DETAILED ACTION
The present office action represents a nonfinal action on the merits.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/12/2026 has been entered.
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 .
Priority
This application claims the priority date of a Japanese Patent Application JP2021-054150 of March 26, 2021, and continuation of PCT/JP2022/014627 of March 25, 2022.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-2 and 8-9 are amended and claims 1-2, 5, and 8-10 are pending.
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 1-2, 5, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because 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.
Claim 1 is drawn to a medication information management system, which is within the four statutory categories (i.e., machine), Claims 2, 5, 8 and 10 are drawn to a management control device, which is within the four statutory categories (i.e., machine), Claim 9 is drawn to a medication information management method implemented by a system, which is within the four statutory categories (i.e., process).
Claim 1 recites a medication information management system comprising:
a management control device, provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, configured to manage information indicating a status of medication administered to a medication target recipient and a terminal device capable of transmitting and receiving information data to and from the management control device via a network,
wherein the management control device comprises processing circuitry configured to:
generate medication certification information, individually for the medication target recipient, including at least identification information and information indicating a medication history of the medication target recipient, based on the information indicating the status of medication of the medication target recipient;
generate and store a token that has, as an attribute value, management information for managing the medication certification information, a hash value of a medication certification data file of the medication certification information, and information indicating usage history of the medication certification information in the attribute value;
update the information indicating the usage history in the token to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used and update and store, as a transaction in the blockchain platform, information representing a change history of the token each time the information indicating the usage history is updated;
verify the medication certification data based on the hash value included in the attribute value of the token upon receipt of a token verification request transmitted by designating an address corresponding to the medication target recipient on the blockchain platform using a secret key associated with the address; and
upon receipt of a reference request for the usage history of the medication certification information from the terminal device, transmit to the terminal device of a request source the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of a corresponding token, and
the terminal device comprises processing circuitry configured to:
obtain from the management control device the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of the token and execute information processing in accordance with a predetermined purpose based on the obtained information indicating the usage history,
wherein every time the medication certification information is used, a portable terminal used by a user of the medication certification information automatically adds usage date/time and usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor of the portable terminal to the medication certification information, and the processing circuitry obtains the information indicating the usage date/time and usage location of the medication certification information from the portable terminal.
Claims 2, 5, 8 and 10 recites a management control device provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P)network, that is configured to obtain and manage information indicating a status of medication administered to a medication target recipient and is capable of transmitting and receiving information data to and from a terminal device via a network, the management control device comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
generate medication certification information, individually for the medication target recipient, including at least identification information and information indicating medication history of the medication target recipient, based on the information indicating the status of medication of the medication target recipient;
generate and store a token that has, as an attribute value, management information for managing the medication certification information, a hash value of a medication certification data file of the medication certification information, and information indicating usage history of the medication certification information in the attribute value;
update information indicating the usage history in the token to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used, and update and store, as a transaction in the blockchain platform, information representing a change history of the token each time the information indicating the usage history is updated;
verify the medication certification data based on the hash value included in the attribute value of the token upon receipt of a token verification request transmitted by designating an address corresponding to the medication target recipient on the blockchain platform using a secret key associated with the address; and
upon receipt of a reference request for the usage history of the medication certification information from the terminal device, transmit to the terminal device of a request source the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of a corresponding token,
wherein every time the medication certification information is used, a portable terminal used by a user of the medication certification information automatically adds usage date/time and usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor of the portable terminal to the medication certification information, and the processing circuitry obtains the information indicating the usage date/time and usage location of the medication certification information from the portable terminal.
Claim 9 recites medication information management method implemented by a system comprising a management control device provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, configured to obtain and manage information indicating a condition of medication administered to a medication target recipient and a terminal device capable of transmitting and receiving information data to and from the management control device via a network,
wherein the management control device is configured to implement:
a process of generating medication certification information individually for the medication target recipient based on the information indicating a condition of medication of the medication target recipient, the medication certification information including at least identification information and information indicating medication history of the medication target recipient;
a process of generating and storing a token that has, as an attribute value, management information for managing the medication certification information, a hash value of a medication certification data file of the medication certification information, and information indicating usage history of the medication certification information in the attribute value;
a process of updating the information indicating the usage history in the token to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used, and updating and storing, as a transaction in the blockchain platform, information representing a change history of the token each time the information indicating the usage history is updated;
a process of verifying the medication certification data based on the hash value included in the attribute value of the token upon receipt of a token verification request transmitted by designating an address corresponding to the medication target recipient on the blockchain platform using a secret key associated with the address; and
a process of, upon receipt of a reference request for the usage history of the medication certification information from the terminal device, transmitting to the terminal device of a request source the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of a corresponding token, and
the terminal device is configured to implement:
a process of obtaining the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of the token from the management control device and processing information in accordance with a predetermined purpose based on the obtained information indicating the usage history,
wherein every time the medication certification information is used, a portable terminal used by a user of the medication certification information automatically adds usage date/time and usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor of the portable terminal to the medication certification information, and the processing circuitry obtains the information indicating the usage date/time and usage location of the medication certification information from the portable terminal.
The bolded limitations, given the broadest reasonable interpretation, cover a certain method of organizing human activity (e.g., gathering patient information; managing patient information, in this case manage information indicating a status of medication administered to a medication target recipient.). The underlined limitations are not part of the identified abstract idea (the method of organizing human activity) and are deemed “additional elements,” and will be discussed in further detail below.
Dependent claims 5, 8 and 10 are similarly rejected because they either further define/narrow the abstract idea and/or do not further limit the claim to a practical application or provide an inventive concept such that the claims are subject matter eligible even when considered individually or as an ordered combination.
The dependent claims include additional limitations but these only serve to further limit the abstract idea, and hence are nonetheless directed towards fundamentally the same abstract idea as independent claims 1, 2, and 9.
The additional elements from claim 1 include:
a medication information management system (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
The additional elements from claims 1, 2, and 9 include:
a management control device (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, configured to
processing circuitry (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a terminal device (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
via a network (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
store a token (insignificant extra-solution activity, MPEP 2106.05(g); apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a corresponding token (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a portable terminal (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a global positioning system (GPS) sensor (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a secret key (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
The additional elements from claim 9 include:
a system (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f))
The dependent claims contain additional elements including from claim 10 include:
non-transitory program storage medium that stores a program by which operations of the processing units of the management control device (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
a processor of the management control device (apply it, MPEP 2106.05(f)).
Claims 1-2, 5, 8-10 are not integrated into a practical application because the additional elements (i.e., the limitations not identified as part of the abstract idea) amount to no more than limitations which:
amount to mere instructions to apply an exception – for example, the recitation of a “medication information management system”, “processing circuitry”, “a management control device”, “a terminal device”, “a network”, “a token”, “a corresponding token”, “a system”, “a portable terminal”, “a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network”, “a program storage medium that stores a program”, “a processor of the management control device”, “a secret key”, and “a global positioning system (GPS) sensor”, which amounts to merely invoking a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea e.g. see Specification Paragraphs [0008]-[0011], [0033], [0037]-[0039], [0042], [0047], [0051]-[0052], [0073], [0075], [0092] (see MPEP 2106.05(f));
amount to insignificant extra-solution activity – for example, the recitation of “store” which amounts to insignificant extra-solution activity to perform the abstract idea, for example, adding a final step of storing data to a process that only recites computing the area of a space (a mathematical relationship) does not add a meaningful limitation to the process of computing the area e.g. see Specification Paragraphs [0048]-[0053] (see MPEP 2106.05(g)).
Furthermore, the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to “significantly more” than the judicial exception because, the additional elements (i.e., the elements other than the abstract idea) amount to no more than limitations which:
amount to elements that have been recognized as well-understood, routine, and conventional activity in particular fields, as demonstrated by:
The Specification discloses that the additional elements are well-understood, routine, and conventional in nature (i.e., Paragraphs [0008]-[0011], [0033], [0037]-[0039], [0042], [0047], [0051]-[0052], [0051], [0073], [0075], [0092] of the Specification discloses that the additional elements (i.e., a medication information management system, processing circuitry, a management control device, a terminal device, a network, store a token, the corresponding token, a system, the corresponding token, a portable terminal, a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, a program storage medium that stores a program, a processor of the management control device, a processor of the terminal device, a secret key, and a global positioning system (GPS) sensor) comprise a plurality of different types of generic computing systems that are configured to perform generic computer functions that are well understood routine, and conventional activities previously known to the pertinent industry (i.e., healthcare).
Dependent claims 5, 8, and 10 include other limitations, but none of these functions are deemed significantly more than the abstract idea because the additional elements recited in the aforementioned dependent claims similarly represent no more than those found in the independent claims.
Thus, taken alone, the additional elements do not amount to “significantly more” than the above identified abstract idea. Furthermore, looking at the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually, and there is no indication that the combination of elements improves a medication information management system, management control device, terminal device, management method, and program storage medium for medication information or improves any other technology, and their collective functions merely provide conventional computer implementation.
Therefore, whether taken individually or as an ordered combination, claims 1-2, 5, and 8-10 are nonetheless rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-2, 5, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jarvis (U.S. Pub. No. 20210319116 A1) in view of Sparks (U.S Pub. No. 20210326474 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jarvis discloses Claim 1 recites a medication information management system comprising (Paragraphs [0022] and [0130]-[0131] discuss access validation system can utilize a distributed ledger to generate a record data structure regarding a user and output credential data representing the medical status or vaccination information of the user.):
a management control device, provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, configured to manage information indicating a status of medication administered to a medication target recipient and a terminal device capable of transmitting and receiving information data to and from the management control device via a network (Paragraphs [0029], [0036]-[0038], [0131] discuss a distributed network IAM system for access control and identity credential verification and access validation system that includes a distributed ledger system (distributed ledger system can be a sequential, distributed transaction database. An example of a sequential, distributed transaction database is a “Blockchain”) can enable such policies to be implemented by enabling users (e.g., using a user device) to provide a credential that indicates a medical status of the user, from the distributed ledger encrypted PII data upon request can be transmitted to third party systems and a “calculator/attestor algorithm” would broker between the source and target peer-to-peer entities such that a minimal amount of information required to legitimize and execute an information exchange between the source and target is determined, exchanged, and validated so that a “transaction” can occur.)
wherein the management control device comprises processing circuitry configured to (Paragraphs [0010], [0028], and [0032] discuss management processing and in conjunction with the distributed ledgers can send to user devices containing a wallet a verified access or access error depending on the outcome of processing.):
generate medication certification information (Examiner interprets “medical certification information” to include “generate a credential” or provide an “attestation of the medical status” in the prior art.), individually for the medication target recipient, including at least identification information and information indicating a medication history of the medication target recipient, based on the information indicating the status of medication of the medication target recipient (Paragraphs [0004], [0130]-[0134], and [0146]-[0148] discuss processors cause an identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status of a user using credential data representative of the status received from a distributed ledger and the one or more processors cause the identity wallet to present an indication of the status using the user interface.);
generate and store a token that has, as an attribute value, management information for managing the medication certification information, a hash value of a medication certification data file of the medication certification information, and information indicating usage history of the medication certification information in the attribute value (Paragraphs [0028], [0061]-[0066], [0090], [0146]-[0148] discuss the distributed databases that form the distributed ledger system store encrypted information records, typically the records will be a hash of an information record, the record has a structure that includes an attribute type, a hashed and encrypted value of the attribute, an attestor's digital signature of the hashed and encrypted value and the attestor's address, distributed ledger can perform at least one of a hash operation and an encryption operation on the medical status and all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger.);
update the information indicating the usage history in the token to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used, and update and store, as a transaction in the blockchain platform, information representing a change history of the token each time the information indicating the usage history is updated (Paragraphs [0028] and [0153] discuss credential data maintained by the wallet can be updated to indicate that access was validated, and the wallet can transmit an indication that access was validated to the distributed ledger, which can update a time stamp associated with the medical status to indicate that access was validated, all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledge.);
verify the medication certification data based on the hash value included in the attribute value of the token upon receipt of a token verification request transmitted by designating an address corresponding to the medication target recipient on the blockchain platform using a secret key associated with the address (Paragraphs [0028], [0061], and [0070]-[0072] discuss in conjunction with the distributed ledgers send to user devices containing a wallet a verified access, verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, encrypted data can either be sent to the user's broker system or the wallet can look up the direct address of the third party system and send the encrypted data directly to the third party system, upon approval (partial or all) of the request, the wallet encrypts the requested information using a public key infrastructure (PKI) where a public key of the third party is used along with one the private keys associated with the wallet to encrypt the data.); and
upon receipt of a reference request for the usage history of the medication certification information from the terminal device, transmit to the terminal device of a request source the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of a corresponding token (Paragraphs [0028]-[0029] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger in the network system.), and
the terminal device comprises processing circuitry configured to (Paragraph [0004] discusses a user interface, display, output device, one or more processors cause an identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status.):
obtain from the management control device the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of the token and execute information processing in accordance with a predetermined purpose based on the obtained information indicating the usage history (Paragraph [0028] and [0111]-[0113] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, Records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, the signatures of the parties, and may include additional detailed information depending on the type of distributed ledger used, the token contains access policies.),
wherein every time the medication certification information is used, a portable terminal used by a user of the medication certification information automatically adds usage date/time and usage location based on a location sensed by the portable terminal to the medication certification information, and the processing circuitry obtains the information indicating the usage date/time and usage location of the medication certification information from the portable terminal (Paragraphs [0023], [0028], [0061], and [0111]-[0113] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, the signatures of the parties, and may include additional detailed information depending on the type of distributed ledger used, the token contains access policies, the system tracks IP address used in a communication service broker.).
Jarvis does not explicitly disclose:
usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor.
Sparks teaches:
usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor (Paragraph [0164] discusses the system utilizes GPS technology to track when a subscriber travels to another state.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Jarvis to include, usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, as taught by Sparks, in order to provide quicker access to immunization records, and help keep track of a patient's immunization status. (Sparks Paragraph [0005].).
Regarding claim 2, Jarvis discloses a management control device provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, that is configured to obtain and manage information indicating a status of medication administered to a medication target recipient and is capable of transmitting and receiving information data to and from a terminal device via a network, the management control device comprising (Paragraphs [0029], [0036]-[0038], [0131] discuss a distributed network IAM system for access control and identity credential verification and access validation system that includes a distributed ledger system (distributed ledger system can be a sequential, distributed transaction database. An example of a sequential, distributed transaction database is a “Blockchain”) can enable such policies to be implemented by enabling users (e.g., using a user device) to provide a credential that indicates a medical status of the user, from the distributed ledger encrypted PII data upon request can be transmitted to third party systems and a “calculator/attestor algorithm” would broker between the source and target peer-to-peer entities such that a minimal amount of information required to legitimize and execute an information exchange between the source and target is determined, exchanged, and validated so that a “transaction” can occur.):
processing circuitry configured to (Paragraph [0004] discusses processors cause identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status.)
generate medication certification information, individually for the medication target recipient, including at least identification information and information indicating medication history of the medication target recipient, based on the information indicating the status of medication of the medication target recipient (Paragraphs [0004], [0130]-[0134], and [0146]-[0148] discuss processors cause an identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status of a user using credential data representative of the status received from a distributed ledger and the one or more processors cause the identity wallet to present an indication of the status using the user interface.);
generate and store a token that has, as an attribute value, management information for managing the medication certification information, a hash value of a medication certification data file of the medication certification information, and information indicating usage history of the medication certification information in the attribute value (Paragraphs [0028], [0061]-[0066], [0090], [0146]-[0148] discuss the distributed databases that form the distributed ledger system store encrypted information records, typically the records will be a hash of an information record, the record has a structure that includes an attribute type, a hashed and encrypted value of the attribute, an attestor's digital signature of the hashed and encrypted value and the attestor's address, distributed ledger can perform at least one of a hash operation and an encryption operation on the medical status and all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger.);
update information indicating the usage history in the token to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used, and update and store, as a transaction in the blockchain platform, information representing a change history of the token each time the information indicating the usage history is updated (Paragraphs [0028] and [0153] discuss credential data maintained by the wallet can be updated to indicate that access was validated, and the wallet can transmit an indication that access was validated to the distributed ledger, which can update a time stamp associated with the medical status to indicate that access was validated, all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledge.);
verify the medication certification data based on the hash value included in the attribute value of the token upon receipt of a token verification request transmitted by designating an address corresponding to the medication target recipient on the blockchain platform using a secret key associated with the address (Paragraphs [0028], [0061], and [0070]-[0072] discuss in conjunction with the distributed ledgers send to user devices containing a wallet a verified access, verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, encrypted data can either be sent to the user's broker system or the wallet can look up the direct address of the third party system and send the encrypted data directly to the third party system, upon approval (partial or all) of the request, the wallet encrypts the requested information using a public key infrastructure (PKI) where a public key of the third party is used along with one the private keys associated with the wallet to encrypt the data.); and
upon receipt of a reference request for the usage history of the medication certification information from the terminal device, transmit to the terminal device of a request source the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of a corresponding token (Paragraphs [0028]-[0029] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger in the network system.);
wherein every time the medication certification information is used, a portable terminal used by a user of the medication certification information automatically adds usage date/time and usage location based on a location sensed by the portable terminal to the medication certification information, and the processing circuitry obtains the information indicating the usage date/time and usage location of the medication certification information from the portable terminal (Paragraphs [0023], [0028], [0061], and [0111]-[0113] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, the signatures of the parties, and may include additional detailed information depending on the type of distributed ledger used, the token contains access policies, the system tracks IP address used in a communication service broker.).
Jarvis does not explicitly disclose:
usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor.
Sparks teaches:
usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor (Paragraph [0164] discusses the system utilizes GPS technology to track when a subscriber travels to another state.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Jarvis to include, usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, as taught by Sparks, in order to provide quicker access to immunization records, and help keep track of a patient's immunization status. (Sparks Paragraph [0005].).
Regarding claim 5, Jarvis discloses wherein the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the usage date/time and the usage location (Paragraphs [0028] discuss systems and methods in accordance with the present disclosure can use application that in conjunction with the distributed ledgers can send to user devices containing a wallet a verified access or access error depending on the outcome of processing. All exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger.),
wherein when the usage is confirmed based on the information, the token update processing unit updates the information indicating the usage history in the token (Paragraphs [0003], [0028], [0103], [0112], and [0153] discuss the access validation system includes one or more processors that cause a distributed ledger to generate a record data structure regarding a user; the credential data maintained by the wallet can be updated to indicate that access was validated, and the wallet can transmit an indication that access was validated to the distributed ledger, which can update a time stamp associated with the medical status to indicate that access was validated and all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger; records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, the signatures of the parties, and may include additional detailed information depending on the type of distributed ledger used; tokens are registered on a user’s wallet to verity user has gone through authentication process.).
Jarvis does not explicitly disclose:
to obtain consent information prior to use of the medication certification information from at least one of the medication target recipient corresponding to the medication certification information and a user of the medication certification information, the consent information indicating whether or not a consent is achieved to usage,
wherein when the consent to the usage is confirmed based on the consent information.
Sparks teaches:
to obtain consent information prior to use of the medication certification information from at least one of the medication target recipient corresponding to the medication certification information and a user of the medication certification information, the consent information indicating whether or not a consent is achieved to usage (Paragraphs [0063], [0071], and [0169] discuss with the user's permission, the vaccination record system will query the state immunization registries (SIRs) where you or your minor children have received vaccinations and allows users to allow their data in the system and accessed by authorized EMR personnel, for example, the subscriber signs an agreement that authorizes a First Responder or an Emergency Medical Doctor or Nurse to access their vault in an emergency situation. An Emergency Code would be entered in the subscriber's mobile phone, for example, to open the subscriber's vault. The First Responder or ER licensed physician or nurse would then input information such as their name, their employer, the reason(s) for accessing the subscriber's vault, and date and time of review of the records. For example, a First Responder could arrive at a subscriber's home and find a subscriber, such an elderly person, in severe respiratory distress. The first responder could immediately review the subscriber's immunization records and COVID-19 health status records stored in vault.),
wherein when the consent to the usage is confirmed based on the consent information (Paragraph [0063] discusses with the user's permission, the vaccination record system will query the SIRs.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Jarvis to include, to obtain consent information prior to use of the medication certification information from at least one of the medication target recipient corresponding to the medication certification information and a user of the medication certification information, the consent information indicating whether or not a consent is achieved to usage and wherein when the consent to the usage is confirmed based on the consent information, as taught by Sparks, in order to ensure that patients have all of their immunizations and that the information is available when your doctor needs it to help decide which shots should be given and when. (Sparks Paragraph [0004].).
Regarding claim 8, Jarvis discloses wherein the processing circuitry of the terminal device executes, based on the obtained information indicating the usage history, at least one of a process for generating information for managing post-medication behavioral history individually for the medication target recipient, a process for generating information for managing a health condition individually for the medication target recipient, a process for generating statistical information (Examiner notes that the prior art does not explicitly state “generating statistical information”, however, Examiner interprets tracking and logging all exchanges for various users to include the limitation per the Specification [0152]-[0154].) indicating usage status of the medication certification information, and a process for generating dynamic information indicating a behavioral tendency of a plurality of medication target recipients (Paragraphs [0004], [0028], [0050], and [0153] discuss access validation device includes a user interface and one or more processors, at least one of a display and an audio output device. The one or more processors cause an identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status of a user using credential data representative of the status received from a distributed ledger, at least one of the wallet and the distributed ledger can be updated responsive to the validation of the medical status. For example, the credential data maintained by the wallet can be updated to indicate that access was validated, and the wallet can transmit an indication that access was validated to the distributed ledger, which can update a time stamp associated with the medical status to indicate that access was validated (e.g., that the medical status was validated), all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, for example a governmental entity.).
Regarding claim 9, Jarvis discloses a medication information management method implemented by a system comprising a management control device provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, configured to obtain and manage information indicating a condition of medication administered to a medication target recipient and a terminal device capable of transmitting and receiving information data to and from the management control device via a network (Paragraphs [0022], [0028]-[0029], [0036]-[0038], [0130]-[0131] discuss methods and access validation system can utilize a distributed ledger to generate a record data structure regarding a user and output credential data representing the medical status or vaccination information of the user, a distributed network IAM system for access control and identity credential verification and access validation system that includes a distributed ledger system (distributed ledger system can be a sequential, distributed transaction database. An example of a sequential, distributed transaction database is a “Blockchain”) can enable such policies to be implemented by enabling users (e.g., using a user device) to provide a credential that indicates a medical status of the user, from the distributed ledger encrypted PII data upon request can be transmitted to third party systems and a “calculator/attestor algorithm” would broker between the source and target peer-to-peer entities such that a minimal amount of information required to legitimize and execute an information exchange between the source and target is determined, exchanged, and validated so that a “transaction” can occur.),
wherein the management control device is configured to implement (Paragraph [0008] discusses the medical institution device) (Paragraphs [0010], [0028], and [0032] discuss management processing and in conjunction with the distributed ledgers can send to user devices containing a wallet a verified access or access error depending on the outcome of processing.):
a process of generating medication certification information individually for the medication target recipient based on the information indicating a condition of medication of the medication target recipient, the medication certification information including at least identification information and information indicating medication history of the medication target recipient (Paragraphs [0004], [0130]-[0134], and [0146]-[0148] discuss processors cause an identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status of a user using credential data representative of the status received from a distributed ledger and the one or more processors cause the identity wallet to present an indication of the status using the user interface.);
a process of generating and storing a token that has, as an attribute value, management information for managing the medication certification information, a hash value of a medication certification data file of the medication certification information, and information indicating usage history of the medication certification information in the attribute value (Paragraphs [0028], [0061]-[0066], [0090], [0146]-[0148] discuss the distributed databases that form the distributed ledger system store encrypted information records, typically the records will be a hash of an information record, the record has a structure that includes an attribute type, a hashed and encrypted value of the attribute, an attestor's digital signature of the hashed and encrypted value and the attestor's address, distributed ledger can perform at least one of a hash operation and an encryption operation on the medical status and all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger.);
a process of updating the information indicating the usage history in the token to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used, and updating and storing, as a transaction in the blockchain platform, information representing a change history of the token each time the information indicating the usage history is updated (Paragraphs [0028] and [0153] discuss credential data maintained by the wallet can be updated to indicate that access was validated, and the wallet can transmit an indication that access was validated to the distributed ledger, which can update a time stamp associated with the medical status to indicate that access was validated, all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledge.);
a process of verifying the medication certification data based on the hash value included in the attribute value of the token upon receipt of a token verification request transmitted by designating an address corresponding to the medication target recipient on the blockchain platform using a secret key associated with the address (Paragraphs [0028], [0061], and [0070]-[0072] discuss in conjunction with the distributed ledgers send to user devices containing a wallet a verified access, verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, encrypted data can either be sent to the user's broker system or the wallet can look up the direct address of the third party system and send the encrypted data directly to the third party system, upon approval (partial or all) of the request, the wallet encrypts the requested information using a public key infrastructure (PKI) where a public key of the third party is used along with one the private keys associated with the wallet to encrypt the data.); and
a process of, upon receipt of a reference request for the usage history of the medication certification information from the terminal device, transmitting to the terminal device of a request source the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of a corresponding token (Paragraphs [0028]-[0029] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger in the network system), and
the terminal device is configured to implement (Paragraph [0004] discusses a user interface, display, output device, one or more processors cause an identity wallet to generate a credential regarding a medical status.):
a process of obtaining the information indicating the usage history included in the attribute value of the token from the management control device and processing information in accordance with a predetermined purpose based on the obtained information indicating the usage history (Paragraph [0028] and [0111]-[0113] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, Records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, the signatures of the parties, and may include additional detailed information depending on the type of distributed ledger used, the token contains access policies.),
wherein every time the medication certification information is used, a portable terminal used by a user of the medication certification information automatically adds usage date/time and usage location based on a location sensed by the portable terminal to the medication certification information, and the processing circuitry obtains the information indicating the usage date/time and usage location of the medication certification information from the portable terminal (Paragraphs [0023], [0028], [0061], and [0111]-[0113] discuss all exchanges can be logged in the distributed ledger for audit tracking, etc. and verification of information can be used with information in the distributed ledger, records can be added to the distributed ledger as transactions and include a hashed record of the transaction, what was exchanged, the signatures of the parties, and may include additional detailed information depending on the type of distributed ledger used, the token contains access policies, the system tracks IP address used in a communication service broker.).
Jarvis does not explicitly disclose:
usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor.
Sparks teaches:
usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor (Paragraph [0164] discusses the system utilizes GPS technology to track when a subscriber travels to another state.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Jarvis to include, usage location based on a location sensed by a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, as taught by Sparks, in order to provide quicker access to immunization records, and help keep track of a patient's immunization status. (Sparks Paragraph [0005].).
Regarding claim 10, Jarvis discloses a non-transitory program storage medium that stores a program by which operations of the processing units of the management control device according to claim 2 are implemented by a processor of the management control device (Paragraphs [0157]-[0158] discuss computer program products are stored in a tangible form on non-transitory computer readable media and non-transitory physical hardware storage devices that are suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data and processors suitable for the execution of a computer program.).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 6/12/2026 have been fully considered.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112:
Examiner withdraws the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection in light of Applicant’s amendments.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 101:
With respect to claim 1 and the 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection, Applicant’s amendment fails to overcome the previous rejection. Claim 1 as amended recites an abstract idea, a method of organizing human activity. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(II)(C) Managing Personal Behavior or Relationships or Interactions Between People. Applicant states, “the claims recite a specific technical architecture in which a management control device, provided in a blockchain platform in which a plurality of distributed ledgers are connected via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, generates and stores a token having management information as an attribute value, wherein that attribute value specifically includes information indicating the usage history of the medication certification information, and wherein that usage history is updated to the blockchain platform every time the medication certification information is used. This is a specific, concrete technical mechanism - not a method of organizing human activity.” (Remarks, page 10). Examiner respectfully disagrees. Here, there is no technical improvement, only an improvement to the abstract idea – the blockchain is doing what it is intended to do and there is no improvement to the blockchain. Applicant further states, “automatic, sensor-driven, real-time capture and propagation of location and timestamp data to a blockchain-based token is a technical operation performed by specific hardware components - it is not a mental process, a mathematical concept, or a method of organizing human activity.” (Remarks, page 11). Examiner respectfully disagrees. Adding a timestamp to data and noting the location where the data is sent is not a technical improvement to the blockchain.
While practical application is a way to overcome the Prong 2 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection, here, claim 1 fails to integrate the recited judicial exception into a practical application. Applicant states, “a clear practical application is in the claims whereby the claims solve a specific technical problem such that a token stored on a blockchain platform carries usage history as an attribute value, that attribute value is updated to the distributed ledger every time the certification is used, and the usage date/time and location are automatically captured by a GPS sensor in the portable terminal and propagated to the management control device without any manual intervention. This specific technical arrangement produces a result that was not previously achievable.” (Remarks, page 11). Examiner respectfully disagrees. Here, acquiring information indicating the usage history of the medication certification information by referring to the token of the medication certification information and updating it to a blockchain platform, does not result in a practical application as it is recited as part of the abstract idea, as stated above. Applicant also states, “Claim 1 explicitly recite that the token includes a hash value of the medication certification data, and that the processing circuitry verifies the medication certification data based on that hash value prior to updating the usage history. This introduces a concrete cryptographic technical operation. The claims further recite that the token change history is stored as a transaction in the blockchain platform each time the usage history is updated. This ties the claims to the technical nature of blockchain storage. The amended claims further recite the GPS sensor as the hardware component that senses the location, rather than the more generic "location sensed by the portable terminal." This makes the technical implementation more concrete.” (Remarks, page 12). Examiner respectfully disagrees. All components in the claims are being used for their intended purpose and as written do not result in a practical application or significantly more than the abstract idea. For the reasons stated above, claims 2 and 9 similarly fail to overcome the 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103:
With respect to claim 1 and the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection, Applicant’s amendment overcomes the previous 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered and the Examiner’s rejection has been updated to address Applicant’s claim amendments and additions. Similarly, Examiner’s rejection related to claims 2 and 9 has been amended.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAWN TRINAH HAYNES whose telephone number is (571)270-5994. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:15PM.
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/DAWN T. HAYNES/
Art Unit 3686
/RACHELLE L REICHERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3686
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