DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
This action is responsive to communicated dated 11/14/2025. Claim(s) 1-2, 6-7 and 12 have been amended. Claim(s) 1-20 have been currently pending examination. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
The applicant filed amendment(s) to claim(s) on 11/14/2025 to remedy the rejection(s).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks Page(s) 5-9, filed 11/14/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 3-6, 8-10, 12, 18-20 under 35 USC § 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Prabhakar et al. (US 2012/0209822 A1) and further in view of LI, YI (CN 111783108 A) in a detailed and different interpretation of previously applied references in USC § 103 listed below.
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) 1-10, 12, 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Prabhakar et al. (US 2012/0209822 A1) and further in view of LI YI (CN 111783108 A).
Re Claim 1, 6 & 12, LI YI teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions comprising executable code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to: LI YI; FIG. 1-18; Page(s) 3-10, 11-29; A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored executed by processors.)
receive a query associated with at least a portion of a database; (LI YI; FIG. 1-18; Page(s) 3-10, 11-29; A query associated with a database.)
execute the query against obtained data to generate a query result, wherein the obtained data comprises at least part of the at least a portion of the database; (LI YI; FIG. 1-18; Page(s) 3-10, 11-29; Executing the query, generating results/outcomes, the data corresponding to data in a database.)
LI YI does not explicitly suggest generate a proof, wherein the query, the query result, and the proof are associated with a commitment to the at least a portion of the database and the commitment comprises a value generated from other data previously ingested into the at least a portion of the database and is stored external to the database; and provide the proof and the query result in response to the query, wherein the value of the commitment enables verification of the query result against the proof.
However, in analogous art, Prabhakar discloses generate a proof, wherein the query, the query result, and the proof are associated with a commitment to the at least a portion of the database and the commitment comprises a value generated from other data previously ingested into the at least a portion of the database and is stored external to the database; and (Prabhakar; FIG. 1-13; Background, Summary, ¶ [0054], [0070]-[0087]; The cited embodiment(s) detail comparable subject matter that is similar in scope to the claimed invention that details a proof, query, query results and commitment associated with a database. In addition, the commitment/commit values associated with previously stored and utilized data stored in a external database.)
provide the proof and the query result in response to the query, wherein the value of the commitment enables verification of the query result against the proof. (Prabhakar; FIG. 1-13; Background, Summary, ¶ [0054], [0070]-[0087]; The proof, query result, value related to the commitment that enables verification.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI in view of Prabhakar to include commitment values and proofs for the verification of query results for the reasons of authenticating data in online transactions. (Prabhakar Background of The Invention)
Re Claim 2, 7, & 17, LI YI-Prabhakar discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the query is received from a verifier configured to verify the query result against the proof using the commitment. (LI YI; FIG. 1-18; Page(s) 3-10, 11-29; The cited embodiment(s) detail a comparable methodology in which the verification of the query using a related commitment is conducted.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI in view of Prabhakar to include commitment values and proofs for the verification of query results for the reasons of authenticating data in online transactions. (Prabhakar Background of The Invention)
Re Claim 3, 8 & 18, LI YI-Prabhakar discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the proof comprises the query result. (Prabhakar; FIG. 1-12; Background, Summary, ¶ [0062]-[0084], [0099]-[0110]; Generating a poof, wherein the proof, query, and result/output associated with a commitment to the database.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI in view of Prabhakar to include commitment values and proofs for the verification of query results for the reasons of authenticating data in online transactions. (Prabhakar Background of The Invention)
Re Claim 4, 9 & 19, LI YI-Prabhakar discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the query is received from a verifier, a client, an intermediary, or a gateway. (Prabhakar; FIG. 1-12; Background, Summary, ¶ [0052], [0073]-[0083]; A client.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI in view of Prabhakar to include commitment values and proofs for the verification of query results for the reasons of authenticating data in online transactions. (Prabhakar Background of The Invention)
Re Claim 5, 10 & 20, LI YI-Prabhakar discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the proof and the query result are returned to the verifier, client, intermediary, or gateway from which the query is received and the database is a blockchain database. (Prabhakar; FIG. 1-12; Background, Summary, ¶ [0062]-[0084], [0099]-[0110]; Generating a poof, wherein the proof, query, and result/output associated with a commitment to the database. Sending the proof to the client.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI in view of Prabhakar to include commitment values and proofs for the verification of query results for the reasons of authenticating data in online transactions. (Prabhakar Background of The Invention)
Claim(s) 11, 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Prabhakar et al. (US 2012/0209822 A1), in view of LI YI (CN 111783108 A) and further in view of Naqvi et al. (US 2020/0304309 A1)
Re Claim 11 & 13, LI YI-Prabhakar discloses the system of claim 6, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the system is external to a blockchain network hosting the database which comprises a blockchain database.
However, in analogous art, Naqvi teaches wherein the system is external to a blockchain network hosting the database which comprises a blockchain database. (Naqvi; FIG. 1-5; Summary, ¶ [0065]-[0088]; The system includes a blockchain related database.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI-Prabhakar in view of Naqvi to include blockchains for the reasons of verifying generating proofs in a blockchain. (Naqvi Abstract & ¶ [0065]-[0071])
Re Claim 14, LI YI-Prabhakar-Naqvi discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the method is implemented by one or more provers that are external to a blockchain network hosting the database. (Naqvi; FIG. 1-8; Summary, ¶ [0070], [0097], [0129]-[0162]; Proof of authority, related to the blockchain hosting a database.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI-Prabhakar in view of Naqvi to include blockchains for the reasons of verifying generating proofs in a blockchain. (Naqvi Abstract & ¶ [0065]-[0071])
Re Claim 15, LI YI-Prabhakar-Naqvi discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the method is implemented by one or more provers of a query verification apparatus that comprises nodes of a blockchain network hosting the database. (Naqvi; FIG. 1-8; Summary, ¶ [0065]-[0070], [0095]-[0107], [0129]-[0145], [0176]-[0177], [0340]-[0351]; Query verification as it related to databases of a blockchain related network.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI-Prabhakar in view of Naqvi to include blockchains for the reasons of verifying generating proofs in a blockchain. (Naqvi Abstract & ¶ [0065]-[0071])
Re Claim 16, LI YI-Prabhakar-Naqvi discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the one or more provers are external to the blockchain network. (Naqvi; FIG. 1-8; Summary, ¶ [0070], [0097], [0129]-[0162]; Proof of authority, related to the blockchain hosting a database.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify LI YI-Prabhakar in view of Naqvi to include blockchains for the reasons of verifying generating proofs in a blockchain. (Naqvi Abstract & ¶ [0065]-[0071])
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 CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0702. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-3:00 EST.
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, Nicholas R Taylor can be reached at 571-272-3889. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443