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 .
Claims 1-14 are pending.
Claims 1, 12, 13 and 14 are amended.
No claims are cancelled or added.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/3/2025 and 7/22/2025. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
It is noted that the forms were submitted in such obscured format that the numbers could not be recognized by OCR. Submission of official SB08 forms or forms that have not be scanned in order to obscure the numbers would be appreciated.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments with respect to the objection to the title have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection to the title has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments and amendments filed with regards to Section 101 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the claims are not directed to an abstract idea, but fails to identify any error in the rejection as written or address the rejection in any manner other than recited amended claim language. The rejection has been updated to address the amended claims. Applicant also argues that the claims are “directed to an practical application of such an abstract idea.” While Applicant notes that the amended claims recite an ownership transfer is written to a blockchain-based electronic bulletin board, writing sales transaction ownership verification to a blockchain fails to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. In similar cases, the mere use of blockchain technology to perform an abstract idea has been found to not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. See, for example, Appeal 2020-004917, Application 15/896,206 (page 14, “We also find no indication that the use of discrete blockchain networks otherwise integrates the abstract idea into a “practical application,” as that phrase is used in the 2019 Revised Guidance.”; and page 16, “We conclude, for the reasons outlined above, that claim 1 recites a method of organizing human activity, i.e., an abstract idea, and that the additional elements recited in the claim beyond the abstract idea, i.e., “a processor”; “a first blockchain network”; and “a second blockchain network,” are no more than generic computer components used as tools to perform the recited abstract idea.”). The fact that the data stored in the blockchain is biometric data and object data does not change the nature of the technology. It merely defines the kind of data that is being used. As such, the claim limitations does not overcome any technical problem. As such, the arguments are not persuasive.
With regards to Section 103, Applicant argues that at no point does Childress disclose recording object fingerprints of items that are included in ownership certificates. But the claims do not recite recording anything. It is also noted that the term “object fingerprint” is described in the specification several ways, including images of artwork, but is not specifically limited in the claims to a particular form. As such the term “object fingerprint” has been given its broadest reasonable interpretation as an ID that uniquely identifies the work, in keeping with paragraph [0041] of the specification. Further, Childress does teach other forms of object fingerprints in keeping with any interpretation of that term (see paragraph [0025], “In some embodiments, asset and ownership information includes scanning documents of ownership, receipts, titles, photos, videos, audio recordings, or other content applied to the validation of ownership of an asset, such as asset information 145.”). As Childress clearly teaches including receipts, titles, photos, and videos of an asset for validating ownership of assets, Childress teaches that the ownership record includes asset information serving as an “object fingerprint”. As such, the arguments are not persuasive. The rejections have been updated as necessary to address the amended claims.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Representative claim 13 recites “receiving, …., a request to register a transfer of a first ownership right certificate of an item when an ownership right of the item is transferred from the first user to the second user; wherein the first ownership right certificate is a certificate that proves that the first user is an owner of the item, and including biometric information of the first user and an object fingerprint of the item, and …; generating a second ownership right certificate including at least biometric information of the second user and the object fingerprint of the item when the first user and the second user agree on the transfer of the ownership right; …; and transmitting, …, of a notification of transfer comprising a transaction ID corresponding to the transaction”. Therefore, the claim as a whole is directed to “Sales transaction ownership verification”, which is an abstract idea because it is a method of organizing human activity, including commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; or sales activities or behaviors; business relations). “Sales transaction ownership verification” is considered to be is a method of organizing human activity because the claims are directed sales process regularly conducted by humans, with or without technology. Such processes including identifications checks for ownership are regularly included in sales processes where object providence and ownership identity is in question, including real estate and art sales processes. Such sales processes regularly require request for evidence of ownership, for example by providing title documents, and verification of personal identity through the presentation of government identification. As such, claim 13 is directed to an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, claim 13 recites the following additional elements: a first user terminal, a second user terminal, and the first ownership right certificate is written on the blockchain-based electronic bulletin board and writing a transaction associated with the second ownership right certificate on the blockchain-based electronic bulletin board. Claim 1 additionally recites a plurality of ledger nodes that provide an electronic bulletin board; and a server apparatus, and claim 14 recites a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing a program causing a computer mounted on a server apparatus. These additional elements individually or in combination do not integrate the exception into a practical application. That is, the recitations of additional elements amount merely reciting the words ‘‘apply it’’ (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or merely including instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely using a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea (see MPEP 2106.05(f)). That is, the computing elements are recited in extremely broad terms not used to address a technological problem or provide a technological solution. Rather, the claims are directed to a sales process regularly conducted by humans, with or without technology. Such processes including identifications checks for ownership are regularly included in sales processes where object providence and ownership identity is in question, including real estate and art sales processes. As such, any additional element does no more than generally link the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (see MPEP 2106.05(h)). Accordingly, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Claim 13 is directed to an abstract idea.
Claim 13 does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements, individually and in combination, recite merely being used to apply the abstract idea to a technological environment. That is, as noted above, the computing elements are recited in extremely broad terms not used to address a technological problem or provide a technological. Accordingly, claim 13 is ineligible.
Claims 1 and 14 recite substantially similar features to those recited in representative claim 13 and are ineligible based on substantially the same reasons.
Dependent claims 2-12 merely further limit the abstract idea and are thereby considered to be ineligible.
Dependent claim 2 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of the first user terminal transmits an ownership right transfer registration request including a purchase and sales contract regarding buying and selling between the first user and the second user …, … transmits a purchase and sales contract checking request including the purchase and sales contract …, wherein the second user terminal transmits a checking result notification regarding the purchase and sales contract, the checking result notification including the biometric information of the second user, …, and …generates the second ownership right certificate using the biometric information of the second user, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 2 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 3 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of … transmits the ownership right transfer registration request including the purchase and sales contract assigned with a signature of the first user …, … transmits the checking result notification including the purchase and sales contract assigned with a signature of the second user …, and … generates the second ownership right certificate when verifications of the signature of the first user and the signature of the second user are successful, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 3 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 4 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of …generates the purchase and sales contract including the biometric information of the first user and the object fingerprint of the item, and …generates the second ownership right certificate when the biometric information on the purchase and sales contract matches the biometric information on the first ownership right certificate and when the object fingerprint on the purchase and sales contract matches the object fingerprint on the first ownership right certificate, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 4 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 5 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of … transmits the ownership right transfer registration request including the purchase and sales contract under which a portion of the ownership right of the first user is to be sold to the second user, and …generates the second ownership right certificate that proves that the first user and the second user are owners of the item, and that includes the biometric information of each of the first user and the second user, when .. receives the checking result notification regarding the purchase and sales contract …, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 5 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 6 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of … transmits the ownership right transfer registration request including the purchase and sales contract under which all or a portion of the ownership right of the first user is to be sold to a plurality of the second users …, and .. receives the checking result notifications regarding the purchase and sales contract from each of the second user terminals, … generates the second ownership right certificate including the biometric information of each of the plurality of second users, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 6 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 7 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of when the item is jointly owned by a plurality of owners, … generates the second ownership right certificate describing biometric information of each of owners and a ratio of the ownership rights of each of owners, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 7 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 8 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of … generates the second ownership right certificate in which the ratio of the ownership rights of the item is indicated by a token, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 8 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 9 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of …performs a settlement for a sale of the item described in the purchase and sales contract, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 9 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 10 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of … distributes an amount of the sale regarding the item to each owner based on the each owner's token described in the second ownership right certificate, when the item which has the plurality of owners described in the second ownership right certificate is sold, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 10 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 11 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of when the item is jointly owned by a plurality of owners, … generates the second ownership right certificate in which biometric information of each of owners and the object fingerprint are described in association with each other, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 11 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claim 12 further limits the abstract idea of “Sales transaction ownership verification” by introducing the element of … provides the blockchain-based electronic bulletin board that allows any entity to both append information and read information that is written, and that does not erase or tamper with information once the information is written, which does not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, dependent claim 12 is also non-statutory subject matter.
Dependent claims 2-12 also do not integrated into a practical application. The dependent claims recite no new additional elements not found in the independent claims. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application for that same reasons as those set forth above. The dependent claims also do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. Accordingly, dependent claims 2-12 are also ineligible.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-7, and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200401677 to Childress et al.
With regards to claims 1, 13, and 14, Childress et al. teaches:
a first user terminal that is used by a first user; a second user terminal that is used by a second user (paragraph [0011], “A user interface enables a user (first user) to establish documented identification and ownership of an asset, documented credentials of a potential temporary authorized user (second user) identification of parties of interest associated with the owned asset, and enables the user (first user) to designate and grant authorization of another user (second user) having documented credentials, to possess, access, and/or use the owned asset. In some embodiments of the present invention granting temporary authorization includes configuring Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices to operate in response to recognition of a credential (e.g., biometric) of a user granted temporary authorization of the device (e.g. car recognizing authorized driver), and in other embodiments, authorization requires party of interest approval to be given to complete authorization.”; paragraph [0031], “Computing device 110 includes user interface 115, registration program 200, and authorization program 300. Computing device 110 can be a standalone computing device, a management server, a web server, a mobile computing device, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of receiving, sending, and processing data. In other embodiments, computing device 110 can represent a server computing system utilizing multiple computers as a server system, such as in a cloud computing environment. In another embodiment, computing device 110 can be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any other programmable electronic device capable of communicating with input sources biometric input 120, uploading input 130, data records 160 and in some embodiments, asset information 145, and other computing devices (not shown) within distributed data processing environment 100 via network 150.”);
a plurality of ledger nodes that provide a blockchain-based electronic bulletin board (paragraph [0023], “Data records 160 is depicted as including record transaction structures asset blockchain 170 and user credential blockchain 180.”; paragraph [0024], “Asset blockchain 170 is a record transaction storage structure that includes information validating the identity of asset information 145 and ownership of asset information 145 by an owning user. In some embodiments of the present invention, a blockchain structure is used to include pertinent information from multiple sources in one shared, tamper-evident ledger in which the entered transactions cannot be altered.”; paragraph [0025], “A blockchain solution is a distributed ledger technology of a shared network-based database that is visible to multiple participants and observers of the blockchain and includes consensus receipt by all authorizing parties before the transaction is included in the network blockchain structure.”); and
a server apparatus (paragraph [0031], “Computing device 110 includes user interface 115, registration program 200, and authorization program 300. Computing device 110 can be a standalone computing device, a management server, a web server, a mobile computing device, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of receiving, sending, and processing data. In other embodiments, computing device 110 can represent a server computing system utilizing multiple computers as a server system, such as in a cloud computing environment.”), wherein the server apparatus is configured to:
receive, from the first user terminal, a request to register a transfer of a first ownership right certificate of an item (paragraph [0036], “Authorization program 300 is an application operating on a computing device, such as computing device 110, connected to network 150 of distributed data processing environment 100. Authorization program 300 enables a first user that owns an asset to provide a temporal authorization to a second user for one or a combination of access, use, and possession of the asset. Authorization program 300 validates the identity of the asset, the identity of the first user owning the asset, and the identity of a user to which temporal asset authorization is to be granted.”) when an ownership right of the item is transferred from the first user to the second user (paragraph [0036], “Authorization program 300 receives a selection of a second user identity to be granted temporal authorization for one or a combination of access, use, or possession of the asset. Authorization program 300 connects the credential information of the asset and the credential information of the first user owning the asset in asset blockchain 170 to the credential information of the second user granted temporal asset authorization in user credential blockchain 180.”);
wherein the first ownership right certificate is a certificate that proves that the first user is an owner of the item (paragraph [0009], “In some embodiments, information regarding ownership of an asset is established and stored in a first repository data structure, including credentials and information of the asset, as well as information and data supporting ownership of the asset by the owner.”), and including biometric information of the first user and an object fingerprint of the item, and wherein the first ownership right certificate is written on the blockchain-based electronic bulletin board (paragraph [0009], “Information regarding other users to which the asset may be authorized is assembled, including biometric and other credentials of the respective user, and the information is input to a second repository data structure used to validate identity and select users to receive temporal authorization to access, use, own, or possess an asset.”),
generate a second ownership right certificate including at least biometric information of the second user and the object fingerprint of the item when the first user and the second user agree on the transfer of the ownership right (paragraph [0025], “In some embodiments, asset and ownership information includes scanning documents of ownership, receipts, titles, photos, videos, audio recordings, or other content applied to the validation of ownership of an asset, such as asset information 145.”; paragraph [0028], “User credential blockchain 180 is a record transaction storage structure that includes credential information validating the identity of users associated with the ownership of the asset identified by asset information 145, parties of interest of the asset, or a user receiving temporal authorization of access, use, ownership, or possession of the asset.” paragraph [0029], “In other embodiments, user credential blockchain 180 associates a party of interest, such as parties of interest 140, to an asset. … In some embodiments, user credential blockchain 180 receives biometric credentials of users from biometric input 120, associating the biometric credential to a particular user.”), write a transaction associated with the second ownership right certificate on the blockchain-based electronic bulletin board (paragraph [0028], “In some embodiments of the present invention, a blockchain structure is used to include pertinent credentials to validate user and identity of parties of interest 140. User credential blockchain 180 enables authorization program 300 to identify a user, validated by credentials, as an owner of an asset, such as the asset identified by asset information 145, or a recipient of a temporal authorization of an asset.”; paragraph [0037], “The first user credential information as an asset owner in user credential blockchain 180 is linked to the asset credentials in asset blockchain 170. Responsive to the first user granting temporal authorization to a second user to access, use, own, or possess the asset, the credential information of the second user, including biometric and document credentials in user credential blockchain 180, are included or linked to a transaction granting temporal authorization associated with the asset and owner of the asset in asset blockchain 170.”), and
transmit, to the second user terminal, a notification of transfer comprising a transaction ID corresponding to the transaction (paragraph [0003], “Responsive to confirming the parties of interest regarding the use of the asset, sending, by a computer processor, a notification of the temporal authorization of the use of the asset by the second user to the parties of interest, and storing, by a computer processor, information associated with transaction of the temporal authorization of use of the asset by the second user in a transaction repository structure.”; paragraph [0023], “Data records 160 is depicted as including record transaction structures asset blockchain 170 and user credential blockchain 180.”; paragraph [0055], “In some embodiments of the present invention, the asset authorization is enabled by the second user providing identification such as biometric data. In other embodiments, for assets with access protection by passcode, the second user may be supplied a temporary passcode to access the asset, that may include conditions of the temporal authorization, such as duration, frequency, amount, time of day, or other condition. In some embodiments, granting of temporal authorization includes transmitting of a confirming notification to the second user.”).
With regards to claim 2, Childress et al. teaches:
the first user terminal transmits an ownership right transfer registration request including a purchase and sales contract regarding buying and selling between the first user and the second user to the server apparatus (paragraph [0010], “In some embodiments, additional actions or approvals by third parties (identified as parties of interest) may be required to complete the owner's grant of temporary authorization. In some embodiments, parties of interest include contacts (individuals and businesses or organizations) that have one or a combination of an awareness interest, a financial interest, a legal interest, an approval interest, an informational interest, or provide service as an interest associated with the asset. In some embodiments, temporary authorization may be a short period of time, measured in hours or days, or may be a longer period of time measured in weeks, months, or years, and in other embodiments, temporal authorization may be indefinite; effectively granting ownership sharing or transfer. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention are not limited by the duration of the temporary authorization, which may be a permanent authorization of possession, access, or use, such as authorization of a change of ownership.”),
wherein the server apparatus transmits a purchase and sales contract checking request including the purchase and sales contract to the second user terminal (paragraph [0020], “In some embodiments, parties of interest 140 has financial interest in regard to the authorization of access, use, or possession of the asset. In other embodiments, parties of interest 140 provides a consenting approval of the temporal authorization of access, use, ownership or possession of the asset by a non-owner user. In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 is authorized to modify contracts, agreements, or policies based on the temporal authorization associated with an asset granted to a non-owning user.”; paragraph [0037], “Responsive to the first user granting temporal authorization to a second user to access, use, own, or possess the asset, the credential information of the second user, including biometric and document credentials in user credential blockchain 180, are included or linked to a transaction granting temporal authorization associated with the asset and owner of the asset in asset blockchain 170.”),
wherein the second user terminal transmits a checking result notification regarding the purchase and sales contract, the checking result notification including the biometric information of the second user, to the server apparatus (paragraph [0020], “In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 is authorized to modify contracts, agreements, or policies based on the temporal authorization associated with an asset granted to a non-owning user.”; paragraph [0030], “In some embodiments of the present invention, user identification is validated by use of biometric data of the respective user. An owning user's identification biometrics are associated with a corresponding asset and included in an information block added to asset blockchain 170. In some embodiments, the biometric data of an asset-owning user and users potentially granted access, use, ownership, or possession of the asset, are obtained by biometric input 120 and received by registration program 200 operated by computing device 110.”), and
wherein the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate using the biometric information of the second user (paragraph [0009], “In some embodiments to track the authorization that has been granted to an individual to temporarily access, use, own, or be in possession of the asset, a transaction is added to the first repository data structure and includes connection or links to stored information of the asset, ownership, and second user, as well as details and conditions of the temporal authorization transaction.”).
With regards to claim 4, Childress et al. teaches:
the first user terminal generates the purchase and sales contract (paragraph [0020], “In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 is authorized to modify contracts, agreements, or policies based on the temporal authorization associated with an asset granted to a non-owning user. In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 includes providing awareness of the temporal authorization to contacts of individuals, businesses, or organizations that have association with the asset.”) including the biometric information of the first user (paragraph [0017], “Biometric input 120 is a source of authenticating credentials. In some embodiments of the present invention, biometric input 120 includes biometric data of users and, in some cases, biometric data of assets (e.g., pets). The biometric data of users includes data validating the identity of asset owners, data validating the identity of users receiving temporal authorization of access and/or use of the asset, and in some cases, data identifying the asset.”) and the object fingerprint of the item (paragraph [0021], “Asset information 145 represents one or more assets having verifiable ownership by an owning user and verifiable identity of the particular asset. In some embodiments of the present invention, asset information 145 is information identifying and describing a physical object, such as a vehicle, a smart device, an Internet of Things (IoT) enabled device, or jewelry. In other embodiments, asset information 145 includes information enabling access or use of financial resources, such as a credit card, debit card, or accounts.”), and
wherein the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate when the biometric information on the purchase and sales contract matches the biometric information on the first ownership right certificate and when the object fingerprint on the purchase and sales contract matches the object fingerprint on the first ownership right certificate (paragraph [0022], “Embodiments of the present invention validate ownership of an asset by analyzing asset information 145 with respect to a designated owner (or owners) and enables the temporal authorization of access, use, ownership and possession of the asset identified and described by asset information 145 by a user (or users) designated by the validated owner.”; paragraph [0047], “For example, registration program 200 receives asset credential information (step 240) for the asset and receives user credential information (step 230) for the first user. Registration program 200 analyzes the credential information and determines whether the asset credentials indicate ownership by the identified owning user, which is further validated in matching the user credential information. In some embodiments, overlapping and corroborating information from both asset and user credentials supports ownership by the identified user.”).
With regards to claim 5, Childress et al. teaches:
the first user terminal transmits the ownership right transfer registration request including the purchase and sales contract (paragraph [0020], “In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 is authorized to modify contracts, agreements, or policies based on the temporal authorization associated with an asset granted to a non-owning user. In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 includes providing awareness of the temporal authorization to contacts of individuals, businesses, or organizations that have association with the asset.”) under which a portion of the ownership right of the first user is to be sold to the second user (paragraph [0011], “A user interface enables a user (first user) to establish documented identification and ownership of an asset, documented credentials of a potential temporary authorized user (second user) identification of parties of interest associated with the owned asset, and enables the user (first user) to designate and grant authorization of another user (second user) having documented credentials, to possess, access, and/or use the owned asset.”, where a temporal right is a portion of the ownership right), and
wherein the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate that proves that the first user and the second user are owners of the item, and that includes the biometric information of each of the first user and the second user (paragraph [0017], “Biometric input 120 is a source of authenticating credentials. In some embodiments of the present invention, biometric input 120 includes biometric data of users and, in some cases, biometric data of assets (e.g., pets). The biometric data of users includes data validating the identity of asset owners, data validating the identity of users receiving temporal authorization of access and/or use of the asset, and in some cases, data identifying the asset.”), when the server apparatus receives the checking result notification regarding the purchase and sales contract from the second user terminal (paragraph [0047], “Registration program 200 analyzes the credential information and determines whether the asset credentials indicate ownership by the identified owning user, which is further validated in matching the user credential information. In some embodiments, overlapping and corroborating information from both asset and user credentials supports ownership by the identified user. In the exemplary embodiment, the asset credential information includes photo images of the asset, payment receipts of the purchase of the asset that include the name, address, and account number of the user owning the asset.”).
With regards to claim 6, Childress et al. teaches:
the first user terminal transmits the ownership right transfer registration request including the purchase and sales contract (paragraph [0020], “In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 is authorized to modify contracts, agreements, or policies based on the temporal authorization associated with an asset granted to a non-owning user. In yet other embodiments, parties of interest 140 includes providing awareness of the temporal authorization to contacts of individuals, businesses, or organizations that have association with the asset.”) under which all or a portion of the ownership right of the first user is to be sold to a plurality of the second users to the server apparatus (paragraph [0011], “A user interface enables a user (first user) to establish documented identification and ownership of an asset, documented credentials of a potential temporary authorized user (second user) identification of parties of interest associated with the owned asset, and enables the user (first user) to designate and grant authorization of another user (second user) having documented credentials, to possess, access, and/or use the owned asset.”, where a temporal right is a portion of the ownership right), and
when the server apparatus receives the checking result notifications regarding the purchase and sales contract from each of the second user terminals (paragraph [0047], “Registration program 200 analyzes the credential information and determines whether the asset credentials indicate ownership by the identified owning user, which is further validated in matching the user credential information. In some embodiments, overlapping and corroborating information from both asset and user credentials supports ownership by the identified user. In the exemplary embodiment, the asset credential information includes photo images of the asset, payment receipts of the purchase of the asset that include the name, address, and account number of the user owning the asset.”), the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate including the biometric information of each of the plurality of second users (paragraph [0050], “In step 270 registration program 200 stores user, asset, parties of interest, and ownership information in asset blockchain 170. The credential information of the first user, the second user, the asset and parties of interest are linked by the transaction of assigning a temporal authorization of the asset to the second user, by the first user, and the information and connections are stored in a transaction repository ledger-like structure, such as a blockchain structure. The stored credential information and transaction acknowledges the authorization of the second user to access, use, or possess the asset, subject to the conditions of the authorization. The authorization and supporting credentials are read-only accessible to the first user, the second user, and the parties of interest associated with the asset.”).
With regards to claim 7, Childress et al. teaches: when the item is jointly owned by a plurality of owners, the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate describing biometric information of each of owners and a ratio of the ownership rights of each of owners (paragraph [0050], “In step 270 registration program 200 stores user, asset, parties of interest, and ownership information in asset blockchain 170. The credential information of the first user, the second user, the asset and parties of interest are linked by the transaction of assigning a temporal authorization of the asset to the second user, by the first user, and the information and connections are stored in a transaction repository ledger-like structure, such as a blockchain structure. The stored credential information and transaction acknowledges the authorization of the second user to access, use, or possess the asset, subject to the conditions of the authorization. The authorization and supporting credentials are read-only accessible to the first user, the second user, and the parties of interest associated with the asset.”; paragraph [0053], “In some embodiments of the present invention, authorization program 300 receives from a first user as an owner of an asset, the identification of a second user and confirmation by the first user to grant authorization for temporal access, use, or possession of an asset owned by the first user.”, where a temporal access right is description of a ratio of ownership).
With regards to claim 11, Childress et al. teaches: when the item is jointly owned by a plurality of owners (paragraph [0050], “In step 270 registration program 200 stores user, asset, parties of interest, and ownership information in asset blockchain 170. The credential information of the first user, the second user, the asset and parties of interest are linked by the transaction of assigning a temporal authorization of the asset to the second user, by the first user, and the information and connections are stored in a transaction repository ledger-like structure, such as a blockchain structure. The stored credential information and transaction acknowledges the authorization of the second user to access, use, or possess the asset, subject to the conditions of the authorization. The authorization and supporting credentials are read-only accessible to the first user, the second user, and the parties of interest associated with the asset.”), the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate in which biometric information of each of owners and the object fingerprint are described in association with each other (paragraph [0047], “For example, registration program 200 receives asset credential information (step 240) for the asset and receives user credential information (step 230) for the first user. Registration program 200 analyzes the credential information and determines whether the asset credentials indicate ownership by the identified owning user, which is further validated in matching the user credential information.”; paragraph [0055], “Having received confirmation from the first user and obtaining credential information of the second user, authorization program 300 generates a temporal authorization for the second user to use the asset (step 330). The temporal authorization grants one or a combination of access, use, ownership, and possession of the asset by the second user. In some embodiments of the present invention, the asset authorization is enabled by the second user providing identification such as biometric data.”).
With regards to claim 12, Childress et al. teaches: the plurality of ledger nodes provides the blockchain-based electronic bulletin board that allows any entity to both append information and read information that is written, and that does not erase or tamper with information once the information is written (paragraph [0012], “In some embodiments of the present invention, a blockchain structure includes a time-stamped series of immutable records of data that are managed by a cluster of computers not owned by a single entity accessing and using the blockchain structure. In some embodiments, one blockchain structure is employed to identify an asset, assign ownership to the asset, and record a transaction of temporal authorization of a user to access, use, own, or possess the asset. The sharing of the asset as defined in details included in the temporal authorization transaction of the asset blockchain, enables functionality of the asset by the verified individual, (e.g. a car wouldn't start if the person using the car was not authorized via verifiable credentials (i.e., biometrics) to start the car based on stored credentials in the blockchain structure).”).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200401677 to Childress et al. as applied to claims 1, 2, 4-7, and 11-14 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200074461 to DeRosa-Grund.
With regards to Claim 3, Childress et al. teaches rights transfer contracting (see, for example, paragraphs [0010] and [0020]), but fails to explicitly teach the use of signatures. However DeRosa-Grund teaches
the first user terminal transmits the ownership right transfer registration request including the purchase and sales contract assigned with a signature of the first user to the server apparatus (paragraph [0036], “The request/query module then is able to send confirmation, within band, by two factor authentication, or out of band requests to the buyer and the seller devices 104, 106 (e.g. using the contact information included during the registration of the buyer/seller accounts). In some embodiments, the confirmation requests comprise a challenge message that needs to be digitally signed by the buyer and seller devices 104, 106 using their respective buyer/seller encrypted keys. These digital signatures are able to later be validated by notary blockchain operating system 206 (e.g. using the associated paired keys known by the notary blockchain operating system 206) as a part of determining if there is node consensus for the transaction as described below.”),
wherein the second user terminal transmits the checking result notification including the purchase and sales contract assigned with a signature of the second user to the server apparatus (paragraph [0036], “These digital signatures are able to later be validated by notary blockchain operating system 206 (e.g. using the associated paired keys known by the notary blockchain operating system 206) as a part of determining if there is node consensus for the transaction as described below.”), and
wherein the server apparatus generates the second ownership right certificate when verifications of the signature of the first user and the signature of the second user are successful (paragraph [0050], “In some embodiments, the smart contracts are automated smart contracts each containing a set of rules under which the advertiser, the platform and the user have already agreed that when the rules are met (e.g. exact match between ad target personal data and user personal data), the agreement is automatically enforced. Specifically, the smart contract code facilitates, verifies and enforces the performance of that agreement and results in a transaction, and smart contract, that is saved to the transaction blockchain, where proportional pre-determined amounts from the proceeds of the viewing of the ad (as specified in the contract) are directed to the user, the platform and/or other entities.”).
This part of DeRosa-Grund is applicable to the system of Childress et al. as they both share characteristics and capabilities, namely, they are directed to authenticating sales. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the ef