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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This final rejection is to replace the one send out on 4/21/2026 due to file wrapping error.
Response to Amendment
This is a reply to the application filed on 3/25/2026, in which, claim(s) 1, 6-11, 16-25 is/are pending.
Claim(s) 2-5, 12-15 is/are cancelled.
Claim(s) 21-25 is/are newly added.
Response to Arguments
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 112:
Applicants’ arguments with respect to 112 2nd paragraph with rejection of claim(s) 1-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of 112 2nd paragraph have been withdrawn in view of the amendment to claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 101:
Applicants’ arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of 35 USC §101 have been withdrawn in view of the amendment to claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 102 and 35 U.S.C. § 103:
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 6-11, 16-25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 6-11, 16-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Independent claims 1, 11 and 20 reciting “obtaining, by each secure multi-party computation (MPC) computation party of a system comprising a data provider and n secure MPC computation parties, a data message sent by a data provider of the system after the data provider splits private data into m data components, wherein n is an integer greater than 3, and wherein m is equal to n;
obtaining, by each MPC computation party, a first data component among the m data components based on the data message; and
performing, by each MPC computation party by using the first data component, arithmetic sharing processing to obtain a second data component, so as to perform MPC processing to generate a computation result of the MPC processing, wherein the arithmetic sharing processing comprises:
encrypting, by the MPC computation party, the first data component using an encryption key to generate encrypted first data component;
sharing, by the MPC computation party, the encrypted first data component with a next MPC computation party in a cyclic order;
receiving, by the MPC computation party, data shared by a previous MPC computation party in the cyclic order;
decrypting, by the MPC computation party, the data shared by the previous MPC computation party using a decryption key to generate decrypted data;
combining, by the MPC computation party, the decrypted data and the first data component to generate the second data component, wherein an encryption key used by the previous MPC computation party is same as the decryption key used by the MPC computation party, and wherein the encryption key used by the MPC computation party is same as a decryption key used by the next MPC computation party; and
performing, by the MPC computation party, the MPC processing based on the second data component to generate at least a part of the computation result of the MPC processing”
Since the data provider split the data into at least 3 different parts; however, each MPC obtained a first data component among the m data components. It is unclear the order sends out by the data provider. For Example, is it send the same data components to all the MPC, or are they send different data components to each MPC.
If they sending all of the data components, how do they know the order of which whom gets what.
When the data component is sent between MPC in a cyclic order, how would it determine if it is data component 1, 2 or 3 to combine them?
Since there are at least 3 data components, but they only shared once between MPC, which means they only have at most 2 of 3 data components. It is unclear how when combine would give you the whole original private data, especially when the integer increase, such as 2 of 10 data components.
Dependent claims 1, 6-11, 16-25 are rejected for at least in part for incorporating the deficiency as stated above.
Internet Communications
Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lewis (US 20170372078 A1) discloses a cloud based system for providing data security, the system having a processor which creates a source data file; wherein the source data file is split into at least one fragments; an encryption key associated with the at least one fragments; and wherein the at least one fragments is encrypted by the encryption key; a plurality of cloud storage providers; wherein the at least one fragments is distributed among the plurality of cloud storage providers whereby no single cloud storage provider possesses all of the at least one fragments; a pointer file which is created on a local computer; wherein the pointer file stores the location of the at least one fragments; and wherein the pointer file is accessed; the encryption key authenticates the plurality of cloud storage providers; the at least one fragments are transferred from the plurality of cloud storage providers to the local computer; and wherein the at least one fragments are reassembled; and the source data file is deleted.
Li et al. (US 20210051007 A1) discloses a a multi-party secure computation method applicable to any one computing node deployed in a distributed network are provided. A plurality of computing nodes are deployed in the distributed network, the plurality of computing nodes jointly participate in a secure multi-party computation based on respectively held private data, and the computing node that performs the method is connected to a trusted random source. The method includes: obtaining a trusted random number from the trusted random source; performing an operation on the held private data based on the obtained trusted random number to obtain an operation result; and transmitting a computing parameter comprising at least the trusted random number to other computing nodes participating in secure multi-party computation, so that the other computing nodes perform the secure multi-party computation based on collected computing parameters transmitted by the computing nodes participating in the secure multi-party computation.
Mao et al. (US 20230034384 A1) discloses a privacy preserving machine learning platform. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, by a first computing system of multiple multi-party computation (MPC) systems, an inference request including a first share of a given user profile. A predicted label for the given user profile is determined based at least in part on a first machine learning model. A predicted residue value for the given user profile indicating a predicted error in the predicted label is determined. The first computing system determines the first share of the predicted residue value for the given user profile based at least in part on the first share of the given user profile and a second machine learning model. The first computing system receives, from a second computing system of the MPC computing systems, data indicating the second share of the predicted residue value for the given user profile.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAO Q HO whose telephone number is (571)270-5998. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:00am - 5:00pm.
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, Jeffrey Nickerson can be reached on (469) 295-9235. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DAO Q HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2432
Prosecution Insights