DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 6/10/26 has been entered.
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to RCE, amendment and response filed on 6/10/26. Claims 1, 13 and 20 were amended. Claim 11 was cancelled. Claims 1-9, 12-17 and 19-20 are pending and examined.
Response to Arguments
101: The Applicant’s amendments and arguments have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
The Applicant essentially argues that amended claims overcome the rejection.
The Examiner disagrees.
Use of blockchain amounts to “apply it” and does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because blockchain is claimed for mere storage and access to rental information such as permission information associated with the rented item and/or renter, as such is not improvement per MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
Game related additional elements also amount to mere display of information and are not sufficient as an improvement per MPEP 2106.05(f)(2). Any game related additional elements such as asset transfer during the game also do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because the claims do not recite technological details of how the asset is transferred within the game or other games in which the renter may utilize the asset, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1).
As such, an updated rejection is provided that addresses the amended claims.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 6/12/26 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(1), which requires the following: (1) a list of all patents, publications, applications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office; (2) U.S. patents and U.S. patent application publications listed in a section separately from citations of other documents; (3) the application number of the application in which the information disclosure statement is being submitted on each page of the list; (4) a column that provides a blank space next to each document to be considered, for the examiner’s initials; and (5) a heading that clearly indicates that the list is an information disclosure statement. The information disclosure statement has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
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 1-9, 11-17 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. (Step 1) The claims recite a process (claims 1-9, 12), an apparatus (claims 13-17 and 19) and an article of manufacture (claim 20. For the purposes of this analysis, representative claim 13 is addressed (from claims 1, 13 and 20). (Step 2A, prong 1) Abstract ideas are in bold below, and represent organizing human activity as a method of rental transaction validation and authorizing the renter based on the validated rental transaction, as are all a form of commercial or legal interactions and managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people.
A blockchain-based data processing apparatus, comprising:
a memory operable to store computer-readable instructions; and a processor circuitry operable to read the computer-readable instructions, the processor circuitry when executing the computer-readable instructions is configured to:
upload rental information regarding a virtual asset to a blockchain network, the blockchain network being a consortium blockchain network comprising one or more service devices of a game application, the consortium blockchain network being configured to enable a virtual asset of the game application to be transferred within the game application or between different game applications, the rental information being for indicating that the virtual asset of a first object is in a rental pending state;
obtain a rental request generated for the rental information, the rental request carrying resource transfer information of the virtual asset, the resource transfer information comprising a numerical resource value of electronic resources to be transferred by a second object for renting the virtual asset;
transfer a target asset warrant of the virtual asset from an account address of the first object to an account address of the second object, and transfer the electronic resources of the numerical resource value from the account address of the second object to the account address of the first object, the target asset warrant being for indicating that the first object has an ownership for the virtual asset;
determine a warrant attribute corresponding to the target asset warrant, generate a rental transaction record regarding the virtual asset based on the warrant attribute and the resource transfer information, and upload the rental transaction record to the blockchain network, the rental transaction record being for indicating that the second object has a use permission for the virtual asset but does not have a transfer permission for the virtual asset, the use permission being for using the virtual asset as a condition for joining a target game scene in the game application;
obtain a joining request for a target game scene in the game application, and query the blockchain network for a joining condition for joining the target game scene based on the joining request, the joining request being for instructing to add the second object to the target game scene;
obtain game attribute information of the second object regarding the game application verify validity of the joining request based on the game attribute information, the rental transaction record, and the joining condition of the target game scene
determining, based on the rental transaction record, a rental period during which the second object rents the virtual asset and a first asset quantity of the virtual asset rented to the second object;
determining a game level of the second object in the game application based on the game attribute information, and querying, based on the game level, the joining condition of the target game scene for a virtual asset quantity limit required for the second object to join the target game scene;
obtaining generation time of the joining request in response to the first asset quantity being greater than the virtual asset quantity limit; and
determining that the joining request is valid in response to the generation time of the joining request falling within the rental period during which the second object rents the virtual asset;
generate joining permission information in response to the joining request being valid, the joining permission information being for indicating that the second object has a joining permission for the target game scene; and
upload the joining permission information to the blockchain network, and transmit the joining permission information to an application server of the game application, the joining permission information being for instructing the application server to add the second object to the target game scene.
(Step 2A prong 2) The additional elements are as follows:
“A blockchain-based data processing apparatus”, “a memory operable to store computer-readable instructions; and a processor circuitry operable to read the computer-readable instructions, the processor circuitry when executing the computer-readable instructions is configured”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“upload [rental information regarding a] virtual [asset] to a blockchain network, the blockchain network being a consortium blockchain network comprising one or more service devices of a game application, the consortium blockchain network being configured to enable [a] virtual [asset] of the game application to be transferred within the game application or between different game applications”. “Upload” information (rental) into “blockchain network” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2). “the blockchain network being a consortium blockchain network comprising one or more service devices of a game application” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2). “virtual [asset]” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as “virtual” is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2). “the consortium blockchain network being configured to enable [a] virtual [asset] of the game application to be transferred within the game application or between different game applications” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because the claim fails to recite the technological details of how the “blockchain network” is configured to enable the “virtual asset” to be transferred within “the game application or between different game applications”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1).
“[determine a warrant attribute …] joining a target game scene in the game application”. “joining a target game scene in the game application” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“upload [the joining permission information] to the blockchain network, and transmit [the joining permission information] to an application server of the game application, [the joining permission information] being for instructing the application server to [add the second object] to the target game scene”. Upload information and transmit the information do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
(Step 2B) The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of rental transaction validation and authorizing the renter based on the validated rental transaction.
Analysis of dependent claims 5 and 15 recited “obtaining a release request for the rental information regarding the virtual asset, the release request carrying the rental information of the virtual asset and an object identifier of the first object transmitting the release request” and “determining a unit asset value corresponding to a unit asset quantity of the virtual asset based on the release request, and verifying validity of the release request based on the object identifier of the first object and the unit asset value” and “uploading the rental information regarding the virtual asset to the blockchain network in response to the release request being valid” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements.
The additional elements are as follows:
“[…] transmitting [the release request]”. Transmitting information (release request) does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of rental transaction validation and authorizing the renter based on the validated rental transaction.
Analysis of dependent claims 8 and 17 recited “obtaining a transfer request for the virtual asset, the transfer request carrying an object identifier of a transferor”, “querying the blockchain network for transaction data associated with the virtual asset in response to the object identifier of the transferor being same as the object identifier of the first object”, “executing the transfer request for the virtual asset in response to the transaction data associated with the virtual asset comprising the rental transaction record for the virtual asset and comprising the invalidity indication information of the rental transaction record for the virtual asset” and “suspending the execution of the transfer request for the virtual asset in response to the transaction data associated with the virtual asset comprising the rental transaction record for the virtual asset but not comprising the invalidity indication information of the rental transaction record for the virtual asset” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements.
The additional elements are as follows:
“executing [the transfer request for the] virtual [asset …]” and “suspending the execution of [the transfer request for the] virtual [asset …]”. Executing a transfer of an asset and suspending the transfer do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of rental transaction validation and authorizing the renter based on the validated rental transaction.
Analysis of dependent claim 9 recited “suspending the execution of the transfer request and generating transfer suspension indication information in response to the object identifier of the transferor being same as the object identifier of the second object, the transfer suspension indication information being for indicating that the second object does not have the transfer permission for the virtual asset”, “transmitting the transfer suspension indication information to the second terminal corresponding to the second object, and uploading the transfer request to the blockchain network” and “adjusting a credit rating of the second object based on the transfer request to obtain an adjusted credit rating, and suspending the execution of the rental request of the second object in response to the adjusted credit rating being less than a rating threshold.” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements.
The additional elements are as follows:
“suspending the execution of [the transfer request]”. Suspending the transfer does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“transmitting the transfer suspension indication information to the second terminal corresponding to the second object, and uploading the transfer request to the blockchain network”. Transmitting information does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“suspending the execution of the rental request of the second object ”. Suspending performance of a rental transaction does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of rental transaction validation and authorizing the renter based on the validated rental transaction.
Analysis of dependent claims 12 and 19 recited “obtaining an object registration request transmitted by a third terminal, the object registration request comprising an object identifier of a third object corresponding to the third terminal and an account address of the third object”, “invoking a registration function in the blockchain network based on the object registration request”, “obtaining object attribute information of the third object based on the registration function, and verifying validity of the third object based on the attribute information of the third object”, and “associatively storing the account address corresponding to the third terminal and the object identifier corresponding to the third terminal in the blockchain network in response to the third object being valid” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements.
The additional elements are as follows:
“[…] transmitted by a third terminal”. Transmitting information does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“invoking a registration function in the blockchain network based on the object registration request”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“associatively storing the account address corresponding to the third terminal and the object identifier corresponding to the third terminal in the blockchain network”. Storing information does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as it is no more than “apply it” because it is mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of rental transaction validation and authorizing the renter based on the validated rental transaction.
Analysis of dependent claims 2-4, 6-7, 11, 14 and 16 recited additional details which only further narrow the abstract idea and do not add any additional features, alone or in combination, that would provide a practical application or provide significantly more.
Conclusion
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/BROCK E TURK/Examiner, Art Unit 3692 /DAVID P SHARVIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3692
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