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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “the UID3” lacks antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-8, 10, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shida et al. (US 2023/0161847), hereafter “Shida,” in view of Mullins et al. (US 11,423,398), hereafter “Mullins.”
Regarding claim 1, Shida teaches a computer-implemented system executed in a network environment for providing claim and/or proof of ownership of physical items using blockchain (Shida: 100 of FIG. 2; par 0039), comprising: a computing device having a non-transitory memory and one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory memory configured to read one or more instructions from the non-transitory memory to process the claim and/or proof of ownership (Shida: par 0053); one or more databases in communication with the computing device via a network configured to store a plurality of ownership details (Shida: 100 of FIG. 2; par 0042, 0043), and a user device with a user interface (UI) associated with a user configured to access the computing device via a network (Shida: 200 of FIG. 2; par 0040), wherein the computing device is configured to, scan or otherwise input a QR code or first unique identification code (UID1) given in or on physical item (Shida: par 0051 […the purchaser B can confirm that the ownership of the article A is definitely transferred from the maker A to the purchaser B by using the two-dimensional code on the certificate 320 obtained with the article 310. The two-dimensional code can be scanned using the operation terminal 200 and transmits the read two-dimensional code to the article ownership management system 100.]); scan or otherwise input a QR code or second unique identification code (Shida: par 0052 [The Article ownership management system 100 based on the article ID and the owner ID received from the purchaser B by scanning the two-dimension code, generates a new certificate 205 including at least the article ID and the owner ID of the purchaser B.]), and create a unique claim of ownership on a blockchain using the UID1 and UID2 and tie to the user device, thereby providing claim and/or proof of the ownership of the physical item to the user/customer (Shida: par 0052; 0061 [The ownership request can include the owner ID of the new owner and scanned information from the QR code in the certificate obtained by the new owner from the old owner.]). Shida does not explicitly teach: scan or otherwise input a QR code or second unique identification code (UID2) from a receipt or similar given to a user/customer at a point-of-sale or transfer. Mullins teaches: scan or otherwise input a QR code or second unique identification code (UID2) from a receipt or similar given to a user/customer at a point-of-sale or transfer (Mullins: col. 14 lines 40-59 […the customer may use an application associated with a cryptocurrency wallet to scan a QR code provided by the POS device to sign the blockchain-enforced contract.]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to perform the customer scanning of Mullins within the Shida system to complete the transaction with predictable results. One would be motivated to make the combination to provide a simple way for a customer to authorize disbursement of funds from a digital wallet and completing a contract by simply scanning a code. A high likelihood of success is anticipated given that both Shida and Mullins relate to the purchase of physical items using blockchain technology. Further, in view of this substantial similarity it would have been readily apparent to one of ordinary skill that various beneficial features of Mullins could have been implemented within the Shida system with predictable results and a beneficial effect.
Regarding claim 2, the system of claim 1, wherein the QR code or second unique identification code (UID2) can be shared among more than one physical items in a group, still allowing for the generation of a unique identifier within the system when combined with the QR code or first unique identification code (UID1) of each individual physical item in the group (Mullins: col. 4 lines 24-30 [As used herein, a transaction may include a financial transaction for the acquisition of item(s) that is conducted between customer 104 and merchant 102.]).
Regarding claim 3, the system of claim 1, wherein the user device communicates the computing device via the network using an application software or mobile application or web-based application or desktop application executed in a network environment (Shida: par 0095).
Regarding claim 6, the system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to keep track of and manage all assets on the user device with a connection to a main blockchain (Shida: par 0039).
Regarding claim 7, the system of claim 1, connects a physical world to a digital world for providing the claim and/or proof of ownership of physical items (Shida: par 0039).
Regarding claim 8, the system of claim 1, allows a seamless and simplified user-friendly and minimalistic way to bring the claim and/or proof of ownership of physical items without requiring users to have much technical knowledge or background (Shida: par 0039).
Regarding claim 10, the system of claim 1, provides sale and transfer of ownership (Shida: par 0052, 0061).
Regarding claim 12, the system of claim 1, provides asset tracking and management (Shida: par 0039).
Regarding claim 13, a method for providing claim and/or proof of ownership using blockchain (Shida: 100 of FIG. 2; par 0039) using a computer-implemented system comprising a computing device having a non- transitory memory and one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory memory configured to read one or more instructions from the non-transitory memory to process a claim and/or proof of ownership (Shida: par 0053), one or more databases in communication with the computing device via a network configured to store a plurality of ownership details (Shida: 100 of FIG. 2; par 0042, 0043), and a user device with a user interface (UD) associated with a user configured to access the computing device via a network (Shida: 200 of FIG. 2; par 0040), wherein the method comprises the steps of: scanning or otherwise inputting a QR code or first unique identification code (UID1) given in a physical product (Shida: par 0051 […the purchaser B can confirm that the ownership of the article A is definitely transferred from the maker A to the purchaser B by using the two-dimensional code on the certificate 320 obtained with the article 310. The two-dimensional code can be scanned using the operation terminal 200 and transmits the read two-dimensional code to the article ownership management system 100.]); scanning or otherwise inputting a QR code or second unique identification code (UID2) from a receipt given to a customer at a point-of-sale or transfer (Shida: par 0052 [The Article ownership management system 100 based on the article ID and the owner ID received from the purchaser B by scanning the two-dimension code, generates a new certificate 205 including at least the article ID and the owner ID of the purchaser B.]; Mullins: col. 14 lines 40-59 […the customer may use an application associated with a cryptocurrency wallet to scan a QR code provided by the POS device to sign the blockchain-enforced contract.]); creating a unique ownership on the blockchain using the UID1 and UID2 and ties to the user device, and tracking and managing all assets on the user device with a connection to a main blockchain, thereby allowing a seamless and simplified user-friendly and minimalistic way to bring the ownership of physical items to mass market without requiring users to have much technical knowledge or background (Shida: par 0052; 0061 [The ownership request can include the owner ID of the new owner and scanned information from the QR code in the certificate obtained by the new owner from the old owner.]).
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected as being unpatentable over Shida et al. (US 2023/0161847), in view of Mullins et al. (US 11,423,398), and further in view of Ma (CN 111885594-A).
Regarding claim 4, Shida-Mullins does not explicitly teach the system of claim 1, wherein the user device has a unique serial number and other identification information as a third unique identification number (UID3).
Ma teaches: wherein a user device has a unique [device ID] and other identification information as a third unique identification number (UID3) (Ma: p. 3 [receiving a binding request sent by the mobile terminal, wherein the binding request carries account information; the device identification of the target device and the identification of the mobile terminal, the binding request is sent after the mobile terminal obtains the ownership of the target device under the condition that the mobile terminal determines that the target device is not bound; binding the account information, the device identification and the identification of the mobile terminal according to the binding request.]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement the technique of Ma within the Shida-Mullins system to associate a mobile device identifier with ownership of an article on the blockchain with predictable results. One would be motivated to make the combination to provide the predictable benefit of providing additional evidence of ownership (possession of the mobile device in question would provide such additional evidence). A high likelihood of success is anticipated given that both Ma and Shida-Mullins disclose systems for providing registered ownership of a physical entity. In view of this substantial similarity it would have been readily apparent to one of ordinary skill that various beneficial features of Ma could have been implemented within the Shida-Mullins system with predictable results and a beneficial effect. Shida-Mullins-Ma does not explicitly teach: a unique serial number.
Examiner takes official notice of a unique serial number. Serial numbers are ubiquitously present on manufactured devices and it would have been immediately apparent that a serial number could have been used as the device identifier in the Shida-Mullins-Ma system as doing so would have amounted to simple substitution of one known element for another with predictable results.
Regarding claim 5, the system of claim 1, creates the unique claim of ownership on the blockchain using the UID1 and UID2 and ties to the UID3 (Shida: par 0059, 0060; Ma: p. 3).
Claims 9 and 11 are rejected as being unpatentable over Shida et al. (US 2023/0161847), in view of Mullins et al. (US 11,423,398), and further in view of Rueda Galan et al. (US 2020/0357004), hereafter “Rueda.”
Regarding claim 9, Shida-Mullins does not explicitly teach the system of claim 1, provides an ability for theft reporting and asset recovery. Rueda teaches: provides an ability for theft reporting and asset recovery (Rueda: par 0075, 0088). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to implement the theft reporting and asset recovery functionality of Rueda within the Shida-Mullins system with predictable results. One would be motivated to make the combination in order to facilitate the return of stolen items and to deter stealing items by preventing their resale. A high likelihood of success is anticipated given that both Rueda and Shida-Mullins disclose systems for tracking the ownership of articles using a blockchain. Further, in view of this substantial similarity it would have been readily apparent to one of ordinary skill that various beneficial features of Rueda could have been implemented within the Shida-Mullins system with predictable results and a beneficial effect.
Regarding claim 11, the system of claim 1, provides lost and found functionality (Rueda: par 0075, 0088).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES E SPRINGER whose telephone number is (571)270-5640. The examiner can normally be reached 9am - 5:30pm ET.
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JAMES E. SPRINGER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2454
/JAMES E SPRINGER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2454