health to recommend deal offers that are financially healthy for the individuals”, see Bloom, para. 13.
As to claim 11, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Vogl teaches,
wherein the current conversion factors comprise external values associated with the asset (para. 16 “price, bid quantity, unique bidder quantity, bid frequency, bid variance, and/or auction success”).
As to claim 21, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 16.
Vogl teaches,
wherein the machine learning model comprises one or more convolution sub-sampling layers (para. 43 “liquidity function”) configured to reduce a dimension of input to the sub-sampling layer (para. 12, 43);
the convolved risk score is based on output from at least one of the one or more convolution sub-sampling layers, the convolved risk score representing a prediction of risk associated with the one or more assets (para. 12, 43).
As to claim 22, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 16.
Vogl does not teach,
wherein the smart contract comprises a set of self-executing actions for a blockchain transaction stored in a blockchain network.
however, Zhou teaches,
wherein the smart contract comprises a set of self-executing actions for a blockchain transaction stored in a blockchain network (para. 30, 52).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine asset evaluation and trading of Vogl with automated conversion request of Coval with asset related financial transaction recommendation of Bloom with blockchain based asset conversion of Zhou because blockchain based asset conversion improves asset evaluation and trading by “improving the security of financial settlement”, see Zhou, para. 19.
As to claim 23, combination of Vogl, Coval, Bloom and Zhou teach all the limitations of claim 16.
Vogl does not teach,
wherein selectively enabling the conversion of at least one of the one or more assets further comprises generating cryptographically- valid tokens in a blockchain network against traditional non-tangible assets.
however, Zhou teaches,
wherein selectively enabling the conversion of at least one of the one or more assets further comprises generating cryptographically-valid tokens in a blockchain network against traditional non-tangible assets (para. 51-52).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BROCK E TURK whose telephone number is (571)272-5626. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM EST.
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/BROCK E TURK/Examiner, Art Unit 3692
/RYAN D DONLON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3692 March 20, 2026