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 .
Acknowledgement
The Request for Consideration filed 03/23/2026 is acknowledged.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-2, 7, 13 and 16-17 are amended.
Claims 1-20 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
Examiner acknowledges interview conducted February 26, 2026.
The claims have also been amended now to recite, “a method for eliminating duplicate allocations of blocks on a blockchain”. However, the specification does not specifically describe eliminating duplicate allocations of blocks on a blockchain. According to the specification, “[0032]…The blockchain may include a set of tokens (or blocks) referencing units of resources produced,…, association of tokens in the blockchain may be updated from one entity to another entity…[0041]…The computing device may also transfer from the set of tokens from the initial wallet to a burn wallet to remove the tokens from circulation in the block chain in the distributed network.” The specification does not specifically describe eliminating or removing duplicate allocations of blocks/tokens, but transfer of tokens that are to be uncirculated. Thus a 35 U.S.C. 112a rejection is also provided below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The claims have also been amended now to recite, “a method for eliminating duplicate allocations of blocks on a blockchain”. However, the specification does not specifically describe eliminating duplicate allocations of blocks on a blockchain. According to the specification, “[0032]…The blockchain may include a set of tokens (or blocks) referencing units of resources produced,…, association of tokens in the blockchain may be updated from one entity to another entity…[0041]…The computing device may also transfer from the set of tokens from the initial wallet to a burn wallet to remove the tokens from circulation in the block chain in the distributed network.”
The specification does not specifically describe eliminating or removing duplicate allocations of blocks/tokens, but transfer of certain tokens that are to be uncirculated.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wollack et al (US 2022/0237628) in view of Metzler (US 20230259640).
Regarding claim 1, Wollack discloses a computer-implemented method for eliminating duplicate allocations of blocks on a blockchain, the method comprising:
receiving, by a producer computer of a plurality of computers associated with a blockchain, production information indicating an amount of a resource produced [¶0020-production details are monitored and recorded including details for a batch of material], a batch identifier for the resource produced (see ¶0020-describing unique product identifiers with a batch of material], and a plurality of wallet identifiers for a corresponding plurality of resource recipients [¶0039],[¶0062];
determining, by the producer computer, a number of blocks for the blockchain to generate for representing a unit of the resource produced of the amount of resource produced;[¶0058- wherein raw material batches (or units) and blockchain entries may be stored in blocks, (item# 304), (item# 308)]
generating, by the producer computer, a plurality of blocks on the blockchain according to the number of blocks and using the production information, the plurality of blocks including a plurality of sets of blocks for a corresponding resource recipient of the plurality of resource recipients,[¶0058] each block in the set of blocks for the corresponding resource recipient including a wallet identifier for the resource recipient.[¶0058], [¶0062-¶0063]
Wollack fails but Metzler discloses, executing, by the producer computer, a smart contract configured to perform a transfer of a first set of the plurality of sets of blocks to the wallet identifier for the resource recipient, the first set of the plurality of sets of blocks includes a claim status to indicate that the first set is untradeable to any resource recipients of the plurality of resource recipients indicating with the allocation [see 0005, 0012, 0059, esp. (Fig. 18) 0083]. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to that provided the features of Metzler into Wollack. The motivation would be to remove certain tokens.
Regarding claim 2, Wollack discloses further comprising generating, by the producer computer (item# 604), a graphical user interface (Fig. 4B)(item# 410) indicating ownership of one or more units of the resource produced. [¶0061], [¶0071]
Regarding claim 3, Wollack discloses wherein each block includes a pointer to a non-transitory storage medium containing at least a portion of the production information.(Fig. 6)(item# 614)[¶0072]
Regarding claim 4, Wollack discloses wherein the set of blocks for the resource recipient includes a first subset of blocks and a corresponding second subset of blocks.[¶0082-describing a subset of product identifiers]
Regarding claim 5. Wollack discloses wherein the producer computer receives one or more user inputs containing the production information via a user interface of the producer computer.(Fig. 6)(item# 604)(item# 612)(item# 628()(item# 616)[¶0070-¶0072]
Regarding claim 6, Wollack discloses wherein a set of one or more blocks includes a digital record (item# 512) including data (item# 150a) defining a physical and sustainability profile of a physical commodity represented by the digital record.(Fig. 5)(item# 510)(item# 150a)(item#512-digital signature) [¶0065]
Regarding claim 7, Wollack discloses transmitting, by a consumer computer associated with a consumer of a plurality of computers associated with a blockchain, to a producer computer of the plurality of computers a request for a portion of an amount of a resource;[¶0073-¶0074], [¶0079]
receiving, by the consumer computer, a notification confirming that a blockchain wallet of the consumer has been associated with a set of blocks added to the blockchain, the set of blocks representing the portion of the amount of the resource; and in response to the consumer computer receiving one or more user inputs for updating a claim status of the portion of the amount of resource represented by the set of blocks,[¶0061-¶0063, ¶0064-electronic communication is sent to the owner or the owner is contacted]
executing, by the consumer computer, a smart contract of the blockchain configured to update the set of blocks to being untradeable.[¶0068]
Regarding claim 8, Wollack discloses generating, by the consumer computer, a graphical user interface indicating each block associated with the blockchain wallet of the consumer being indicated as untradeable. .(Fig. 6)(item# 604)(item# 612)(item# 628()(item# 616)[¶0070-¶0072]
Regarding claim 9, Wollack discloses, obtaining, by the consumer computer, a computer file for the portion of the amount of resource indicated by a block indicated as being untradeable, the computer file including a sustainability attribute associated with the portion of the amount of resource. [¶0075-¶0076]
Regarding claim 10, Wollack discloses wherein updating the set of blocks as untradeable includes updating, by the consumer computer executing the smart contract, the set of blocks to indicate a transfer from the blockchain wallet of the consumer to a burn wallet of the blockchain. [¶0058-modified blocks],[¶0061], [ the recitation of, “…the set of blocks to indicate a transfer…”, is intended use language and has limited patentable weight.]
Regarding claim 11, Wollack discloses wherein updating the set of blocks as untradeable includes updating, by the consumer computer executing the smart contract, the set of blocks to indicate a transfer from the blockchain wallet of the consumer to an unusable pointer address. [¶0058-modified blocks], [¶0061].
Regarding claim 12. Wollack discloses wherein updating the set of blocks as untradeable includes updating, by the consumer computer executing the smart contract, a tradability attribute stored in a database for each block of the set of blocks.[¶0072]
Regarding claim 13, Wollack discloses receiving, by a computer of a plurality of computers associated with a blockchain, a notification confirming that a first blockchain wallet has been associated with a first set of blocks and a second set of blocks added to the blockchain, the first set of blocks representing an amount of a resource; [¶0061-¶0063, ¶0064-electronic communication is sent to the owner or the owner is contacted]
executing, by the computer, a first smart contract of the blockchain configured to transfer the second set of blocks to a second blockchain wallet; [¶0039],[¶0062]and
executing, by the computer, a second smart contract of the blockchain configured to update the first set of blocks to being untradeable in response to receiving an update to a claim status for the resource represented by the first set of blocks.[¶0058]
Regarding claim 14, Wollack discloses wherein a portion of the first set of blocks or the second set of blocks correspond to consumed fuel. [0020], [¶0035], [¶0040]
Regarding claim 15, Wollack discloses further comprising generating, by the computer, a graphical user interface indicating each block associated with the second blockchain wallet being indicated as untradeable. [¶0063-¶0064-indicating webpage, ¶0072]
As per claim 16, Wollack discloses a system comprising:
a database configured to store fuel information on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium;[¶0028],[¶0036]
one or more computing devices configured as nodes of a blockchain (Fig. 6) [¶0052, ¶0055, ¶0070-¶0071], including a first computing device comprising a processor configured to:
immutably store on one or more blocks of the blockchain environmental and performance characteristics of a physical fuel, wherein the environmental and performance characteristics of the physical fuel indicate a plurality of supply chain types.[¶0020]
As per claim 17, Wollack discloses wherein the one or more nodes are configured to merge the emission accounting from a mass balance physical inventory with the accounting for a book and claim program. [¶0023], [¶0044]
As per claim 18, Wollack discloses wherein the one or more nodes are configured to store additional blocks on the blockchain indicating environmental claims from at least one of physical consumption or virtual consumption according to a claim received from the computer. [¶0042], [¶0044]
As per claim 19, Wollack discloses wherein a set of one or more nodes includes a digital record including data defining a physical and sustainability profile of a physical commodity represented by the digital record. [¶0044],[¶0046-batch polymer recorded into blockchain ledger], (block 208)[¶0048-each batch of resin may be recorded via one more blockchain entries]
As per claim 20, Wollack discloses wherein the first computing device is configured to generate and store a summary reporting associated with one or more tokens for an environmental program compliance, the summary reporting including sustainability information based upon a physical and sustainability profile data for one or more physical resources.[¶0020-product details are memorialized and recorded via one or more blockchain entries]
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL S FELTEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6742. The examiner can normally be reached Flex.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ryan D Donlon can be reached at 5712703602. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DANIEL S. FELTEN
Examiner
Art Unit 3692
/DANIEL S FELTEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3692
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