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) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wollack et al, WO 2020/25013.
Regarding claims 1, 14 and 15, 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").
Regarding claims 2-10, 12, and 13, 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]).
Regarding claim 11, Wollack et al disclose an apparatus tor managing digital access elements ( "blockchain entries") for coating materials ("products" and "paper and board coatings") generated using the apparatus as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus for managing the digital access elements comprises: a retrieval data storage ( "block chain") for storing retrieval data ("information from the blockchain") associated with the digital access elements, wherein the retrieval data allow for a retrieval of stored digital access elements ( "retrieve information from the blockchain") and/or for generating digital access elements.
(Figure 2, [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. For example, a number of different computing systems operated by different entities may host separate copies of a distributed ledger (where each such computing system may be considered a different blockchain node), any one of which may be configured Lo respond Lo requests Lo 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").
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/06/25 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 that the blockchain is generated based on access data, 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
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sarin, US Pub. 2020/0211092, discloses an adaptive product listing using blockchain inventory and smart contract. Stuart et al, US Pub. 2020/0076891, disclose a system and method for incorporating sensor measurement into a blockchain.
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