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 .
The preliminary amendment submitted on 07/27/2023 has been received and accepted by the examiner. Claims 4, 6, 9, 13, 15, 22, 24, and 27 were amended, claims 5, 7, 10, 14, 16, 23, 25, and 28-37 were cancelled, and all uncancelled claims remain pending.
The IDS documents submitted on 07/27/2023 and 08/13/2024 have been received and considered by the examiner.
Foreign priority to CN202110179008.9, dated 02/08/2021, and PCT/CN2022/075136, dated 01/30/2022, is acknowledged. However, the received priority document is in Chinese. An English translation is required to perfect foreign priority.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: it contains an apparent typo in paragraph 0117 (“Figure 8(a) to Figure 8(c) are schematic diagrams each illustrating a process pf recprdomg spectrum transaction information”). Appropriate correction is required.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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, 9, 19-21, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Covaci et al. (US 2023/0334036 A1, hereinafter “Covaci”) in view of Lin et al. (US 2019/0251187 A1, hereinafter “Lin”).
As to Claim 1:
Covaci teaches:
The wireless communication system comprises a plurality of electronic devices that use a blockchain to record spectrum transaction information in the wireless communication system
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “wireless communication technologies” maps to “the wireless communication system”, and
“nodes of the blockchain network” map to “a plurality of electronic devices that use a blockchain to record spectrum transaction information”).
The electronic device comprising processing circuitry configured
(“[A]n M-node includes a processor, a network interface and memory.... The M-node may include processor-executable instructions to implement the functions described herein” (Covaci, 0076).
Here, “an M-node” maps to “the electronic device”,
“includes a processor” maps to “comprising processing circuitry”, and
“processor-executable instructions” maps to “configured”).
A wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “wireless communication technologies” maps to “a wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system”).
Electronic devices in the wireless communication system
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “nodes ... coupled to one another using ... wireless communication technologies” map to “electronic devices in the wireless communication system”).
Determine a size of a next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “calculate the necessary block size” maps to “determine a size of a next block”).
Transmit the size of the next block ... to other electronic devices in the wireless communication system
(“The block header will contain the following: ... Target threshold (encoded as nBits – 4 bytes) ... The mined data received from the blockchain network can include a block header corresponding to the validated transactions” (Lin, 0190, 0267).
Here, “data received” maps to “transmit”,
“target threshold” maps to “the size of the next block”, and
the recipient devices in “the blockchain network” map to “other electronic devices in the wireless communication system”).
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
Determine ... a generation time of the next block according to information related to a ... communication environment
Transmit ... the generation time of the next block to other electronic devices in the wireless communication system
However, Lin does describe a method to dynamically adjust the time to generate a new blockchain block for a group of devices based on the largest transmission delay within that group of devices.
Specifically, Lin teaches:
Determine ... a generation time of the next block according to information related to a ... communication environment
(“All blockchain devices in the system will be divided into multiple groups, and each group is responsible for verifying a corresponding branch. In one embodiment, it allows the blockchain devices having shorter transmission delay times to be added to the same group to accelerate the time interval of generation of block of the branches” (Lin, 0037).
Here, “accelerate the time interval of generation of block” maps to “determine ... a generation time of the next block”, and
“having shorter transmission delay times” maps to “according to information related to a ... communication environment”).
Transmit ... the generation time of the next block to other electronic devices in the wireless communication system
(“[T]he blockchain devices in the first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation of the first branch” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “communicate to obtain” maps to “transmit”,
“the time interval of block generation” maps to “the generation time of the next block”, and
“the blockchain devices of the first group” map to “other electronic devices in the wireless communication system”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 2:
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
The information related to the wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system includes information related to a wireless communication environment where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located
However, Lin does teach:
The information related to the wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system includes information related to a wireless communication environment where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located
(“All blockchain devices in the system will be divided into multiple groups, and each group is responsible for verifying a corresponding branch. In one embodiment, it allows the blockchain devices having shorter transmission delay times to be added to the same group to accelerate the time interval of generation of block of the branches” (Lin, 0037).
Here, “transmission delay times” map to “the information related to the wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system includes information related to a wireless communication environment where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located” because the transmission delay times are information related to the wireless communication environment).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 3:
Covaci teaches:
Determine a candidate size of the next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “calculate the necessary block size” maps to “determine a candidate size of the next block”).
Determine a size of the next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “calculate the necessary block size” maps to “determine a size of the next block”).
The wireless communication environment
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “wireless communication technologies” map to “the wireless communication environment”).
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
Determine ... a candidate generation time of the next block according to the information related to the ... communication environment where the electronic device is located
Receive, from each of the other electronic devices ...a candidate generation time of the next block determined by the other electronic device according to information related to a ... communication environment where the other electronic device is located
Determine ... a generation time of the next block according to ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by the electronic device and ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by each of the other electronic devices
However, Lin does teach:
Determine ... a candidate generation time of the next block according to the information related to the ... communication environment where the electronic device is located
(“[T]he first blockchain device may measure individual transmission delay times between itself and other blockchain devices in the network ... [T]he first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “measure individual transmission delay” maps to “determine ... a candidate generation time of the next block according to the information related to the ... communication environment where the electronic device is located”).
Receive, from each of the other electronic devices ...a candidate generation time of the next block determined by the other electronic device according to information related to a ... communication environment where the other electronic device is located
(“The first blockchain device can further broadcast the measured transmission delay times to other blockchain devices in the blockchain system, so that the blockchain devices in the system know the transmission delay time between each other” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “broadcast to each other” maps to “receive, from each of the other electronic devices”,
“the measured transmission delay times” maps to “a candidate generation time of the next block determined ... according to information related to a ... communication environment where the other electronic device is located”, and
one of the “other blockchain devices” maps to “the other electronic device”).
Determine ... a generation time of the next block according to ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by the electronic device and ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by each of the other electronic devices
(“[T]he blockchain devices in the first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation of the first branch” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “communicate to obtain” maps to “determine”,
“the time interval of block generation” maps to “a generation time of the next block”,
“the in-group maximum transmission delay time” maps to “the candidate generation time of the next block”,
“of the first group” maps to “determined by the electronic device”, and
“in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group” maps to “the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by each of the other electronic devices” because the group delay is the result of each device in the group measuring and reporting its own delay).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 9:
Covaci teaches:
The candidate size of the next block ... that [is] determined by the selected electronic device as the size of the next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “the necessary block size” maps to “the candidate size of the next block ... that [is] determined by the selected electronic device as the size of the next block”).
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
Determine a score for each of the plurality of electronic devices based on at least one of parameters comprising:
The number of unverified spectrum transactions collected by the electronic device;
Transaction fees of the unverified spectrum transactions collected by the electronic device;
A sensitivity of the unverified spectrum transaction collected by the electronic device to a latency;
The number of time-out spectrum transactions among the unverified spectrum transactions collected by the electronic device;
A channel condition of the electronic device; and
A performance of the electronic device
Select an electronic device with a highest score from the plurality of electronic devices, and use ... the candidate generation time of the next block that [is] determined by the selected electronic device as ... the generation time of the next block
However, from this list, Lin does at least teach:
Determine a score for each of the plurality of electronic devices based on ... a channel condition of the electronic device
(“[T]he first blockchain device may measure individual transmission delay times between itself and other blockchain devices in the network, and store a correspondence table” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “measure individual transmission delay times” maps to “determine a score”,
“other blockchain devices in the network” maps to “each of the plurality of electronic devices”, and
“transmission delay times” map to “a channel conditions of the electronic device”).
Select an electronic device with a highest score from the plurality of electronic devices, and use ... the candidate generation time of the next block that [is] determined by the selected electronic device as ... the generation time of the next block
(“[T]he blockchain devices in the first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation of the first branch” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time” maps to “select an electronic device with a highest score from the plurality of electronic devices”, and
“accordingly determine the time interval of block generation” maps to “use ... the candidate generation time of the next block that [is] determined by the selected electronic device as ... the generation time of the next block”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 19:
Covaci teaches:
The wireless communication system comprises a plurality of electronic devices that uses a blockchain to record spectrum transaction information in the wireless communication system
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “wireless communication technologies” maps to “the wireless communication system”, and
“nodes of the blockchain network” map to “a plurality of electronic devices that use a blockchain to record spectrum transaction information”).
A wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “wireless communication technologies” maps to “a wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system”).
Electronic devices in the wireless communication system
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “nodes ... coupled to one another using ... wireless communication technologies” map to “electronic devices in the wireless communication system”).
Determining a size of a next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “calculate the necessary block size” maps to “determining a size of a next block”).
Transmitting the size of the next block ... to other electronic devices in the wireless communication system
(“The block header will contain the following: ... Target threshold (encoded as nBits – 4 bytes) ... The mined data received from the blockchain network can include a block header corresponding to the validated transactions” (Lin, 0190, 0267).
Here, “data received” maps to “transmitting”,
“target threshold” maps to “the size of the next block”, and
the recipient devices in “the blockchain network” map to “other electronic devices in the wireless communication system”).
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
Determining ... a generation time of the next block according to information related to a ... communication environment
Transmitting ... the generation time of the next block to other electronic devices in the wireless communication system
However, LIn does describe a method to dynamically adjust the time to generate a new blockchain block for a group of devices based on the largest transmission delay within that group of devices.
Specifically, Lin teaches:
Determining ... a generation time of the next block according to information related to a ... communication environment
(“All blockchain devices in the system will be divided into multiple groups, and each group is responsible for verifying a corresponding branch. In one embodiment, it allows the blockchain devices having shorter transmission delay times to be added to the same group to accelerate the time interval of generation of block of the branches” (Lin, 0037).
Here, “accelerate the time interval of generation of block” maps to “determining ... a generation time of the next block”, and
“having shorter transmission delay times” maps to “according to information related to a ... communication environment”).
Transmitting ... the generation time of the next block to other electronic devices in the wireless communication system
(“[T]he blockchain devices in the first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation of the first branch” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “communicate to obtain” maps to “transmitting”,
“the time interval of block generation” maps to “the generation time of the next block”, and
“the blockchain devices of the first group” map to “other electronic devices in the wireless communication system”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 20:
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
The information related to the wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system includes information related to a wireless communication environment where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located
However, Lin does teach:
The information related to the wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system includes information related to a wireless communication environment where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located
(“All blockchain devices in the system will be divided into multiple groups, and each group is responsible for verifying a corresponding branch. In one embodiment, it allows the blockchain devices having shorter transmission delay times to be added to the same group to accelerate the time interval of generation of block of the branches” (Lin, 0037).
Here, “transmission delay times” map to “the information related to the wireless communication environment of the wireless communication system includes information related to a wireless communication environment where each of the plurality of electronic devices is located” because the transmission delay times are information related to the wireless communication environment).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 21:
Covaci teaches:
Determining a candidate size of the next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “calculate the necessary block size” maps to “determining a candidate size of the next block”).
Determining a size of the next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X
*
r
*
6
*
10
2
” (Covaci, 0098, 0100-0101).
Here, “calculate the necessary block size” maps to “determining a size of the next block”).
The wireless communication environment
(“Nodes of the blockchain network are coupled to one another using suitable communication technologies which may include ... wireless communication technologies.... [S]ome of the nodes may be located in geographically dispersed locations” (Covaci, 0051).
Here, “wireless communication technologies” map to “the wireless communication environment”).
Covaci does not explicitly disclose:
Determining ... a candidate generation time of the next block according to the information related to the ... communication environment where the electronic device is located
Receiving, from each of the other electronic devices ...a candidate generation time of the next block determined by the other electronic device according to information related to a ... communication environment where the other electronic device is located
Determining ... a generation time of the next block according to ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by the electronic device and ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by each of the other electronic devices
However, Lin does teach:
Determining ... a candidate generation time of the next block according to the information related to the ... communication environment where the electronic device is located
(“[T]he first blockchain device may measure individual transmission delay times between itself and other blockchain devices in the network ... [T]he first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “measure individual transmission delay” maps to “determine ... a candidate generation time of the next block according to the information related to the ... communication environment where the electronic device is located”).
Receiving, from each of the other electronic devices ...a candidate generation time of the next block determined by the other electronic device according to information related to a ... communication environment where the other electronic device is located
(“The first blockchain device can further broadcast the measured transmission delay times to other blockchain devices in the blockchain system, so that the blockchain devices in the system know the transmission delay time between each other” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “broadcast to each other” maps to “receive, from each of the other electronic devices”,
“the measured transmission delay times” maps to “a candidate generation time of the next block determined ... according to information related to a ... communication environment where the other electronic device is located”, and
one of the “other blockchain devices” maps to “the other electronic device”).
Determining ... a generation time of the next block according to ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by the electronic device and ... the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by each of the other electronic devices
(“[T]he blockchain devices in the first group can communicate to obtain the in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group, and accordingly determine the time interval of block generation of the first branch” (Lin, 0043).
Here, “communicate to obtain” maps to “determine”,
“the time interval of block generation” maps to “a generation time of the next block”,
“the in-group maximum transmission delay time” maps to “the candidate generation time of the next block”,
“of the first group” maps to “determined by the electronic device”, and
“in-group maximum transmission delay time of the first group” maps to “the candidate generation time of the next block which [is] determined by each of the other electronic devices” because the group delay is the result of each device in the group measuring and reporting its own delay).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Covaci’s method for modifying the size of a blockchain block with Lin’s method for modifying the time required to generate a block. Both methods achieve the same purpose of making blockchain more flexible, so it makes sense to combine them since they provide similar benefits that stack.
As to Claim 27:
Covaci teaches:
The candidate size of the next block ... that [is] determined by the selected electronic device as the size of the next block
(“[I]t is imperative to consider changes to the block size and thus the blockchain itself.... Assuming a transaction rate, r, we can calculate the necessary block size.... [T]he block size
B
(
r
,
s
T
X
)
can be expressed as:
B
r
,
s
T
X
=
s
T
X
*
T
r
=
s
T
X