DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 7/7/26 has been entered.
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to RCE, amendment and response filed on 7/7/26. Claims 1, 12 and 20 were amended. Claims 1-20 are pending and examined.
Response to Arguments
101: The Applicant’s amendments and arguments have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
p. 14-15, “Organizing human activity”
The Applicant argues that the claims do not recite an abstract idea in the certain methods of organizing human activity grouping. Because the terms “transaction” and “contract” refer to interactions within a blockchain network.
The Examiner disagrees.
However, as stated in the previous rejection, the terms “transaction” and “contract” as claimed refer to actions in the performance of a financial transaction by a user (e.g.: “object”), see at least para. 35-36 of the specification as filed. At least the following limitations recite an abstract idea that describes contracts to perform the financial transaction:
receiving a [service-logic]-contract calling transaction associated with a first object;
acquiring a management contract when a consensus on the [service-logic]-contract calling transaction is passed, the management contract storing one or more proxy contract addresses, each proxy contract address being associated with a different object [on-chain] address, and a proxy contract corresponding to each proxy contract address being associated with a [service logic] contract;
acquiring, in the one or more proxy contract addresses, a proxy contract address associated with a first object [on-chain] address corresponding to the first object as a target proxy contract address through the management contract.
pp. 16-17 “improvement to technology”
The Applicant argues that the additional elements integrate the abstract idea into a practical application.
The Examiner disagrees
“the service logic contract being an executable code that is understandable by nodes of blockchain network” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it recites a contract that includes instructions to perform a financial transaction (see FIG. 2, item 201, para. 35-36 of the specification as filed) and records the financial transaction in blockchain. The executable code serves as instructions in the contracts to perform the financial transaction and as such amounts to “apply it” to perform the financial transaction with servers on a blockchain. As such, the additional elements such as the executable code (in the contract) and blockchain do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application, because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
Similarly, “wherein the same single service logic contract is reused by the plurality of proxy contracts, a complexity of the service logic contract is greater than a complexity of the plurality of proxy contracts, and an amount of code of the service logic contract stored in the blockchain network is greater than an amount of code of each of the plurality of proxy contracts stored in the blockchain network” discloses complexity of instructions/code associated with various contracts in the service and proxy in relation to the blockchain actions to perform the financial transaction and amount to mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2). Applicant’s argument that the code complexity and reuse may amount to reduction in deployed code is merely intended result without claiming how the size of the code in the service and proxy contracts results in reduction of code complexity, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1).
Furthermore, “executing the service-logic-contract calling transaction by running the executable code of the service logic contract to obtain a transaction execution result, and writing the transaction execution result into the target proxy contract, the transaction execution result in the target proxy contract being associated with the first object” amounts to performing instructions associated with the contract to complete a financial transaction between the customer while using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
As such, the rejection is maintained. An updated rejection is provided that addresses the amended claims.
Prior Art
References of record include US 20200104296 A1 (Hunn) disclosing a hybrid contract execution environment and US 11178151 B2 (Singh) disclosing decentralized database identity management system.
Hunn and Singh, individually or in combination, teach,
receiving a service-logic-contract calling transaction associated with a first object;
acquiring a management contract when a consensus on the service-logic-contract calling transaction is passed, the management contract storing one or more proxy contract addresses, each proxy contract address being associated with a different object on-chain address, and a proxy contract corresponding to each proxy contract address being associated with a service logic contract;
acquiring, in the one or more proxy contract addresses, a proxy contract address associated with a first object on-chain address corresponding to the first object as a target proxy contract address through the management contract.
Hunn and Sing, individually or in combination, do not teach,
acquiring a target proxy contract corresponding to the target proxy contract address, and acquiring the service logic contract through the target proxy contract, the service logic contract being an executable code that is understandable by nodes of the blockchain network and being associated with a plurality of proxy contracts that includes the target proxy contract, wherein the same single service logic contract is reused by the plurality of proxy contracts, a complexity of the service logic contract is greater than a complexity of the plurality of proxy contracts, and an amount of code of the service logic contract stored in the blockchain network is greater than an amount of code of each of the plurality of proxy contracts stored in the blockchain network; and
executing the service-logic-contract calling transaction by running the executable code of the service logic contract to obtain a transaction execution result, and writing the transaction execution result into the target proxy contract, the transaction execution result in the target proxy contract being associated with the first object.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. (Step 1) The claims recite a process (claims 1-11), an apparatus (claims 12-19) and an article of manufacture (claim 20). For the purposes of this analysis, representative claim 12 (from claims 1, 12 and 20) is addressed. (Step 2A, prong 1) Abstract ideas are in bold below, and represent organizing human activity as a method of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets (see FIG. 2, item 201, para. 35-36 of the specification as filed), as are all a form of commercial or legal interactions and managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people.
An electronic device, comprising:
one or more processors, a memory, and a network interface, the one or more processors being connected to the memory and the network interface, the network interface being configured to provide a data communication function, and the memory being configured to store computer executable instructions that, when being executed, cause the one or more processors to perform:
receiving a service-logic-contract calling transaction associated with a first object;
acquiring a management contract when a consensus on the service-logic-contract calling transaction is passed, the management contract storing one or more proxy contract addresses, each proxy contract address being associated with a different object on-chain address, and a proxy contract corresponding to each proxy contract address being associated with a service logic contract;
acquiring, in the one or more proxy contract addresses, a proxy contract address associated with a first object on-chain address corresponding to the first object as a target proxy contract address through the management contract;
acquiring a target proxy contract corresponding to the target proxy contract address, and acquiring the service logic contract through the target proxy contract, the service logic contract being an executable code that is understandable by nodes of the blockchain network and being associated with a plurality of proxy contracts that includes the target proxy contract, wherein the same service logic contract is reused by the plurality of proxy contracts, a complexity of the service logic is greater than a complexity of the plurality of proxy contracts, and an amount of code of the service logic contract stored in the blockchain network is greater than an amount of code of each of the plurality of proxy contracts stored in the blockchain network;
executing the service-logic-contract calling transaction through the service logic contract to obtain a transaction execution result, and writing the transaction execution result into the target proxy contract, the transaction execution result in the target proxy contract being associated with the first object.
(Step 2A prong 2) The additional elements are as follows:
“An electronic device”, “one or more processors, a memory, and a network interface, the one or more processors being connected to the memory and the network interface, the network interface being configured to provide a data communication function, and the memory being configured to store computer executable instructions that, when being executed, cause the one or more processors to perform”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“service-logic [contract]”. “service-logic” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“on-chain” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“[acquiring …] the service logic contract being an executable code that is understandable by nodes of the blockchain network […] an amount of code of [the] service logic [contract] stored in the blockchain network is greater than an amount of code of [each of the plurality of proxy contracts] stored in the blockchain network”. “the service logic contract being an executable code that is understandable by nodes of the blockchain network” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2). “an amount of code of [the] service logic [contract] stored in the blockchain network is greater than an amount of code of [each of the plurality of proxy contracts] stored in the blockchain network” does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“executing [the] service-logic-[contract calling transaction through the] service logic [contract to obtain a transaction execution result], and writing [the transaction execution result into the target proxy contract, the transaction execution result”. executing a financial transaction and storing the execution results does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
(Step 2B) The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets.
Continuing the analysis with dependent claims, claims 6 and 17 recite “wherein the management contract comprises proxy contract deployment code and a service logic contract address corresponding to the service logic contract”, “deploying the target proxy contract associated with the service logic contract through the management contract comprises”, “creating an initial proxy contract by executing the proxy contract deployment code” and “writing the service logic contract address into the initial proxy contract to obtain the target proxy contract associated with the service logic contract” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements that include:
“proxy contract deployment code” and “executing the proxy contract deployment code”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets.
Claims 7 and 18 recite “receiving a management contract deployment transaction associated with a management object, wherein the management contract deployment transaction comprises management contract code, proxy contract deployment code, and the service logic contract address”, “creating an initial management contract by executing the management contract code when a consensus on the management contract deployment transaction is passed” and “writing the proxy contract deployment code and the service logic contract address into the initial management contract, to obtain the management contract” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements that include:
“management contract code, proxy contract deployment code” and “executing the management contract code”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets.
Claims 8 and 19 recite “transmitting a management contract address corresponding to the management contract to a service server for generating a proxy contract deployment transaction carrying the management contract address when receiving a proxy contract deployment request associated with the first object for the service logic contract, wherein the proxy contract deployment transaction is configured for deploying the target proxy contract for the first object” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements that include:
“transmitting a management contract address […] to a service server”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on walletse.
Claim 9 recites “receiving a service-logic-contract deployment transaction associated with the management object, wherein the service-logic-contract deployment transaction comprises service logic contract code; deploying the service logic contract by executing the service logic contract code when a consensus on the service-logic-contract deployment transaction is passed” and “transmitting the service logic contract address corresponding to the service logic contract to the management object when the service logic contract is successfully deployed” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements that include:
“service logic contract code” and “executing the service logic contract code”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets.
Claim 10 recites “acquiring a management object on-chain address corresponding to the management object”, “transmitting permission error prompt information to the management object when it is determined that the management object on-chain address does not have a management contract deployment permission”, “initiating a consensus request for the management contract deployment transaction to a consensus network when it is determined that the management object on-chain address has the management contract deployment permission, wherein the consensus network performs consensus processing on the management contract deployment transaction to obtain a consensus result” and “determining that the consensus on the management contract deployment transaction is passed when the consensus result is a consensus passing result” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements that include:
“transmitting permission error prompt information”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
“consensus network” and “the consensus network performs consensus processing”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets.
Claim 11 recites “searching the one or more proxy contract addresses in the management contract based on the first object on-chain address corresponding to the first object” and “when finding a proxy contract address associated with the first object on-chain address corresponding to the first object in the one or more proxy contract addresses, performing following operations”, “acquiring, in the one or more proxy contract addresses, the proxy contract address associated with the first object on-chain address corresponding to the first object as the target proxy contract address through the management contract” and “when not finding the proxy contract address associated with the first object on-chain address corresponding to the first object in the one or more proxy contract addresses, transmitting proxy contract registration guidance information to the first object.” additional details which further narrow the abstract idea and additional elements that include:
“transmitting proxy contract registration guidance information”. These additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they are no more than “apply it” because they are mere “[u]se of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements do no more than provide mere instructions to apply the abstract idea using “a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2), and/or the claim fails to recite the technological details of “how a solution to a problem is accomplished”, see MPEP 2106.05(f)(1). Therefore, the claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of providing contract based financial transactions that are recorded on wallets.
Analysis of dependent claims 2-5 and 13-16 recited additional details which only further narrow the abstract idea and do not add any additional features, alone or in combination, that would provide a practical application or provide significantly more.
Conclusion
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/BROCK E TURK/Examiner, Art Unit 3692
/RYAN D DONLON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3692 September 24, 2026
