DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 5 March 2026 has been entered.
The following is a non-final office action in response to the request for continued examination filed 5 March 2026.
The applicant's claim for benefit of FOR KR10 2020 0179784, filed 21 Dec 2020 and PCT/KR2021/095006 filed 20 January 2021 have been received and acknowledged. The request for foreign priority has not been perfected as a translation has not been provided.
Applicant’s amendments to Claims 1 and 18 and addition of Claims 19-24 have been received and are acknowledged. Claims 2-17 were previously cancelled
Claims 1 and 18-24 are currently pending and have been examined.
Foreign Priority
As previously stated, acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed for FOR KR10 2020 0179784, filed on 21 Dec 2020. However, no translation has been filed. As such the claim for foreign priority has not been perfected.
Claim Interpretation
Examiner notes that the term “certification authority” is interpreted as a technological component per Applicant’s response 8/13/2025 including the statement that the claimed “technical functionality is readily implementable as a certification server or similar computing system…” (Applicant’s response, 8/13/2025, pg. 9).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5 March 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to the rejections under 35 USC 101: (1) Applicant argues that the newly amendment claim language “satisfy the patent eligibility requirements under” the current framework. (Applicant’s response, 15) Applicant notes that the recited claims fall into a statutory category. (Applicant’s response 15). Applicant then asserts that the instant amended claim are “...directed a specific technical architecture for ensuring data integrity at the boundary between physical measurement infrastructure and distributed ledger systems…” (Applicant’s response 15). Referencing Enfish, Applicant asserts that the claims “recite specific technical components with defined technical interactions: … a certification authority…management server…verification mechanism…explicit gating mechanism….These elements describe a technical architecture for hardware-gated network participation and transaction verification through external database comparison-not an abstract method of organizing human activity….the amended claims recite a specific technical architecture-authentication of physical metering devices as a prerequisite for network participation, combined with off-chain database storage and transaction-time verification by comparing device information and GPS location. This is a technical solution to a technical problem: ensuring that data entering a distributed ledger originates from authenticated physical measurement infrastructure at verified locations…” (Applicant’s response, 15-16). (2) Applicant further asserts the claims “integrate that idea into a practical application….the additional elements “s "reflect an improvement in the functioning of a computer, or an improvement to other technology or technical field."… “ (Applicant’s response, 16-17) Applicant further asserts that the amended claims “require” the blockchain nodes to operate in a manner that is not “generic user authentication or password verification”, require “physical device legitimacy” and recite a “specific hybrid architecture…provides an explicitly claimed technical benefit…” (Applicant’s response 17) Referencing (Specification [102]), Applicant further asserts that this is an “improvement to blockchain system performance” (Applicant’s response., 18) Analogizing the instant claims to the patent eligible claims of Enfish which are technical improvements, Applicant argues that the instant claims are not “apply it” as the Examiner characterized. (Applicant’s response, 18) Applicant further argues that the recited amended claims “…addresses a technical problem specific to systems where physical-world measurements enter digital ledgers: ensuring data integrity at the hardware-to-software boundary. A password system does not have this architecture. It does not maintain physical device characteristics in an external database. It does not perform comparison of GPS locations and hardware information at each transaction. And it does not use a third neutral institution for verification separate from the transaction ledger….” (Applicant’s response 18-19) (3) Applicant additionally argues that the instant recited claims amount to “ significantly more” than the alleged abstract idea. (Applicant’s response 19) Applicant asserts that the amended claims recite a “…specific architecture in which these components interact in a non-conventional manner…” (Applicant’s response, 19) Referencing, Applicant asserts that no Berkheimer evidence has been provided. (Applicant’s response, 20) Applicant lastly asserts that new claims further “define the technical implementation.” (Applicant’s response, 20-21).
Examiner respectfully disagrees as noted in the rejection previously and below. Applicant’s own arguments clearly state that the invention is directed to addressing the RE100 compliance standard during energy system transactions using a technology recited at a high level of generality. The Specification [1-5] states: “ The present invention relates to a RE100 energy system and method using a blockchain... The technical object to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an RE100 energy transaction system and method using a blockchain that can improve the reliability and security of an RElO0 energy transaction.” In other words a business challenge is addressed using technology. This is ‘apply it’ (See MPEP 2106.05 (f)) and is not an improvement to technology. Berkheimer evidence has been previously provided as the Specification is cited below and previously. Additionally, non-patent literature: Dragonchain, 14 July 2019 “ Blockchain Explained - What is blockchain technology?” (https://dragonchain.com/blog/what-is-blockchain) As such Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive. (Applicant’s arguments 1-3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 18-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “ legitimate”/ “legitimately” in claims 1 and 18 (and 24) are relative terms which renders the claim indefinite. The term “ legitimate”/ “legitimately” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claims dependent on a rejected dependent claim are rejected by virtue of their dependency on a rejected claim.
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 and 18-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
When considering subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101, (1) it must be determined whether the claim is directed to one of the four statutory categories of invention, i.e., process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. If the claim does fall within one of the statutory categories, (2a) it must then be determined whether the claim is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., law of nature, natural phenomenon, and abstract idea), and if so (2b), it must additionally be determined whether the claim is a patent-eligible application of the exception. If an abstract idea is present in the claim, any element or combination of elements in the claim must be sufficient to ensure that the claim amounts to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. Examples of abstract ideas include fundamental economic practices; certain methods of organizing human activities; an idea itself; and mathematical relationships/formulas. Alice Corporation Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank International, et al., 573 U.S. ____ (2014).
The claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e. a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. In the instant case, the claim(s) as a whole, considering all claim elements both individually and in combination, do not amount to significantly more than an abstract idea.
(1) In the instant case, the claims are directed towards a method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and the system of energy transaction using blockchain. In the instant case, Claims 1 and 19-21 are directed to a system. Claim 18 and 22-23 are directed to a process. Claim 24 is directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium.
(2a) Prong 1: Transactions are categorized in/akin to the abstract idea subject matter grouping of: methods of organizing human activity (commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations)]. As such, the claims include an abstract idea.
The specific limitations of the invention are (a) identified to encompass the abstract idea include:
(Currently Amended) An RE100 energy transaction system … comprising:
(a) a first …, permitted to operate as a certified …, in a …,only upon obtaining qualification from a …,based on authentication that said first …, is a legitimately qualified …,including authentication of …,, configured to:
generate power production information and sales information according to production of renewable energy, wherein said power production information and sales information include an owner of a power generator, type of industry, location, type of production energy, total capacity available for production, current production and sales capacity and unit price, production time, production energy power information, and grid connection information;
share said power production information and said sales information with said … every 15 minutes;
… transaction receipts automatically issued … when predefined transaction input conditions are met, wherein said transaction receipts provide public confidence to secure reliability of transaction completion;
… a first … relating to said power production information and said sales information through verified blocks that are added to prevent post-manipulation and distributed among participating nodes to prohibit manipulation even when nodes are hacked or forged;
generate transaction information when a renewable energy transaction occurs, said transaction information including purchase
… said first … and a second … using said transaction information through a proof-of-work… that … transaction results every second to prevent manipulation by participating parties and third parties;
(b) a second …,, permitted to operate as a certified …, in said …, only upon obtaining qualification from said certification authority based on authentication that said second…, is a legitimately qualified …, including authentication of …,, configured to:
generate power purchase information, wherein said power purchase information includes an owner of a consumption company, type of industry, type of business, production item, location, type and capacity of renewable energy to be purchased, desired purchase price, desired purchase time, and device information;
share said power purchase information with
… transaction receipts automatically issued via said smart contract functionality when said predefined transaction input conditions are met, wherein said transaction receipts provide public confidence to secure reliability of transaction completion;
… said second blockchain relating to said power purchase information through said verified blocks that are distributed among participating nodes;
generate said transaction information when said renewable energy transaction occurs; and
… said first blockchain and said second blockchain using said transaction information through said proof-of-work consensus mechanism;
(c) said… configured to:
authenticate, in advance of participation in said…,, whether said first blockchain node and said second blockchain node…, are legitimately qualified…, including …, whether said metering devices are legitimate wherein said first …, and said second…,must obtain qualification as …,based on said authentication to participate in said…,
generate … signature key pairs and issue … signature verification keys in certificate form during said authentication wherein said certificates include information on owners of digital signature keys; and
… credentials to said first …,and said second …, as certified … to secure objective evidence related to qualification to participate in renewable energy transactions;
(d) a management…,operating as a third neutral institution configured to:
… said credentials from said certification authority
… in a…,in said management …,, basic node information i… of said certified …,received from said certification authority, said basic …, information including owner, GPS location of a business, type of industry, type of business, and device information …,;-
manage said … and
verify reliability of said renewable energy transaction by connecting to said …, in said management server and comparing …,aid basic …,information including said GPS location of a business and said device information with said transaction information including said purchase …,and said GPS location of a business, when said renewable energy transaction occurs;
wherein only said certified …, having obtained said qualification based on said authentication that said first …, and said second …, are legitimately qualified devices including said …, can operate as …,in said …,; wherein by storing
wherein by …,said basic…,information …in said management …,and comparing and verifying only when necessary capacity, processing time, and speed of said blockchain are reduced
wherein said … automatically concludes said renewable energy transaction when said production information and sales information
18. An RE100 energy transaction method …, comprising:
(a) authenticating by…,, …, and in advance of participation in a …, whether first blockchain nodes and second… , are legitimately qualified devices. including whether… are legitimate, wherein said first …, and said second …, must obtain qualification as …, based on said authentication to participate in said …,
(b) generating … signature key pairs and issuing … signature verification keys in
certificate form during said authentication wherein said certificates include information on owners of… signature keys;
(c) … credentials to said first …,and said …,as certified …,to secure objective evidence related to qualification to participate in renewable energy transactions, wherein only said certified …, having obtained said qualification based on said authentication can operate as …,in said…,;;
(d)…, by… operating as a third neutral institution, said credentials from said certification authority;
(e)… basic node information of said certified nodes received from said certification authority,…, said basic node information including owner, GPS location of a business, type of industry, type of business, and device information;
(f) managing…. said nodes participating in said …,;
(g) generating, ……,, power production information and said sales information according to production of renewable energy, wherein said power production information and sales information include an owner of a power generator, type of industry, location, type of production energy, total capacity available for production, current production and sales capacity and unit price, production time, production energy power information, and grid connection information;
sharing said power production information and said sales information with …,participating in said …,every 15 minutes;
(i)… transaction receipts automatically issued… when predefined transaction input conditions are met, wherein said transaction receipts provide public confidence to secure reliability of transaction completion;
(j)… a first … relating to said power production information and said sales information through verified blocks that are added to prevent post-manipulation and distributed among participating nodes to prohibit manipulation even when nodes are hacked or forged;
(k) generating, …,as certified …,…, power purchase information, wherein said power purchase information includes an owner of a consumption company, type of industry, type of business, production item, location, type and capacity of renewable energy to be purchased, desired purchase price, desired purchase time, and device information;
sharing said power purchase information with said …,participating in said …,k every 15 minutes;
(m)generating… information through when a renewable energy transaction occurs said transaction information including purchase type renewable energy purchase amount, purchase meter and GPS location of a business, production time and purchase time;
(n) verifying, by said management …,, reliability of said renewable energy transaction by connecting to said …, in said management …, and comparing said basic …, information including said GPS location of a business and said …, information with said transaction information including said purchase…, and said GPS location of a business, when said renewable energy transaction occurs, wherein by storing said basic node information in said …, in said management …, and comparing and verifying only when necessary, capacity, processing time, and speed of said blockchain are reduced;and
(o)… … using said transaction information through a proof-of-work consensus mechanism that stores transaction results every second to prevent manipulation by participating parties and third parties; and
(p) automatically concluding:
, …, said renewable energy transaction when said production information and sales information conditions and said purchase information conditions are met between power generator participants and consumption company participants
distributing and recording transaction results … to prevent forgery and tampering; and
notifying transaction parties of transaction results thereby providing RE100 energy transaction reliability and security against hacking through distributed storage methods and blocking mutual manipulation and cheating between renewable energy power generators and RE100 consumption companies.
Claim 24. (New) A …, …, a program that, when executed by a …,, causes the …, to perform the method of claim 18. ( See Claim 18 above)
As stated above, this abstract idea falls into the (b) subject matter grouping of: methods of organizing human activity (commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations)]. As such, the claims include an abstract idea.
Prong 2: When considered individually and in combination, the instant claims are do not integrate the exception into a practical application because the steps of authenticating…; generating …issuing…managing…generating… information… sharing…information…generating… sharing… verifying… updating… concluding… distributing.. and recording… notifying…….do not apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that that imposes a meaningful limitation on the judicial exception (i.e. the abstract idea).
The instant recited claims including additional elements (i.e. store/storing; receiving…, sending…updating…. ) do not improve the functioning of the computer or improve another technology or technical field nor do they recite meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of an abstract idea to a particular technological environment. The limitations merely recite: “apply it” (or an equivalent) or merely include instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer or merely uses a computer a as tool to perform an abstract idea or merely add insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception or generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (See MPEP 2106.05 (f) and (g))
(2b) In the instant case, Claims 1 and 19-21 are directed to a system. Claim 18 and 22-23 are directed to a process. Claim 24 is directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium.
Additionally, the claims (independent and dependent) do not include additional elements that individually or in combination are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception of abstract idea (i.e. provide an inventive concept). As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element(s) of: (blockchain, nodes, blockchain node, blockchain network, smart contract functionality, certification authority, database, distributed ledger of blockchain nodes, digital signature… computer, server, metering devices,,,, ) merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea or merely add insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception or merely uses generic computing elements to perform well known, routine, and conventional functions. (See MPEP 2106.05 (d), (f) and (g)) (Specification, [44] node is computer terminal…[97] certification authority may be an institution…[115]…smart contract method… [116-117] recording medium…unit…components… databases, data structure…)
The dependent claims have also been examined and do not correct the deficiencies of the independent claims.
It is noted that claim (19-23) introduces the additional elements of : wherein clauses further defining claim elements : … blockchain …header and body…(Claims 19 and 22); … steps to verify…generating…transmitting… determining … (Claims 20 and 23); …blockchain…(Claims 21 and 22). These elements are not a practical application of the judicial exception because these limitations merely recite: “apply it” (or an equivalent) or merely include instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea or merely add insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception or generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (See MPEP 2106.05 (f) and (g)) Further these limitations taken alone or in combination with the abstract do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea alone because, ).the element(s) amount(s) to mere use of a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea or merely add insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception or merely uses generic computing elements to perform well known, routine, and conventional functions. (See MPEP 2106.05 (d), (f) and (g)) (Specification, [44] node is computer terminal…[97] certification authority may be an institution…[115]…smart contract method… [116-117] recording medium…unit…components… databases, data structure…)
Therefore, claims 1 and 18-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dragonchain, 14 July 2019 “ Blockchain Explained - What is blockchain technology?” (https://dragonchain.com/blog/what-is-blockchain) (Year: 2019) (Year: 2019)
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/ASHA PUTTAIA H/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3691
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