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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species II (claims 10-15) in the reply filed on 05/21/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “substantial overlap demonstrates that the species are not distinct inventions but rather applications of a single inventive concept-hash-based integrity and synchronization in distributed computer systems-applied to different data types (multimedia artwork, electronic files, and electronic financial instruments)”. This is not found persuasive because the use of common, non-specialized hardware for the different methods of the species does not demonstrate non-distinctness.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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) 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Obstfeld et al. (hereinafter ‘Obstfeld’, Pub. No. 2025/0036793).
Regarding claim 10, Obstfeld teaches a computerized method to maintain integrity of an electronic file (Abstract; [0011]; [0029]; [0030]), comprising:
receiving, at a first computer system from a second computer system, the electronic file ([0033]; [0037]; [0041]; [0045], where a client, obfuscation server and/or ledgers can send and/or receive data);
creating, by the first computer system, a unique identification number for the electronic file ([0029]; [0030]; [0041]);
using, by the first computer system, a hash function to generate a hash value for the electronic file ([0019]; [0022]; [0023]; [0029]; [0030]; [0041], where Web3 services could be provided by obfuscation server or other elements);
saving, by the first computer system, the electronic file, the unique identification number, and the generated hash value together into a database ([0029]; [0030]); and
saving, by the first computer system, at least the unique identification number and the generated hash value into a read-only memory ([0029]; [0030], as stored at, for example, distributed ledgers).
Regarding claim 11, Obstfeld teaches in which the read-only memory comprises at least one of Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Disc Read-Only Memory (DVD-ROM), backup computer system, Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory (BD-ROM), Masked ROM (MROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Flash Memory, other read-only memory, or a combination thereof ([0036]; [0042]; [0045]; [0067]).
Regarding claim 12, Obstfeld teaches in which the first computer system comprises a device interface (304, [0032]; 318, [0038]; [0046]; [0062]- [0064]).
Regarding claim 13, Obstfeld teaches in which the device interface comprises at least one of a keyboard, a keypad, a monitor, a display, a terminal, a computer, a control panel, a vehicle dashboard, a network interface, a machine interface, an electrical interface, an electronic interface, a magnetic interface, an electromagnetic interface including an electromagnetic wave interface, an optical interface, a light interface, an acoustic interface, a video interface, an audio interface, a contactless interface, a mobile phone interface, a smartphone interface, a smartbook interface, a tablet interface, another communication device interface, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) interface, a handheld device interface, a portable device interface, a wireless interface, a wired interface, or a combination thereof (304, [0032]; 318, [0038]; [0046]; [0062]-[0064]).
Regarding claim 14, Obstfeld teaches in which the second computer system comprises a device interface (304, [0032]; 318, [0038]; [0046]; [0062]- [0064]).
Regarding claim 15, Obstfeld teaches in which the device interface comprises at least one of a keyboard, a keypad, a monitor, a display, a terminal, a computer, a control panel, a vehicle dashboard, a network interface, a machine interface, an electrical interface, an electronic interface, a magnetic interface, an electromagnetic interface including an electromagnetic wave interface, an optical interface, a light interface, an acoustic interface, a video interface, an audio interface, a contactless interface, a mobile phone interface, a smartphone interface, a smartbook interface, a tablet interface, another communication device interface, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) interface, a handheld device interface, a portable device interface, a wireless interface, a wired interface, or a combination thereof (304, [0032]; 318, [0038]; [0046]; [0062]-[0064]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR S PARRA whose telephone number is (571)270-1449. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: Mostly 10-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Flynn can be reached at 571-2721915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OMAR S PARRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2421
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