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 .
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) 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wollack et al, WO 2020/25013.
Wollack et al disclose a blockchain tracking of carbon credits for materials with sequestered carbon comprising: an apparatus for generating a digital access element ("blockchain entry") associated with a coating material ("products" and "paper and board coatings"), wherein the apparatus comprises: a digital identifier providing unit configured to provide a digital identifier ("unique product identifier") associated with the coating material and coating material data ("the type of product, the number of units of product produced, the production date, the ship date"), and (Figure 2, [0035]: "the resins 148 may be thermoformed into useful products including ... paper and board coatings", [0050]: "At block 210, a manufacturer or other entity may produce products using the resin ... Block 210 may involve obtaining unique product identifiers for each unit of product produced", [0051]: At block 212, information associated with the production of the products (produced in step 210) is recorded via at least one entry into the blockchain ledger. As examples, the blockchain entries recorded at block 212 may include any unique product identifiers, the type of product, the number of units of product produced, the production date, the ship date, etc.") a digital access element generator configured to generate the digital access element based on the digital identifier and access data ("authorization information"). (Figure 2, [0051]: WAL block 212, information associated with the production of the products (produced in step 210) is recorded via at least one entry into the blockchain ledger. As examples, the blockchain entries recorded at block 212 may include any unique product identifiers, the type of product, the number of units of product produced, the production date, the ship date, etc.", [0052]: "At block 214, blockchain nodes may provide access to the blockchain, including to owners of the products produced in step 210 and to other interested parties ... respond to requests to retrieve information from the blockchain if sufficient information (such as authorization information, if required in the given embodiment) has been provided in association with the request, according to known methods in the field of blockchains and other distributed ledgers"); Wollack et al further comprising a physical identifier providing unit configured to provide a physical identifier for the coating material, wherein the digital identifier is associated with the physical identifier" in [0050], "further comprising a collector configured to collect coating material data, wherein the digital identifier is associated with the collected coating material data" in [0035] and [0051], "wherein the digital access element includes the digital identifier and the access data" and "wherein the digital identifier providing unit is configured to provide the digital identifier based on one or more precursor digital identifiers associated with one or more precursor materials from which the coating material is manufactured" in [0051 ]-[0052], "wherein the access data allow for an access to at least part of the coating material data" and "wherein the retrieval data comprise digital identifiers and associated access data of coating materials" in [0052], "wherein the coating material data include data on any of: the one or more precursor materials, the coating material itself, a further transport of the manufactured coating material" in [0051], "and wherein the digital identifier is provided based on a physical identifier of the manufactured coating material" in [0050]-[0051], "a digital access elements storage for storing the digital access elements, wherein the retrieval data allow for a retrieval of stored digital access elements from the digital access elements storage" in [0046], [0048], [0051] and [0052]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The applicant teaches an apparatus for generating at least one digital access element associated with a coating material and a method thereof which includes a digital identifier providing unit for generating a digital identifier associated with the coating material and coating material data, a digital access element generator for generating the at least one digital access element based on the digital identifier and access data, wherein the at least one digital access element includes the digital identifier and the access data, wherein the access data includes one or more digital representations including at least one data element enabling access to the coating material data, wherein the one or more digital representations point to the coating material data or distinct parts of the coating material data, wherein the coating material data is stored in a database associated with a coating material producer accessible by a consumer of the coating material, and wherein access to the coating material data is controlled by the coating material producer via the digital identifier and the digital identifier association with the coating material producer and the coating material data. These limitations in conjunction with other limitations in the claims were not shown by the prior art of record.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/15/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See examiner remarks.
Remarks:
In response to the applicant to the applicant’s argument that the prior art (Wollack, WO 2020/25013) fails to disclose generating at least one digital identifier element based digital access element based on digital identifier and access data for providing access to selected data of the coating material data based on level of access, the examiner respectfully disagrees. The structure of the blockchain network is such that each data set or information is written into a block and identified by an associated generated code or identifier (a cryptographic signature or token to ensure only rightful owner or authorized people can access it). The data set or the information is permanently stored and available on the blockchain, which can be accessed using the generated identifier (the data is immutable once it is added to the blockchain). Each identifier is unique to each piece of data or information stored. No two data sets can have the same identifier. The applicant’s argument is not persuasive. Refer to the rejection above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL ST CYR whose telephone number is (571)272-2407. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 8:00-8:00.
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DANIEL ST CYR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2876
/DANIEL ST CYR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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