DETAILED ACTION
Acknowledgments
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is in reply to the restriction election filed on 11/25/2025.
Claims 9 and 15 have been canceled.
Claims 1-4, 5-7, and 16-21 have been elected.
Claims 8 and 10-14, have been withdrawn from consideration.
Claims 1-8, 10-14, and 16-21 are currently pending, and claims 1-4, 5-7, and 16-21 have been examined.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on 11/25/2024 has been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith.
Revised Restriction Requirement
Claims 1 and 3 are not patently distinct. The restriction requirement for claims 3, 4, 18, and 19 is reversed.
The restriction requirement for claims 8 and 10-14 is maintained. This restriction is proper and being maintained because the claimed invention of claims 8 and 10-14 would require an additional and separate search.
35 U.S.C. § 112 Sixth Paragraph / 112(f) Content
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as "configured to" or "so that"; and
the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step for”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim element is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). The presumption that § 112(f) is invoked is rebutted when the function is recited with sufficient structure, material, or acts within the claim itself to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step for”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim element is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph). The presumption that § 112(f) (pre-AIA § 112, sixth paragraph) is not invoked is rebutted when the claim element recites function but fails to recite sufficiently definite structure, material or acts to perform that function.
Claim elements in this application that use the word “means” (or “step for”) are presumed to invoke § 112(f) except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Similarly, claim elements that do not use the word “means” (or “step for”) are presumed not to invoke § 112(f) except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
35 U.S.C. 112(f) Invoked Despite Absence of “Means”
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a system for in claim 3.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If Applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) Applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
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 1-4, 5-7, and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-patent eligible subject matter because the claim(s) as a whole, considering all claim elements both individually and in combination, do not amount to significantly more than an abstract idea.
Step 1:
The claims recite a process, system, apparatus, article of manufacture, and/or a nontransitory storage medium with instructions, each of which are proper statutory categories.
Step 2A (prong 1):
Claim 1 (representative of claim 3):
The claim limitations are grouped as shown immediately following:
A method for tracking of at least one asset, comprising: (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
receiving ID information of an asset; (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
receiving user information of a user; (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
receiving location information, wherein the location information is location information of at least one of the asset or the user; (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
storing, in a database, tracking information based on at least one of the received information associated with the asset; determining, based on at least one of the received information, whether to provide ancillary information associated with the asset to the user; (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
determining, based on the user information, information to be transmitted to the user, wherein the information to be transmitted is at least a subset of the ancillary information associated with the asset; (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
providing the determined information to be transmitted to the user. (Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity - business relations or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)
Additional dependent claims 2, 5-7, 16, 17, 20, and 21 do not appear remedy the deficiency.
Step 2A (prong 2):
Claim 1(representative of claim 3):
…a system for tracking
…a communication element
These remaining claim limitations are delineated as shown immediately preceding. The abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application. There are no improvements to the functioning of a computer, other technology or technical field, a particular machine is not cited, nothing is transformed to a different state or thing, the abstract idea is not more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the abstract idea. The claim merely uses a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, which is generally linked to a particular field of use, in this case, marketing and advertising. Thus, these limitations are recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor and memory performing a generic computer function of processing and storing data) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component – MPEP 2106.05(f). Further, receiving data, evaluating data and distributing data are data gathering and data outputting, which has no effect on technology and does no more than generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h).
Step 2B:
The claim limitations do not provide an Inventive Concept. The claim limitations do not recite additional elements that amount to significantly more that the abstract idea because the additional elements of the system comprising a computer processor, computer readable storage medium with instructions, and a memory configured to store information, each recited at a high level of generality in a computer network which only perform the universal computer functions of accessing, receiving, storing, and processing data, transmitting and presenting information. Taking the elements both individually and as an ordered combination, the function performed by the computer at each step of the process is purely orthodox. Using a computer to obtain and display data are some of the most basic functions of a computer. As shown, the individual limitations claimed are some of the most rudimentary functions of a computer. The technical solution described in this invention does not alter hardware structure or its routine, does not transform the character of the information being processed, does not identify a novel source or type of data, does not advance the functionality of a computer as a tool, and does not incorporate specific rules enabling the computer to accomplish innovative utilities. In summary, the individual step and/or component does no more than require a general computer to perform standard computer functions. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of a computer devices amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component - requiring the use of software to tailor information and provide it to the user on a generic computer, Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Bank (USA), 792 F.3d 1363, 1370-71, 115 USPQ2d 1636, 1642 (Fed. Cir. 2015);
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-4, 7, and 16-19, are rejected under U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arvanaghi et al. (US 12,271,898 B1), hereinafter ARVANAGHI.
Claims 1, 3:
ARVANAGHI as shown below discloses the following limitations:
A method for tracking of at least one asset, comprising: (see at least column 6, line 63; column 25, line 32; column 26, lines 19-36)
receiving ID information of an asset; (see at least column 256, line 61)
receiving user information of a user; (see at least column 54, line 37)
receiving location information, wherein the location information is location information of at least one of the asset or the user; (see at least column 152, lines 41-51)
storing, in a database, tracking information based on at least one of the received information associated with the asset; (see at least column 159, line 60 to column 160, line 23)
determining, based on at least one of the received information, whether to provide ancillary information associated with the asset to the user; (see at least 33 line 43 to column 34, line 17)
determining, based on the user information, information to be transmitted to the user, wherein the information to be transmitted is at least a subset of the ancillary information associated with the asset; (see at least 33 line 43 to column 34, line 17)
providing the determined information to be transmitted to the user. (see at least 33 line 43 to column 34, line 17)
ARVANAGHI does not specifically disclose each of the above limitations within a single embodiment. In this case, each of the elements claimed are all shown by the prior art of record but not combined as claimed. However, the technical ability exists to combine and modify the elements as claimed and the results of the combination are predictable. Therefore, when combined, the elements perform the same function as they did separately. (KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)). Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to combine/modify the method of ARVANAGHI because, “…it would be beneficial to provide a method and system that provide for making payments (interest, dividends, royalties, to name a few) on digital assets…that provide for modifying a supply of stable value digital assets and/or fiat-backed digital assets in the context of directly printing such digital asset to one or more customers, or security token holders, using blockchain technology (or other peer-to-peer technology).” (ARVANAGHI: column 7, lines 14-24) Additionally, there is a recognized problem or need in the art including market pressure, design need, etc., and there are a finite number of identified predictable solutions. Accordingly, those in the art could have pursued known solutions with reasonable expectation of success. (KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)). Fundamentally, in the competitive business climate, there is a profit-driven motive to maximize the profitability of goods and services that are provided or marketed to customers. Enterprises typically use business planning to make decisions in order to maximize profits.
Claims 2, 4:
ARVANAGHI discloses the limitations as shown in the rejections above. ARVANAGHI further discloses the following limitations:
wherein the ID information includes signature information
wherein the ID information is cryptographically secured ID information, the method further comprising verifying at least one of a signature of the ID information or the cryptographically secured ID information for determining a validity of the ID information.
See at least column 115, lines 46-67.
Claim 7:
ARVANAGHI discloses the limitations as shown in the rejections above. ARVANAGHI further discloses the following limitations:
storing the ancillary information associated with the asset in the database.
See at least column 159, line 60 to column 160, line 23.
Claims 16, 18:
ARVANAGHI discloses the limitations as shown in the rejections above. ARVANAGHI further discloses the following limitations:
wherein user information comprises at least one of user ID information, user type information, or user security level information,
wherein determining whether to provide ancillary information comprises determining at least one of a validity of the ID information, a validity of the user information, the user ID information, the user type information, the user security level information, or the location information.
See at least column 115, lines 46-67; column 256, line 61.
Claims 17, 19:
ARVANAGHI discloses the limitations as shown in the rejections above. ARVANAGHI further discloses the following limitations:
wherein the tracking information comprises at least one of the asset ID information, the user information, the user type information, the user security level information, the asset location information, the user location information, time information, communication information, network transport information, or network routing information.
See at least column 6, line 63; column 25, line 32; column 26, lines 19-36; column 159, line 60 to column 160, line 23; column 152, lines 41-51
Claims 5, 6, 20, and 21 are rejected under U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ARVANAGHI and further in view of Examiner’s OFFICIAL NOTICE.
Claims 5, 6, 20, 21:
ARVANAGHI discloses the limitations as shown in the rejections above. ARVANAGHI does not specifically disclose:
wherein the ID information of the asset is acquired by the user from the asset in a near field at a location of the asset indicated by the location information.
wherein the asset comprises a localized ID information element (108), and wherein the localized ID information element is associated with the ID information so that the user can acquire the ID information in a near field at a location of the asset indicated by the location information.
wherein the asset comprises a localized ID information element attached to the asset.
wherein the localized ID information element is adapted to be rendered inoperable or to be destroyed in case of a removal from the asset.
However, the Examiner takes OFFICIAL NOTICE that it is old and well known in the electronic communication arts to utilize near-field communications (NFC) technologies such as, for example, Bluetooth and RFID. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date to combine/modify the method of ARVANAGHI with the technique of NFC technology because there is a recognized problem or need in the art including market pressure, design need, etc., and there are a finite number of identified predictable solutions. Consequently, those in the art could have pursued known solutions with reasonable expectation of success. (KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)). Additionally, there is a recognized problem or need in the art including market pressure, design need, etc., and there are a finite number of identified predictable solutions. Accordingly, those in the art could have pursued known solutions with reasonable expectation of success. (KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S. Ct. 1727 (2007)). In the competitive business climate, there is a profit-driven motive to maximize the profitability of goods and services that are provided or marketed to customers. Enterprises typically use business planning to make decisions in order to maximize profits.
CONCLUSION
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Non-Patent Literature:
PCI Security Standards Council. “Tokenization Product Security Guidelines – Irreversible and Reversible Tokens.” (April 2015). Retrieved online 02/03/2026. https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/documents/Tokenization_Product_Security_Guidelines.pdf
cfbenchmarks. “CF Digital Asset Classification Structure (CF DACS).” (09 April 2024). Retrieved online 02/03/2026. https://docs.cfbenchmarks.com/CF%20DACS%20Methodology.pdf
William George et al. “GM-Ledger: Blockchain-Based Certificate Authentication for International Food Trade.” (2023 October 25). Retrieved online 02/03/2026. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10648726/
Foreign Art:
KULKARNI et al. “Digital Asset Transaction And Management System For Use In Networked Computer Environment, Has Signing Module To Generate System-signed Messages By Signing Machine Instructions Of Blockchain Transactions Or User-signed Machine Instruction.” (WO 2020/150741 A1)
DI et al. “Method For Safe Creation, Custody, Recovery And Management Of A Digital Asset, Agnostic To An Underlying Blockchain Technology, Involves Establishing A Virtual Layer Where Three Private Keys Are Generated.” (WO 2021/102041 A1)
PADMANABHAN et al. “Method To Enable Asset Verification Implemented By Computing Device, Involves Adding Unique Identifier And Asset Information To Blockchain And Storing Asset Information In Distributed Storage System By Computing Device.” (WO 2021/116950 A1)
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to James A. Reagan (james.reagan@uspto.gov) whose telephone number is 571.272.6710. The Examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, John Hayes, can be reached at 571.272.6708.
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/JAMES A REAGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3697
james.reagan@uspto.gov
571.272.6710 (Office)
571.273.6710 (Desktop Fax)