DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/11/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment, filed 05/11/2026, has been entered and fully considered.
In light of Applicant’s amendment, the step “performing… a process related to assignment of rights information…” of claim 16 is not being interpreted as optional and is required to be performed.
In light of Applicant’s amendment, the rejection of claims 1-5, 16-17 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) has been withdrawn.
In light of Applicant’s amendment, the rejection of claim 4 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) has been withdrawn.
In light of Applicants’ amendment, the rejection of claims 1-5, 16-17 under 35 U.S.C. 101 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 16-18, with respect to the rejection of claim(s) 1-5, 16-17 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim(s) 1-5, 16-17 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) has been withdrawn.
Nevertheless, Applicant argues, see page 17, that Chen does not teach or suggest elements in relation to acquiring rights information of first content from ledger data of a blockchain. However, Chen does teach elements in relation to acquiring rights information of first content from ledger data of a blockchain (Chen: paragraph [0117], “The copyright authorization management apparatus obtains information about the cited work in a copyright application request, queries the block chain for a corresponding copyright registration transaction for the cited work based on the information about the cited work, and obtains CC (Creative Commons) clauses of the cited work that are recorded in the copyright registration transaction for the cited work”). In particular, the copyright registration transaction including a CC clause corresponds to the claimed rights information because the CC clause specifies what rights the copyright owner has specified for users of the content.
Nevertheless, Applicant argues, see page 18, that claims 3-5 are patentably distinguished over Chen for their additionally recited elements. However, as explained further in the action, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Chen with reference Yohokama to teach the additionally recited elements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yokohama et al. (USP App 2022/0405413; hereinafter Yokohama).
Regarding claim 1, An information processing apparatus (Yokohama: paragraph [0016], “An information management system 1 manages images acquired from image registration apparatuses 2 and 4, information about the images, and a modification history of the images”) comprising: circuitry (Yokohama: paragraph [0017], “central processing unit (CPU) 201”) configured to
acquire rights information (Yokohama: paragraph [0045], “In S302, the CPU 201 acquires the information in the transaction 1001 including the image identifier 1002, which is the same as the image identifier 111 included in the registration request”; paragraph [0027], “The transaction 1001 includes … modification permission information 1003, permitter information 1004”) of first content (Yokohama: paragraph [0044], “the image identifier 111 of the original image 110”) from ledger data of a blockchain (Yokohama: paragraph [0045], “the CPU 201 acquires the information about the image, which is the source of the modification, from the storage area of the storage device 202, which is managed by the blockchain 10”; paragraph [0021], “The blockchain 10 is a distributed ledger”), and
perform, for second content produced by at least partially using the first content (Yokohama: paragraph [0060], “the modified image 112 modified from the original image 110”), a process related to assignment of rights information (Yokohama: paragraph [0052], “In S309, the CPU 201 registers the information about the modified image 112 in the transaction 1011 of the block 101 connected to the block 100 and stores the information in the storage area of the storage device 202, which is managed by the blockchain 10”; paragraph [0037], “The modification permission information 1015 indicates a permission condition of modification of the modified image 112”;) related to the second content using a smart contract of the blockchain (Yokohama: paragraph [0023], “the modification content determination unit 12 functions as a smart contract, which is performed using a registration request of the modified image as a trigger, on the general blockchain”; paragraph [0042], “A modification content determination process performed by the modification content determination unit 12 will now be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the modification content determination process”) based on a use condition of the rights information of the first content (paragraph [0028], “The modification permission information 1003 indicates a permission condition of modification of the original image 110”; paragraph [0048], “In S305 … the CPU 201 determines whether the modification information 1014 is within the range permitted in the modification permission information 1003”; FIG. 3, process step 309 occurs in response to a YES from step 305).
Regarding claim 2, Yokohama teaches the information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the circuitry acquires, as the rights information of first content (Yokohama: paragraph [0045], “In S302, the CPU 201 acquires the information in the transaction 1001 including the image identifier 1002, which is the same as the image identifier 111 included in the registration request”), information related to permission and use conditions (Yokohama: paragraph [0027], “The transaction 1001 includes … modification permission information 1003, permitter information 1004”) regarding secondary use (Yokohama: paragraph [0028], “The modification permission information 1003 indicates a permission condition of modification of the original image 110”; paragraph [0029], “The permitter information 1004 indicates the user type to which a user who is permitted to modify the original image 110 belongs”) that has been set in the first content (Yokohama: paragraph [0028], “The modification permission information 1003 is set by an owner”; paragraph [0029], “The permitter information 1004 is set by the owner”), and
wherein the circuitry assigns, as the rights information related to the second content (Yokohama: paragraph [0052], “In S309, the CPU 201 registers the information about the modified image 112 in the transaction 1011 of the block 101 connected to the block 100 and stores the information in the storage area of the storage device 202, which is managed by the blockchain 10”), information indicating that production of the second content using the first content is permitted (Yokohama: paragraph [0034], “The image identifier 1012 is the same as the image identifier 111 and the image identifier 1002. The image identifier 1012 is information for associating the transaction 1011 with the original image 110 managed in the image management unit 11 and indicates that the source of the modified image to be associated with the transaction 1011 is the original image 110”).
Re. claims 16-17, they recite analogous limitations as claim 1 and therefore are rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 18, Yokohama teaches the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the circuitry is further configured to register the second content with the assigned rights information related to the second content (Yokohama: paragraph [0052], “In S309, the CPU 201 registers the information about the modified image 112 in the transaction 1011 of the block 101 connected to the block 100 and stores the information in the storage area of the storage device 202, which is managed by the blockchain 10”) registered as metadata of the second content (Yokohama: paragraph [0022], “the image management unit 11 holds … one modified image”; paragraph [0025], “information about the modified image 112 is registered in the block 101” i.e., information in block 101 is stored separately from modified image 112 in the image management unit 11, and information in block 101 is related to the modified image 112. Therefore, information in block 101 is metadata of the modified image 112).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokohama in view of Chen et al. (USP App Pub 2018/0349572; hereinafter Chen).
Regarding claim 3, Yokohama teaches the information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein…
Yokohama does not teach …the circuitry acquires, as the rights information of first content, information related to a plurality of right holders permitting secondary use of the first content, and wherein the circuitry assigns, when the second content is produced, information indicating that an agreement has been obtained from the plurality of right holders permitting secondary use of the first content.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chen does teach …the circuitry (Chen: paragraph [0383], “a general-purpose computer”) acquires, as the rights information of first content (Chen: paragraph [0120], “After the copyright authorization management apparatus completes check of the copyright registration request, if the cited work needs to be authorized, … The copyright authorization management apparatus queries the block chain…and obtains corresponding owner-of-copyright information”), information related to a plurality of right holders (Chen: paragraph [0122], “When there are a plurality of owners of copyright, generally, only one of the owners of copyright is required to be responsible for a copyright contract… A person responsible for contract determining is specified in advance”; paragraph [0122], “information about the specified person responsible for contract determining is stored in the owner-of-copyright information” i.e., the plurality of owners delegate a responsibility to the responsible person) permitting secondary use of the first content (Chen: paragraph [0123], “The contract determining notification is used to instruct the owner of copyright to determine the authorization contract, and carries copyright application-related information of a to-be-authorized work”; paragraph [0095], “For an author of a derivative work, obtaining the valid contract transaction is equivalent to obtaining a right of adaptation”), and
wherein the circuitry assigns, when the second content is produced (Chen: paragraph [0109], “FIG. 3 is an interaction flowchart of performing the method shown in FIG. 2 when an author of a derivative work applies for a copyright. As shown in FIG. 3, the author of the derivative work first performs copyright registration”), information indicating that an agreement has been obtained from the plurality of right holders (Chen: paragraph [0124], “Compared with FIG. 3, in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, interaction involving a third-party IM system is added”; paragraph [0125], “The group discussion invitation is sent to all owner-of-copyright clients”) permitting secondary use of the first content (Chen: paragraph [0016], “In this way, the contract approved by both the parties can be made, a possibility of contract modification is reduced, and contract determining efficiency is improved. After the contract is determined, a main person in charge among owners of copyright returns determined contract information to the copyright authorization management apparatus based on the determined contract”; paragraph [0095], “For an author of a derivative work, obtaining the valid contract transaction is equivalent to obtaining a right of adaptation”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the single owner modification permission system of Yokohama to incorporate the teachings of Chen to use a group-agreement modification permission system. The motivation for doing so is to have agreement among all copyright owners (Chen: paragraph [0016], “In this way, the contract approved by both the parties can be made, a possibility of contract modification is reduced, and contract determining efficiency is improved. After the contract is determined, a main person in charge among owners of copyright returns determined contract information”) because each owner has rights to the work (Chen: paragraph [0100], “There may be one or more owners of copyright, and a plurality of owners of copyright are corresponding to a plurality of owner-of-copyright clients”).
Regarding claim 4, Yokohama does teach the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein …
Yokohama does not teach …the circuitry acquires, as the rights information of first content, information related to permission and use conditions related to distribution of content produced by secondary use of the first content, and wherein the circuitry assigns, as the rights information related to the second content, information indicating that distribution of the second content is permitted.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chen does teach … wherein the circuitry acquires (Chen: paragraph [0383], “a general-purpose computer”), as the rights information of first content (Chen: paragraph [0117], “The copyright authorization management apparatus obtains information about the cited work in a copyright application request, queries the block chain for a corresponding copyright registration transaction for the cited work based on the information about the cited work, and obtains CC (Creative Commons) clauses of the cited work that are recorded in the copyright registration transaction for the cited work”), information related to permission and use conditions (Chen: paragraph [0117], “The CC clauses may be represented by code names in the copyright registration transaction”; paragraph [0119], “the CC clause is BY-NC-SA (attribution-noncommercial-share alike)”) related to distribution of content produced by secondary use of the first content (Chen: paragraph [0006], “Share alike (Share Alike, SA for short): An original work is allowed to be altered, but must be published by using a same license” i.e., a derivative work of an original work must be distributed/published using the same license), and
wherein the circuitry assigns (Chen: paragraph [0119], “the CC clause of the cited work indicates that authorization is required, for example, the CC clause is BY-NC-SA (attribution-noncommercial-share alike), a copyright authorization procedure is entered and step S202 is performed”), as the rights information related to the second content (Chen: paragraph [0123], “In terms of a derivative work, the copyright application-related information of the cited work is the copyright application-related information of the to-be-authorized work” i.e., the information for the derivative work is copied from the cited work), information indicating that distribution of the second content is permitted (Chen: paragraph [0123], “The copyright application-related information of the to-be-authorized work includes … a CC clause”; paragraph [0006], “Share alike (Share Alike, SA for short): An original work is allowed to be altered, but must be published by using a same license” i.e., an altered original work may be published).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the transaction data of the modified image in Yokohama to incorporate the teachings of Chen to include copyright information for the distribution of the modified image. The motivation for doing so is to indicate how an altered work is should be published (Chen: paragraph [0123], “The copyright application-related information of the to-be-authorized work includes … a CC clause”; paragraph [0006], “Share alike (Share Alike, SA for short): An original work is allowed to be altered, but must be published by using a same license” i.e., an altered original work may be published).
Regarding claim 5, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the circuitry acquires, as the rights information of first content (Yokohama: paragraph [0045], “In S302, the CPU 201 acquires the information in the transaction 1001 including the image identifier 1002, which is the same as the image identifier 111 included in the registration request”), information related to … right holder (Yokohama: paragraph [0031], “The digital signature 1006 is a digital signature in the general blockchain and is a signature for confirming the registerer of the original image 110”) having a copyright related to the first content (Yokohama: paragraph [0029], “(…the copyright owner, the blockchain registerer, or the like) of the original image 110” i.e., an owner or registerer may hold a copyright for the original image), and
wherein the circuitry assigns, as the rights information related to the second content (Yokohama: paragraph [0052], “In S309, the CPU 201 registers the information about the modified image 112 in the transaction 1011 of the block 101 connected to the block 100 and stores the information in the storage area of the storage device 202, which is managed by the blockchain 10”), the information related to … right holder having the copyright related to the first content together (Yokohama: paragraph [0034], “The image identifier 1012 is the same as the image identifier 111 and the image identifier 1002. The image identifier 1012 is information for associating the transaction 1011 with the original image 110 managed in the image management unit 11 and indicates that the source of the modified image to be associated with the transaction 1011 is the original image 110” i.e., identifier 1012 is based on the copyright owner being the owner of linked original image 110) with information related to … right holder having a copyright related to the second content (Yokohama: paragraph [0041], “The digital signature 1018 is a digital signature in the general blockchain and is a signature for confirming the registerer of the modified image 112. Specific content of the digital signature 1018 is the same as that of the digital signature 1006”; paragraph [0039], “(…the copyright owner, the blockchain registerer, or the like) of the modified image 112”).
Yokohama does not teach …each right holder …each right holder…each right holder …
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chen does teach …each right holder …each right holder…each right holder (Chen: paragraph [0106], “When there are a plurality of owners of copyright, the owner-of-copyright information includes addresses of all the owners of copyright”; paragraph [0123], “In terms of a derivative work, the copyright application-related information of the cited work is the copyright application-related information of the to-be-authorized work”) …
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the transaction data of the modified image in Yokohama to incorporate the teachings of Chen to include information of each copyright owner. The motivation for doing so is so that each copyright owner is attributed appropriately in the derivative work (Chen: paragraph [0123], “The copyright application-related information of the to-be-authorized work includes … a CC clause”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADITYA SRIRAM whose telephone number is (703)756-1715. The examiner can normally be reached M-Sa: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM MST or PST.
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, William Korzuch can be reached at (571) 272-7589. 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.
/A.S./ Examiner, Art Unit 2491
/WILLIAM R KORZUCH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2491
Prosecution Insights