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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-26 are pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) submitted by applicant on 8/20/2024 have been considered. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Form PTO-1449 signed and attached hereto.
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 1-20 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.
Claims 1,15,25,26 recites the limitation “wherein the respective attestation transaction comprises a respective output locked to a respective Merkle root of a respective Merkle tree”. The term “locked to” renders the claim indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) because of the invention cannot be reasonably ascertained. The claim does not identify what system or mechanism performs the “locking” and “locked to” has no clear, accepted meaning outside of specific blockchain context. Without defining whether this means cryptographically bound, access control or otherwise, a person of ordinary skill in the art cannot determine the scope of the claim.
Claims 2-14,16-19, dependent on one of claims 1,15, follow therewith.
USPTO Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOSUK SONG whose telephone number is (571)272-3857. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Hirl can be reached at 571-272-3685. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOSUK SONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2435
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