DETAILED ACTION
This is a Final Office action is in response to communications filed on April 16th, 2026. Claim 1-2, 4, and 9-10 is/are amended and claims 3 is/are cancelled. Claims 1-2 and 4-15 have been examined in this application.
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 .
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 1-2 and 4-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e. an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Step 1: Claims 1-2 and 4-8 is/are drawn to apparatus (i.e., a manufacture), claims 9 is/are drawn to method (i.e., a process), and claims 10-15 is/are drawn to system (i.e., a manufacture). (Step 1: YES).
Step 2A - Prong One: In prong one of step 2A, the claim(s) is/are analyzed to evaluate whether it/they recite(s) a judicial exception.
Claim 1: An apparatus comprising circuitry configured to:
identify a user;
detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue;
provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology;
register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item;
and provide the virtual item to the user after confirming inspection of ticket data of the user, thereby preventing an imposter scam by a third person, wherein inspection of the ticket data of the user requires checking a value of ticket inspection status.
(Examiner notes: The underlined claim terms above are interpreted as additional elements beyond the abstract idea and are further analyzed under Step 2A - Prong Two)
Under their broadest reasonable interpretation, the independent claims is/are directed to the abstract idea of organizing and managing event-based commercial interactions and corresponding digital ownership records, including: identifying a user; determining that an event-related article purchased by the user has been handed over to the user at an event venue; confirming ticket data or ticket-inspection status associated with the user; providing a corresponding virtual item/NFT to the user; and registering owner information for the virtual item in a distributed ledger. These steps reflect the concept of coordinating a real-world event transaction with a corresponding digital representation or ownership record, where a user’s ticket/article status is checked and the user is then provided a corresponding virtual item. This is an abstract idea because it is directed to organizing commercial and event-access interactions between people and entities, including verifying a user’s entitlement, associating a user with a purchased or received item, and maintaining ownership information for a corresponding digital item. The MPEP identifies “certain methods of organizing human activity” as including commercial or legal interactions and managing relationships or interactions between people. Such information organization and issuance represent a method of organizing human activity and processing data, which is in the abstract idea category, which the courts have repeatedly held to be abstract ideas. See Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l, 573 U.S. 208 (2014); Electric Power Group, LLC v. Alstom S.A., 830 F.3d 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2016). Thus, the claimed subject matter is directed to an abstract idea falling within the judicial exception category of “certain methods of organizing human activity”. Further, the claims also recite collecting, analyzing, storing, transmitting, and displaying user, ticket, article, and ownership information. Such data collection and evaluation may also be characterized as mental-process-type activity when considered apart from the generic computer implementation, because the underlying determinations, whether a user has a ticket, whether an item was provided, and whether the user should receive a corresponding item, are observations, evaluations, or judgments. The MPEP identifies mental processes as concepts that can be performed in the human mind, including observations, evaluations, judgments, and opinions. From applicant’s specification, the claimed invention is implemented to “the item management server 30 identifies the article provided to the user by receiving the information transmitted by the article provision device 60 on the article provided to the user. The item management server 30 thus detects the handing over of the article. The item management server 30 updates the values of "user ID" and "whether handed over or not" in the record of the sold article in the individual physical item” (see 0252 of instant specification). The amended claims still recite registering ownership information for a digital item, which is a form of storing, recording, and managing ownership data. The claim does not recite a specific improvement to blockchain technology, distributed ledgers, ticket-inspection technology, computer security, or computer functionality. Instead, the NFT/blockchain limitations are used as a tool for recording the result of the abstract transaction: that the user owns or is associated with the corresponding virtual item, that is abstract idea of information processing concepts that courts have treated as an abstract idea under Alice/Mayo when implemented with generic computer components. The Examiner notes that although the claim limitations are summarized, the analysis regarding subject matter eligibility considers the entirety of the claim and all of the claim elements individually, as a whole, and in ordered combination.
The dependent claims are directed to variations of the abstract idea of collecting, verifying, and managing information associated with users, transactions, and corresponding digital representations in the context of an event or commercial interaction. The dependent claims 2, 4 and 7, recite additional limitations for verifying ticket data, inspecting event access credentials, identifying users through biometric or terminal-based information, and retrieving purchase history, which merely refine how user and transaction information is confirmed and associated. Further the dependent claims 5-6 and 11-12, further recites identifying purchased articles using stored data or identifiers, settling payment, transmitting user and article information between system components, and displaying purchase-related information, which are routine data processing and information exchange functions. Further the dependent claim 8, recites registering ownership information for a virtual item using a non-fungible token, which constitutes recording and authenticating ownership data in a digital ledger. Lastly, the dependent claims 13-15 recites automating the provision of an article using a container, dispensing mechanism, and sensors, which are claimed in terms of their role in selecting, detecting, and recording information about dispensed articles rather than improving the operation of the hardware itself. Taken together, these dependent claims merely add conventional data verification, recordation, transmission, and presentation steps to the same underlying concept of organizing and managing real-world transactions and their digital counterparts, and therefore do not change the fundamental abstract character of the claims. None of the additional limitations recite a technological improvement to a computer or another technical field, nor do they effect a transformation beyond generic computer implementation. Accordingly, claims 1-2 and 4-15 are directed to an abstract idea under 35 U.S.C. §101, namely how information is collected, validated, stored, transmitted, or presented within same framework of coordinating real-world transactions with digital records and virtual representations, rather than to an improvement in computer technology itself. As such, the claims are directed to an abstract idea involving certain methods of organizing human activity and mental processes, which falls within a judicial exception under 35 U.S.C. §101.
Independent claim(s) 9-10 recite/describe nearly identical steps (and therefore also recite limitations that fall within this subject matter grouping of abstract ideas), and this/these claim(s) is/are therefore determined to recite an abstract idea under the same analysis.
As such, the Examiner concludes that claims 1 recites an abstract idea (Step 2A – Prong One: YES).
Step 2A - Prong Two: In prong two of step 2A, an evaluation is made whether a claim recites any additional element, or combination of additional elements, that integrate the exception into a practical application of that exception. An “addition element” is an element that is recited in the claim in addition to (beyond) the judicial exception (i.e., an element/limitation that sets forth an abstract idea is not an additional element). The phrase “integration into a practical application” is defined as requiring an additional element or a combination of additional elements in the claim to apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the judicial exception, such that it is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception.
The requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using an apparatus, provision apparatus, computer, sensor, etc. (Claims 1 and 9-10) is/are equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer.
Similarly, the limitations of using an apparatus, provision apparatus, computer, sensor, etc. (Claims 1 and 9-10, and dependent claims 2, 4-8, and 11-15) are recited at a high level of generality and amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. This/these limitation(s) do/does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do/does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(f)).
Further, the additional limitations beyond the abstract idea identified above, serves merely to generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Specifically, it/they serve(s) to limit the application of the abstract idea to computerized environments (e.g., identify, detect, provide, settle, read, transmit, accept, store, etc. steps performed by an apparatus, provision apparatus, computer, sensor, etc.). This reasoning was demonstrated in Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Bank (Fed. Cir. 2015), where the court determined "an abstract idea does not become nonabstract by limiting the invention to a particular field of use or technological environment, such as the Internet [or] a computer"). This/these limitation(s) do/does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do/does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(h)).
The recited additional element(s) steps are directed to identifying a user, detecting that an event-related purchased article has been handed over to the user at an event venue, confirming ticket data by checking a value of ticket inspection status, providing a corresponding virtual item/NFT, and registering owner information for the virtual item in a distributed ledger. These elements merely describe data gathering, data analysis, data verification, data storage, data transmission, and output/presentation steps that are ancillary to the abstract idea of organizing and managing commercial and event-based interactions and their corresponding digital representations. Likewise, the recited circuitry performs these steps in a generic manner, without specifying any particularized hardware structure, unconventional operation, or technological improvement, which constitutes insignificant extra-solution activity without adding any technical improvement (Independent Claims 1 and 9-10), additionally and/or alternatively simply append insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception, (e.g., mere pre-solution activity, such as data gathering, in conjunction with an abstract idea). This/these limitation(s) do/does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do/does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. (See MPEP 2106.05(g)).
Dependent claims 2, 4-8, and 11-15 fail to include any additional elements. In other words, each of the limitations/elements recited in respective dependent claims is/are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim (i.e., they are part of the abstract idea recited in each respective claim).
The Examiner has therefore determined that the additional elements, or combination of additional elements, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Accordingly, the claim(s) is/are directed to an abstract idea (Step 2A – Prong two: NO).
Step 2B: In step 2B, the claims are analyzed to determine whether any additional element, or combination of additional elements, is/are sufficient to ensure that the claims amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. This analysis is also termed a search for an "inventive concept." An "inventive concept" is furnished by an element or combination of elements that is recited in the claim in addition to (beyond) the judicial exception, and is sufficient to ensure that the claim as a whole amounts to significantly more than the judicial exception itself. Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. at 2355, 110 USPQ2d at 1981 (citing Mayo, 566 U.S. at 72-73, 101 USPQ2d at 1966).
As discussed above in “Step 2A – Prong 2”, the identified additional elements in independent Claims 1 and 9-10, and dependent claims 2, 4-8, and 11-15 are equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer, and/or generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Therefore, the claims as a whole do not amount to significantly more than the judicial exception itself.
The recited additional element(s) of identifying a user, detecting that an event-related purchased article has been handed over to the user at an event venue, confirming ticket data by checking a value of ticket inspection status, providing a corresponding virtual item/NFT, and registering owner information for the virtual item in a distributed ledger. These elements merely describe data gathering, data analysis, data verification, data storage, data transmission, and output/presentation steps that are ancillary to the abstract idea of organizing and managing commercial and event-based interactions and their corresponding digital representations (Independent Claims 1 and 9-10), additionally and/or alternatively simply append insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception, (e.g., mere pre-solution activity, such as data gathering, in conjunction with an abstract idea), i.e. these steps merely describe to identify, detect, provide, settle, read, transmit, accept, store, etc., which is similar to “Receiving or transmitting data over a network, e.g., using the Internet to gather data”, Symantec, 838 F.3d at 1321, 120 USPQ2d at 1362 (utilizing an intermediary computer to forward information), “Storing and retrieving information in memory”, Versata Dev. Group, Inc. v. SAP Am., Inc., 793 F.3d 1306, 1334, 115 USPQ2d 1681, 1701 (Fed. Cir. 2015); OIP Techs., 788 F.3d at 1363, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93; “Presenting offers to potential customers and gathering statistics generated based on the testing about how potential customers responded to the offers; the statistics are then used to calculate an optimized price”, OIP Technologies, 788 F.3d at 1363, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93, Determining an estimated outcome and setting a price, OIP Techs., 788 F.3d at 1362-63, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93, is a well-understood, routine, and conventional function when it is claimed in a merely generic manner (as it is here) (See MPEP 2106.05(d) (II)).
This conclusion is based on a factual determination. Applicant’s own disclosure at paragraph [0108-0113] acknowledges that “The processor 32 is a computer that implements the functions of the item management server 30 by executing programs stored in the storage device 31. The processor 32 is, for example, at least one of the following … input/output interface 33 is configured to obtain information (e.g., a user instruction) from an input device connected to the item management server 30 and to output information (e.g., an image) to an output device connected to the item management server 30”. This additional element therefore do not ensure the claim amounts to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Viewing the additional limitations in combination also shows that they fail to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. When considered as an ordered combination, the additional components of the claims add nothing that is not already present when considered separately, and thus simply append the abstract idea with words equivalent to “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer or/and append the abstract idea with insignificant extra solution activity associated with the implementation of the judicial exception, (e.g., mere data gathering, post-solution activity) and/or simply appending well-understood, routine, conventional activities previously known to the industry, specified at a high level of generality, to the judicial exception.
The dependent claims 2, 4-8, and 11-15 fail to include any additional elements. In other words, each of the limitations/elements recited in respective independent claims is/are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim (i.e., they are part of the abstract idea recited in each respective claim).
Specifically, claims 2, 4, and 7 recite additional elements directed to verifying ticket data, inspecting access credentials, identifying users via biometric or terminal-based information, and retrieving purchase history. These limitations merely employ well-understood, routine, and conventional techniques for confirming identity and transaction eligibility, as commonly used in event access systems and point-of-sale environments, and therefore do not add an inventive concept. Claims 5-6 and 11-12 recites additional limitations for identifying purchased articles using stored identifiers, settling payment, transmitting user and article information between components, and displaying purchase-related information. These elements are implemented using generic computing and networking functionality and perform routine data collection, storage, transmission, and presentation tasks that are conventional in computerized transaction systems, and thus do not transform the abstract idea into a patent-eligible application. Claim 8 recites registering ownership information for a virtual item using a non-fungible token. This limitation merely applies a known blockchain/NFT technique to record ownership information for digital content and does not improve blockchain technology itself or effect a technological transformation; rather, it constitutes the routine use of a known technology to implement the abstract idea, which is insufficient to confer an inventive concept. Claims 13-15 recites automated dispensing of an article using a container, an ejection mechanism, and sensors configured to read information during dispensing, including short-range wireless sensing. These elements, as claimed, rely on conventional vending and sensing components performing their ordinary functions of dispensing items and reading identifiers, and are not claimed as providing any unconventional operation or improvement to the underlying hardware. These limitations merely recite post-solution activity involving the presentation of information, which is a well-understood, routine, and conventional computer function, and do not amount to significantly more.
When viewed as an ordered combination, the additional elements of claims 2, 4-8, and 11-15 merely instruct to implement the abstract idea using generic computer components to collect, store, represent, and display information. The claims do not recite any unconventional arrangement of elements, nor do they effect an improvement to computer functionality or another technical field and therefore fail to integrate the abstract concept into a practical application and it is recited at a high level of generality and does not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application.
The Examiner has therefore determined that no additional element, or combination of additional claims elements is/are sufficient to ensure the claim(s) amount to significantly more than the abstract idea identified above (Step 2B: NO).
Therefore, claims 1-2 and 4-15 are not eligible subject matter under 35 USC 101.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status:
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.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4-10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pub. 20200184547 (“Andon”) in view of U.S. Pub. 20210074102 (“Weston”).
As per claims 1, 9, and 10, Andon discloses, apparatus comprising circuitry configured to: identify a user (Examiner interprets receiving a unique owner identification code associated with a user as identifying the user because the owner ID code uniquely associates the digital asset transfer with the user) (“A method of event-based distribution of a cryptographic digital asset comprises: receiving, from a computing device associated with a user, an indication that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue within a predetermined window of time; receiving, from the computing device, a unique owner identification (ID) code associated with the user; receiving, from the computing device, a unique code acquired by the user; determining a unique digital asset ID code corresponding to the received unique code, the unique digital asset ID code representative of the cryptographic digital asset; and transmitting a cryptographic block to a distributed blockchain ledger to record transfer of the cryptographic digital asset to the user, the cryptographic block comprising both the unique digital asset ID code and the unique owner ID code”) (0174);
detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue (Examiner interprets the claimed “article” broadly as including an event-related ticket, program, physical item, tangible object, merchandise receipt, or purchased event item. Examiner further interprets scanning a code on a physical item, ticket, seat item, or merchandise receipt at the venue as detecting receipt or handover of the event-related article) (“the user 11 may locate a virtual object 210, such as a CryptoKick, in an arena 212 using an AR capability of a smart phone 40. In this example, the CryptoKick may be “hidden” in a scoreboard 214, though may be freely recognizable using an app on the phone that interfaces with a camera on the phone. The app may illustrate the virtual object on a display when the camera recognizes a specific environmental optical pattern (i.e., the scoreboard within the arena), and when the phone is geolocated within a particular area (i.e., via GPS sensing, beacons, geofencing techniques, wi-fi connectivity, and the like. Once located, the user 11 may be prompted to scan a unique code, such as the barcode on a ticket, a unique code provided on a program or physical item (e.g., noise maker, light stick, towel) that may be placed on the user's seat prior to the game. This code may be associated and/or linked with an allocated, registered, or pre-provisioned cryptographic asset and KickID. Once this code is scanned or entered, the phone 40 may initiate the transfer of the digital asset 202 to the user's locker 204 that is in communication with a blockchain service/network 60. For example, the phone 40 may communicate the code to a server, where an associated KickID may be looked up and then transferred to a locker associated with the user's ID.”) (0102, 0182);
provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article (Examiner interprets the claimed “virtual item” as encompassing Andon’s CryptoKick, digital shoe, digital collectable, cryptographic digital asset, or digital asset. Examiner interprets “usable in a virtual space” as encompassing a digital item usable or displayable in a virtual storefront, video game, virtual world, or virtual environment.) (“the CryptoKick may be “hidden” in a scoreboard 214, though may be freely recognizable using an app on the phone that interfaces with a camera on the phone. The app may illustrate the virtual object on a display when the camera recognizes a specific environmental optical pattern (i.e., the scoreboard within the arena), and when the phone is geolocated within a particular area (i.e., via GPS sensing, beacons, geofencing techniques, wi-fi connectivity, and the like. Once located, the user 11 may be prompted to scan a unique code, such as the barcode on a ticket, a unique code provided on a program or physical item (e.g., noise maker, light stick, towel) that may be placed on the user's seat prior to the game. This code may be associated and/or linked with an allocated, registered, or pre-provisioned cryptographic asset and KickID. Once this code is scanned or entered, the phone 40 may initiate the transfer of the digital asset 202 to the user's locker 204 that is in communication with a blockchain service/network 60 … a server, such as a middleware server, may receive an indication that a user device is at a particular venue during a particular event. This indication may be derived from GPS-based position coordinates that are determined from a GPS receiver on the user device … Once this code is scanned or entered, the server may receive an indication of the user's unique ID and the unique scanned code. The server and/or the user device may initiate the transfer of the digital asset 202 to the user's locker 204 that is in communication with a blockchain service/network 60 … This attribute pack may then be intermingled with an existing CryptoKick to mutate or edit an existing colorway attribute toward the team color scheme. In some embodiments, transmitting the unique scanned code may then direct an application or browser on the user's device to a virtual storefront where colorway attribute packs of each teach may be made available, and where the user is prompted to select one for acquisition. Similar virtual storefront techniques may similarly be useful for the selection and transfer of CriptoKicks as well.”) (0102-0105, 0108-0109),
wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology (Examiner interprets the CryptoKick/NFT, unique digital asset ID, unique owner ID, blockchain locker, and distributed blockchain ledger recordation as managing owner information for the virtual item in a distributed ledger) (“the token may include a 64-bit alphanumeric code that is sectioned into individual code segments. One or more or all of the code segments of the alphanumeric code may express data indicative of attributes of the collectible digital shoe. For instance, a series of code segments may provide digital shoe attributes, such as Style, Materials, Family, Heat, Colorway, Future Attributes, Make, Model, Pattern Scheme, Image Background, etc. Each subset of a code may generally function as a genotype that produces a visual phenotype expression to the user … an authenticated pair of physical shoes are created and assigned a Unique Product Identifier (UPID). Upon purchase by a consumer, the UPID is used to unlock a cryptographic digital asset—a “CryptoKick”—composed of a collectible digital shoe and a unique non-fungible token (NFT) operating on a blockchain-based distributed computing platform”) (0040-0042, 0046, 0013-0015, 0174);
register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item (Examiner interprets recording the unique digital asset ID together with the unique owner ID on the distributed blockchain ledger as registering owner information in the distributed ledger) (“A method of event-based distribution of a cryptographic digital asset comprises: receiving, from a computing device associated with a user, an indication that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue within a predetermined window of time; receiving, from the computing device, a unique owner identification (ID) code associated with the user; receiving, from the computing device, a unique code acquired by the user; determining a unique digital asset ID code corresponding to the received unique code, the unique digital asset ID code representative of the cryptographic digital asset; and transmitting a cryptographic block to a distributed blockchain ledger to record transfer of the cryptographic digital asset to the user, the cryptographic block comprising both the unique digital asset ID code and the unique owner ID code”) (0174);
and provide the virtual item to the user after confirming inspection of ticket data of the user (Examiner interprets scanning or entering a ticket barcode, ticket code, seat code, physical-object code, or merchandise-receipt code before transfer of the digital asset as confirming inspection of ticket or event-participation data) (“app may illustrate the virtual object on a display when the camera recognizes a specific environmental optical pattern (i.e., the scoreboard within the arena), and when the phone is geolocated within a particular area (i.e., via GPS sensing, beacons, geofencing techniques, wi-fi connectivity, and the like. Once located, the user 11 may be prompted to scan a unique code, such as the barcode on a ticket, a unique code provided on a program or physical item (e.g., noise maker, light stick, towel) that may be placed on the user's seat prior to the game. This code may be associated and/or linked with an allocated, registered, or pre-provisioned cryptographic asset and KickID. Once this code is scanned or entered, the phone 40 may initiate the transfer of the digital asset 202 to the user's locker 204 that is in communication with a blockchain service/network 60 … a server, such as a middleware server, may receive an indication that a user device is at a particular venue during a particular event. This indication may be derived from GPS-based position coordinates that are determined from a GPS receiver on the user device. More specifically, the determined GPS coordinates may be compared to a predefined geofenced area around the venue and the indication may represent whether the device is inside or outside of the venue. Alternatively, the indication may result from the device being in proximity to one or more 802.11 or BLUETOOTH beacons located at the venue, or optical recognition, via a camera on the device, of specific visual characteristics of the venue”) (0102-0103, 0044).
Andon discloses, user may be prompted to scan a barcode on a ticket to the event, and that the two-part action transfers a token uniquely provisioned for that ticket to the user’s locker and once a ticket barcode, physical-object code, seat code, or merchandise-receipt code is scanned or entered, the server receives the user’s unique ID and scanned code and initiates transfer of the digital asset to the user’s blockchain-connected locker, but specifically doesn’t disclose, thereby preventing an imposter scam by a third person, wherein inspection of the ticket data of the user requires checking a value of ticket inspection status, however Weston discloses, thereby preventing an imposter scam by a third person, wherein inspection of the ticket data of the user requires checking a value of ticket inspection status (Examiner interprets ticketing-status values such as “TICKETED,” “VIP,” and “NON-TICKETED” as values of ticket inspection status because they indicate the result/status of inspecting ticket data associated with the user. Weston discloses an event site device configured to scan approaching guests, perform facial recognition, and display whether each individual guest is ticketed or not ticketed. Weston teaches displaying ticketing information or ticketing status visually corresponding to the user, including indications such as “TICKETED,” “VIP,” and “NON-TICKETED.”) (“The face detection component 306 can communicate with the CRM component 302 on the server 102 to determine whether the user's face corresponds with any face-associated tickets 110. If it is determined that there are face-associated tickets 110 corresponding to the user, the display component 308 can display information related to the user and/or regarding the tickets associated with the user. For instance, the display component 308 can display information such as the user's personal information, the number of tickets associated with the user, VIP status of the tickets, or certain known preferences of the user (seating preferences, food preferences, drink preferences) as described later with reference to FIG. 5. In certain embodiments, the face detection component 206, upon receiving an image of a person's face, searches for a GI 112 that corresponds to the image of the person's face. Face detection component 306 can be configured to search for a corresponding GI 112 among all global identifiers in the global identifier universe 200 or it can be configured to search for a corresponding GI 112 only among one or more specified person group 202. Searching among one or more person groups 202, as compared to searching among the entire global identifier universe, reduces the amount of global identifiers to be searched, thus reducing the amount of processing and bandwidth necessary to perform the facial recognition tasks … FIG. 4, the event site device 304 can be an augmented reality device, such as augmented reality glasses, that is worn by event staff 400. As a person approaches the entrance to an event, the event site device 304 can scan the faces of approaching guests. The event site device 304 performs facial recognition and can display an indication to the event staff 400 specifying whether each individual guest is ticketed or not ticketed. In some embodiments, the event site device 304 can display a person's ticketing information or ticketing status as visually corresponding with the user as seen through the augmented reality device or as seen on a display screen. Event site device 304 can indicate a person's status in a variety of ways. For example, a ticketed user 402 (e.g. a user having a face-associated ticket 110 for a particular event) can have an indication such as a color indication (e.g. green icon), an icon (e.g. check mark), or text (e.g. “TICKETED”) appearing in correspondence with the ticketed user 402 as seen by the event staff 400 using the event site device 304. In another example, a VIP user 404 can have an indication such as a color indication, an icon, or text (e.g. “VIP”) appearing in correspondence with the VIP user 404 as seen by the event staff 400 using the event site device 304. In another example, a non-ticketed user 406 can have an indication such as a color indication (e.g. red icon), an icon (e.g. an “X”), or text (e.g. “NON-TICKETED”) appearing in correspondence with the non-ticketed user 406 as seen by the event staff 400 using the event site device 304”) (0054-0056).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, thereby preventing an imposter scam by a third person, wherein inspection of the ticket data of the user requires checking a value of ticket inspection status, as taught by Weston for the purpose to use ticket-status verification for controlled event access to ensure that only a verified ticketed attendee receives the event-related NFT/virtual item and would reduce unauthorized or imposter collection.
As per claims 2, Andon specifically doesn’t disclose, provide the virtual item to the user after confirming that the user has ticket data necessary for participating in an event at the event venue, however Weston discloses, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide the virtual item to the user after confirming that the user has ticket data necessary for participating in an event at the event venue (Examiner interprets verifying ticketing information and allowing event access constitutes confirming that the user has ticket data necessary for participating in the event) (“The face detection component 306 can communicate with the CRM component 302 on the server 102 to determine whether the user's face corresponds with any face-associated tickets 110. If it is determined that there are face-associated tickets 110 corresponding to the user, the display component 308 can display information related to the user and/or regarding the tickets associated with the user. For instance, the display component 308 can display information such as the user's personal information, the number of tickets associated with the user, VIP status of the tickets, or certain known preferences of the user (seating preferences, food preferences, drink preferences) as described later with reference to FIG. 5. In certain embodiments, the face detection component 206, upon receiving an image of a person's face, searches for a GI 112 that corresponds to the image of the person's face. Face detection component 306 can be configured to search for a corresponding GI 112 among all global identifiers in the global identifier universe 200 or it can be configured to search for a corresponding GI 112 only among one or more specified person group 202. Searching among one or more person groups 202, as compared to searching among the entire global identifier universe, reduces the amount of global identifiers to be searched, thus reducing the amount of processing and bandwidth necessary to perform the facial recognition tasks … FIG. 4, the event site device 304 can be an augmented reality device, such as augmented reality glasses, that is worn by event staff 400. As a person approaches the entrance to an event, the event site device 304 can scan the faces of approaching guests. The event site device 304 performs facial recognition and can display an indication to the event staff 400 specifying whether each individual guest is ticketed or not ticketed. In some embodiments, the event site device 304 can display a person's ticketing information or ticketing status as visually corresponding with the user as seen through the augmented reality device or as seen on a display screen. Event site device 304 can indicate a person's status in a variety of ways. For example, a ticketed user 402 (e.g. a user having a face-associated ticket 110 for a particular event) can have an indication such as a color indication (e.g. green icon), an icon (e.g. check mark), or text (e.g. “TICKETED”) appearing in correspondence with the ticketed user 402 as seen by the event staff 400 using the event site device 304. In another example, a VIP user 404 can have an indication such as a color indication, an icon, or text (e.g. “VIP”) appearing in correspondence with the VIP user 404 as seen by the event staff 400 using the event site device 304. In another example, a non-ticketed user 406 can have an indication such as a color indication (e.g. red icon), an icon (e.g. an “X”), or text (e.g. “NON-TICKETED”) appearing in correspondence with the non-ticketed user 406 as seen by the event staff 400 using the event site device 304”) (0054-0056, 0064-0065).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, provide the virtual item to the user after confirming that the user has ticket data necessary for participating in an event at the event venue, as taught by Weston for the purpose to use ticket-status verification for controlled event access to ensure that only a verified ticketed attendee receives the event-related NFT/virtual item and would reduce unauthorized or imposter collection.
As per claims 4, Andon discloses, wherein the circuitry is configured to identify the user by reading information on the user from a user terminal used by the user (Examiner interprets the user’s computing device or smartphone as the claimed user terminal, and interprets receiving the unique owner ID code and unique code from that computing device as reading information on the user from the user terminal. Andon receives, from a computing device associated with the user, a unique owner ID code and a unique code acquired by the user) (“A method of event-based distribution of a cryptographic digital asset comprises: receiving, from a computing device associated with a user, an indication that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue within a predetermined window of time; receiving, from the computing device, a unique owner identification (ID) code associated with the user; receiving, from the computing device, a unique code acquired by the user; determining a unique digital asset ID code corresponding to the received unique code, the unique digital asset ID code representative of the cryptographic digital asset; and transmitting a cryptographic block to a distributed blockchain ledger to record transfer of the cryptographic digital asset to the user, the cryptographic block comprising both the unique digital asset ID code and the unique owner ID code.”) (0174).
As per claims 5, Andon discloses, identify the article purchased by the user and provide, to the user, a virtual item corresponding to the article purchased by the user (Examiner interprets the purchased article as Andon’s authenticated physical shoe, event-related physical item, tangible object, or merchandise item, and interprets the corresponding virtual item as the CryptoKick/digital shoe/NFT associated with that article. Andon teaches that an authenticated pair of physical shoes is assigned a UPID, and upon purchase by a consumer, the UPID unlocks a cryptographic digital asset, namely a CryptoKick composed of a collectible digital shoe and a unique NFT) (“the token may include a 64-bit alphanumeric code that is sectioned into individual code segments. One or more or all of the code segments of the alphanumeric code may express data indicative of attributes of the collectible digital shoe. For instance, a series of code segments may provide digital shoe attributes, such as Style, Materials, Family, Heat, Colorway, Future Attributes, Make, Model, Pattern Scheme, Image Background, etc. Each subset of a code may generally function as a genotype that produces a visual phenotype expression to the user … an authenticated pair of physical shoes are created and assigned a Unique Product Identifier (UPID). Upon purchase by a consumer, the UPID is used to unlock a cryptographic digital asset—a “CryptoKick”—composed of a collectible digital shoe and a unique non-fungible token (NFT) operating on a blockchain-based distributed computing platform”) (0040-0043, 0046, 0013-0015, 0174).
As per claims 6, Andon discloses, wherein the circuitry is configured to identify the article purchased by the user by reading information on the article, the information attached to the article purchased by the user (Examiner interprets UPC, UPID, RFID, NFC, a physical code, a tag, a label, an insole code, a receipt code, or other article-associated machine-readable data as information attached to or associated with the purchased article.Andon teaches scanning the shoe’s UPC or UPID, using a visual or electronic tag such as RFID or NFC hidden in the physical shoe, and using a physical code or UPID associated with the shoe, including on the box, hang tag, label, or insole) (“a KickID is provided to the user via a printed or digital receipt, a visual or electronic tag (RFID or NFC) hidden in the physical shoe, a pop-up message or email sent to a personal user account, a push notification or text message sent to a smartphone, or some other record; the consumer uses the KickID to link the CryptoKick to their digital blockchain locker. Another example may require the user to assemble the KickID in part via a physical code or UPID associated with the shoe (on the box, on a hang tag, under a label, on an insole, etc.), and in part via a transaction authentication code (i.e., to prevent consumers from collecting a CryptoKick when they merely try on a pair of shoes). Another example may require the user to “hunt” for CryptoKicks in a brick-and-mortar store by using a photographic “snap” or augmented reality (“AR”) function on a handheld personal computing device. For this method, a KickID may be provided via the validated transaction, however, the user must separately find a hidden CryptoKick in AR hidden within the store or local area before the digital asset can be transferred to their locker”) (0043).
As per claims 7, Andon discloses, wherein the circuitry is configured to identify the article purchased by the user based on purchase history indicating a purchase made by the user (Examiner interprets a transaction confirmation indicative of a validated transfer of the article to the user as purchase-history information because it records that the user purchased or acquired the article. Andon teaches receiving a transaction confirmation indicative of a validated transfer of authentic footwear from a first party to a second party, determining the owner ID associated with the second party, and generating a cryptographic digital asset associated with the article of footwear) (“automating generation of cryptographic digital assets associated with articles of footwear. This representative method includes, in any order and in any combination with any of the above or below disclosed features and options: receiving, via a server-class (middleware or backend) computer over a distributed computing network from a remote computing node (e.g., a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a personal computer, a smartphone, etc.), a transaction confirmation indicative of a validated transfer of authentic footwear from a first party to a second party; determining, via the middleware server computer from an encrypted relational database, a unique owner ID code (e.g., a member ID of a cryptocurrency wallet or digital locker) associated with the second party; generating a cryptographic digital asset associated with the article of footwear, the cryptographic digital asset including a digital shoe (e.g., a computer-generated avatar) and a unique digital shoe ID code (e.g., a key and cryptographic token); linking, via the middleware server computer, the cryptographic digital asset with the unique owner ID code; and transmitting, via the middleware server computer to a distributed blockchain ledger (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.), the unique digital shoe ID code and the unique owner ID code for recordation on a transaction block”) (0013).
As per claims 8, Andon discloses, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide the virtual item to the user by registering information on the user on a non-fungible token configured to allow virtual-item owner information (Examiner interprets assigning the CryptoKick/NFT to the user’s blockchain locker, linking it to a personal user account, and recording the owner ID with the digital asset ID on the blockchain as registering user/owner information for the NFT. Andon teaches that a CryptoKick includes a collectible digital shoe and a unique NFT operating on a blockchain-based distributed computing platform. Andon further teaches that a blockchain locker may store the private key belonging to the CryptoKick’s NFT and may be linked to a personal user account registered with the manufacturer) (“an authenticated pair of physical shoes are created and assigned a Unique Product Identifier (UPID). Upon purchase by a consumer, the UPID is used to unlock a cryptographic digital asset—a “CryptoKick”—composed of a collectible digital shoe and a unique non-fungible token (NFT) operating on a blockchain-based distributed computing platform … before a consumer can unlock or acquire a CryptoKick, they may first be required to procure a blockchain locker address (e.g., an Ethereum hardware wallet). This blockchain locker may be used to store the private key belonging to the CryptoKick's NFT and, optionally, may be linked to a personal user account that is registered with the original manufacturer of the physical shoes”) (0041-0042, 0174).
As per claims 12, Andon specifically doesn’t disclose, read information on a user; transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user; and display information on an article purchased by the user, the information being provided by the provision apparatus, however Weston discloses, read information on a user (Examiner interprets Weston’s event site device, augmented-reality display, display component, or user-facing display as the claimed display apparatus. Examiner interprets ticket information, ticketing status, VIP status, number of tickets, user preferences, and associated purchased-ticket information as information on an article purchased by the user. Weston teaches that a face detection component communicates with a CRM component to determine whether a user’s face corresponds to face-associated tickets, and if corresponding tickets exist, a display component displays information related to the user and/or the tickets associated with the user, including personal information, number of tickets, VIP status, and user preferences) (“face detection component 306 can communicate with the CRM component 302 on the server 102 to determine whether the user's face corresponds with any face-associated tickets 110. If it is determined that there are face-associated tickets 110 corresponding to the user, the display component 308 can display information related to the user and/or regarding the tickets associated with the user. For instance, the display component 308 can display information such as the user's personal information, the number of tickets associated with the user, VIP status of the tickets, or certain known preferences of the user (seating preferences, food preferences, drink preferences) as described later with reference to FIG. 5”) (0054, 0021-0022, 0075-0077);
transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user (Examiner interprets transmitting user information to event site devices or POS systems constitutes transmitting the read information on the user) (“transmitting user information to the event site device, and the user information includes at least one of a food preference, a drink preference, a name, an age, a VIP status, the user's payment information, or a seating preference … detecting the user's face with the event site device or a second event site device as the user is making an in-event purchase, and transmitting the user's payment information to an event venue's point of sale system based on detecting the user's face while the user is making an in-event purchase”) (0021-0022, 0075-0077);
and display information on an article purchased by the user, the information being provided by the provision apparatus (Examiner interprets Displaying ticket or user-associated information on a display component constitutes displaying information on an article purchased by the user) (“determined that there are face-associated tickets 110 corresponding to the user, the display component 308 can display information related to the user and/or regarding the tickets associated with the user. For instance, the display component 308 can display information such as the user's personal information, the number of tickets associated with the user, VIP status of the tickets, or certain known preferences of the user (seating preferences, food preferences, drink preferences) as described later with reference to FIG. 5. In certain embodiments, the face detection component 206, upon receiving an image of a person's face, searches for a GI 112 that corresponds to the image of the person's face.”) (0054).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, read information on a user; transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user; and display information on an article purchased by the user, the information being provided by the provision apparatus, as taught by Weston for the purpose to use ticket-status verification for controlled event access to ensure that only a verified ticketed attendee receives the event-related NFT/virtual item and would reduce unauthorized or imposter collection.
Claims 11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pub. 20200184547 (“Andon”) in view of U.S. Pub. 20210074102 (“Weston”) in view U.S. Pub. 20020107610 (“Kaehler”).
As per claims 11, Andon discloses, read information on a user purchasing the article (Examiner interprets determining a unique owner ID associated with the transferee/user as reading information on a user purchasing the article. Examiner further interprets scanning UPC, UPID, RFID, NFC, receipt data, or a physical article code as reading information on the article. Andon teaches receiving a transaction confirmation indicative of a validated transfer of authentic footwear, determining a unique owner ID associated with the second party, and generating a cryptographic digital asset associated with the article) (“methods for provisioning, intermingling, and/or exchanging cryptographic digital assets for footwear. In an example, a method is presented for automating generation of cryptographic digital assets associated with articles of footwear. This representative method includes, in any order and in any combination with any of the above or below disclosed features and options: receiving, via a server-class (middleware or backend) computer over a distributed computing network from a remote computing node (e.g., a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a personal computer, a smartphone, etc.), a transaction confirmation indicative of a validated transfer of authentic footwear from a first party to a second party; determining, via the middleware server computer from an encrypted relational database, a unique owner ID code (e.g., a member ID of a cryptocurrency wallet or digital locker) associated with the second party; generating a cryptographic digital asset associated with the article of footwear, the cryptographic digital asset including a digital shoe (e.g., a computer-generated avatar) and a unique digital shoe ID code”) (0013, 0043);
read information on the article, the information attached to the article (Examiner interprets) (“upon scanning the shoe's UPC or UPID at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal during first purchase or directly associated with the product, a unique crypto-token and corresponding private key (“KickID”) are automatically generated and assigned to the user's blockchain locker (see FIG. 7). In a second example, a KickID is provided to the user via a printed or digital receipt, a visual or electronic tag (RFID or NFC) hidden in the physical shoe, a pop-up message or email sent to a personal user account, a push notification or text message sent to a smartphone, or some other record; the consumer uses the KickID to link the CryptoKick to their digital blockchain locker.”) (0043);
and transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user and the read information on the article (Examiner interprets the middleware server, blockchain service/network, or server that receives the user ID and scanned code and initiates digital-asset transfer as the claimed provision apparatus. In Andon, after the user scans or enters a ticket barcode, physical-object code, seat code, or merchandise-receipt code, the server receives the user’s unique ID and scanned code and initiates transfer of the digital asset to the user’s locker in communication with a blockchain service/network) (“the need to locate a virtual object may not be strictly required to receive the CryptoKick or attribute pack. Said another way, a server, such as a middleware server, may receive an indication that a user device is at a particular venue during a particular event. This indication may be derived from GPS-based position coordinates that are determined from a GPS receiver on the user device. More specifically, the determined GPS coordinates may be compared to a predefined geofenced area around the venue and the indication may represent whether the device is inside or outside of the venue. Alternatively, the indication may result from the device being in proximity to one or more 802.11 or BLUETOOTH beacons located at the venue, or optical recognition, via a camera on the device, of specific visual characteristics of the venue. The server may then prompt the user, via the user device, to scan a unique identifier that should be readily obtainable by a person in attendance at the event. Example unique identifiers may include a ticket barcode, a code on a physical object, a code on the user's seat, a code printed on a merchandise receipt, or the like. Once this code is scanned or entered, the server may receive an indication of the user's unique ID and the unique scanned code. The server and/or the user device may initiate the transfer of the digital asset 202 to the user's locker 204 that is in communication with a blockchain service/network 60”) (0103).
Andon specifically doesn’t disclose, settle payment for purchase of an article, however Kaehler discloses, settle payment for purchase of an article (Examiner interprets payment processing by an event POS system, remote transaction station, card reader, cash acceptor, transponder, or smart card reader as settling payment for purchase of the article.) (“Remote transaction station 100 may also contain one or more payment devices 104 for allowing the customer to pay for his purchases. This may be done directly, for example with a cash acceptor operative to accept and verify currency and coins. Alternatively, payment device 104 may be effective to identify a credit or cash account number. For example, payment device 104 may comprise a magnetic stripe card reader, a transponder effective to receive an account number wirelessly, or a smart card reader …”) (0027).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, provide the virtual item to the user after confirming inspection of ticket data of the user, thereby preventing an imposter scam by a third person, wherein inspection of the ticket data of the user requires checking a value of ticket inspection status, as taught by Kaehler for the purpose to incorporate known payment-processing transaction station to settle payment and process article dispensing in an automated transaction station.
As per claims 13, Andon specifically doesn’t disclose, read information on a user who is to receive an article and settle payment for provision of the article, a container configured to store a plurality of types of articles, an operation part configured to accept operations according to the payment, however Weston discloses, read information on a user who is to receive an article (Examiner interprets reading user preferences, payment information, ticketing information, purchase history, facial identity, or user-account information as reading information on a user who is to receive an article. Weston teaches transmitting user information including food preference, drink preference, name, age, VIP status, payment information, or seating preference to an event site device, and teaches that a POS module facilitates purchases at an event) (“transmitting user information to the event site device, and the user information includes at least one of a food preference, a drink preference, a name, an age, a VIP status, the user's payment information, or a seating preference … detecting the user's face with the event site device or a second event site device as the user is making an in-event purchase, and transmitting the user's payment information to an event venue's point of sale system based on detecting the user's face while the user is making an in-event purchase” and “CRM module 1208 can store and retrieve information related to a user and/or the user's account, including ticketing information, user preferences, and purchase history. Facial recognition module 1210 can receive an image of a person's face and determine an identity of the person. Point of sale module 1212 can facilitate a user's purchasing experience at an event by storing payment information and user preferences”) (0021-0022 and 0075, 0062);
and settle payment for provision of the article, a container configured to store a plurality of types of articles (“Ticket broker component 106 can also receive and process the user's payment information. In certain embodiments, ticket broker component 106 can store a user's payment information. While interacting with the ticket broker component 106, the user can select whether to receive electronic (e.g., soft copy) tickets, hard copy (e.g., paper or printed) tickets, or a facial recognition ticket. If the user selects to receive facial recognition tickets, the ticket broker component 106 can communicate the ticketing information for the tickets that the user purchased or selected to the face association component 108 …”) (0047-0053);
an operation part configured to accept operations according to the payment (“the point of sale component 310 can recall the user's account information which can contain stored payment information such as credit card information. The point of sale component 310 allows a recognized user with an account to automatically make payments for concessions, food, drink, souvenirs, etc. The point of sale component 310 can securely transmit the user's payment information to the event venue's point of sale system 600. In this way, event staff 400 may sell items (food, drink, souvenirs, etc.) to a ticketed user 402 and receive payment by detecting the ticketed user's 402 face with an event site device 304 …”) (0062).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, read information on a user who is to receive an article and settle payment for provision of the article, a container configured to store a plurality of types of articles, an operation part configured to accept operations according to the payment, as taught by Weston for the purpose to use ticket-status verification for controlled event access to ensure that only a verified ticketed attendee receives the event-related NFT/virtual item and would reduce unauthorized or imposter collection.
Andon specifically doesn’t disclose, at least one of the articles in the container chosen without user selection to the user by ejecting the at least one article from the container to outside, wherein the circuitry is configured to read information on the article to be provided to the user and transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user and the read information on the article, however Kaehler discloses, an ejection mechanism configured to provide, in response to an operation on the operation part, at least one of the articles in the container chosen without user selection to the user by ejecting the at least one article from the container to outside (Examiner interprets Kaehler’s remote transaction station inventory/racks as the claimed container, product-selection/payment input devices as the claimed operation part, and Kaehler’s dispensing of a product or special product to the customer as ejecting the article from the container to the outside. Kaehler discloses a remote transaction station containing an inventory of products arranged in racks, payment/input devices for customer operation, and dispensing of selected products or special products) (“Since special products 112 are dispersed among products 110 in the inventory of remote transaction station 100 at random, special product 112 may be randomly dispensed to any given customer upon any given transaction, in lieu of product 110 that the customer purchased. Since the value of special products 112 is generally much greater than the value of products 110, customers are generally pleased to receive a special product 112”) (0034, 0048-0049), wherein the circuitry is configured to read information on the article to be provided to the user and transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user and the read information on the article (Examiner interprets random or special-product dispensing, where the specific special product is not selected by the user, as providing at least one article chosen without user selection) (“Remote transaction station 100 may also contain one or more payment devices 104 for allowing the customer to pay for his purchases. This may be done directly, for example with a cash acceptor operative to accept and verify currency and coins. Alternatively, payment device 104 may be effective to identify a credit or cash account number. For example, payment device 104 may comprise a magnetic stripe card reader, a transponder effective to receive an account number wirelessly, or a smart card reader. An illustrative example of a transponder payment device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,840, "Fuel Dispensing and Retail System Providing for Transponder Prepayment," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Payment device 104 may alternatively comprise an optical reader effective to detect interpretive visual indicia such as a bar code. An illustrative example of a bar code reader payment device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,473, "Energy Dispensing System Having a Bar Code Scanning Unit," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. Additionally or alternatively, payment device 104 may be effective to recognize the consumer, either to thereby associate an account number with the consumer or as a security measure to validate an account number otherwise received. This may comprise, for example, a camera and associated facial recognition system”) 0027, 0032, 0048-0049, 0057).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, read information on the article to be provided to the user and transmit, to the provision apparatus, the read information on the user and the read information on the article, as taught by Kaehler for the purpose to automate provision of event-related articles while enabling the system to read article information and coordinate the physical article with the corresponding virtual item.
As per claims 14, Andon specifically doesn’t disclose, sense the article to be provided to the user and read the information on the article when the article is being ejected from the container toward the outside, however Kaehler discloses, wherein the article provision apparatus comprises a sensor configured to sense the article to be provided to the user and read the information on the article when the article is being ejected from the container toward the outside (Examiner interprets a barcode scanner, optical detector, magnetic detector, or RFID reader positioned to detect a product as it passes through a detection zone during dispensing as a sensor configured to sense the article and read information on the article when the article is being ejected. Kaehler discloses detector 120, which may be an optical detector or barcode scanner/reader with corresponding barcodes placed on products, where the detector reads the barcode as the product passes through the detection zone. Kaehler also teaches magnetic markers and magnetic detection) (“Detector 120 may comprise an optical detector, with corresponding optical indicia on the products 110, special products 112, or both. For example, detector 120 may comprise a bar code scanner/reader, with corresponding bar codes placed on the products 110, 112. In this case, detection zone 122 would comprise an area that is scanned by a laser or other light source. A bar code is a series of varying width dark lines, called bars, separated by light spaces. Different combinations of the bars and spaces represent different characters or other data. When special product 112 passes through the bar code scanner detection zone 122, the light emanating from detector 120 is absorbed by the dark bars in the bar code and not reflected, but it is reflected by the light spaces. A photocell detector in detector 120 receives the reflected light and converts the light into an electrical signal. As the optical source passes over the bar code … Magnetic markers placed in or on special products 112 and placed in a sensitized state would be detected by the detector 120 as the special product 112 passed through the alternating magnetic field 122. Alternatively, both products 100 and special products 112 could be supplied with magnetic markers, with one sensitized and the other desensitized”) (0036-0038).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, sense the article to be provided to the user and read the information on the article when the article is being ejected from the container toward the outside, as taught by Kaehler for the purpose to incorporate detector into the article-provision system to verify which article was dispensed and to provide article information for subsequent virtual-item registration or provisioning.
As per claims 15, Andon discloses, RFID or NFC tags hidden in the physical shoe, but specifically doesn’t disclose, wherein the sensor is a short-range wireless sensor configured to read, by wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication tag attached to the article, the information on the article when the article is being ejected from the container toward the outside, however Kaehler discloses, wherein the sensor is a short-range wireless sensor configured to read, by wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication tag attached to the article, the information on the article when the article is being ejected from the container toward the outside (Examiner interprets RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, or similar short-range wireless communication between a reader/sensor and a product tag as reading information on the article by wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication tag attached to the article. Kaehler teaches RFID interrogators/readers and RFID tags associated with products, and also teaches Bluetooth short-range wireless communication) (“sophisticated communications interface combining input, payment, and output functions is a short-range wireless network such as the BLUETOOTH.RTM. interface designed and promulgated by Ericsson, Inc. BLUETOOTH.RTM. is a universal radio interface in the 2.45 GHz frequency band that enables portable electronic devices to connect and communicate wirelessly via short-range, ad hoc networks … remote transaction station 100 contains an inventory of products 110 (in this embodiment, cans containing beverages). The products 110 are arranged in racks within the interior of remote transaction station 100, which may be refrigerated. Interspersed among products 110 in the inventory of remote transaction station 100 are special products 112”) (0031-0032, 0037).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for identify a user, detect that an article purchased by the user and related to an event held in a real space is handed over to the user at an event venue; provide a virtual item usable in a virtual space to the user who has received the article, wherein the provided virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology; register the owner information in the distributed ledger when providing the virtual item, as taught by Andon, wherein the sensor is a short-range wireless sensor configured to read, by wirelessly communicating with a wireless communication tag attached to the article, the information on the article when the article is being ejected from the container toward the outside, as taught by Kaehler for the purpose to use RFID/Bluetooth short-range wireless reading arrangement to read article information during dispensing to identify and track articles in automated transaction systems.
Response to Arguments
With regards to § 101 rejections:
The arguments filed on April 14th, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1-2 and 4-15 under 35 U.S.C 101 have been fully considered but are unpersuasive.
Applicant states that the amended claims set forth in M.P.E.P. § 2106.04(d)(1), a claim reciting a judicial exception is not directed to the judicial exception if it also recites additional elements demonstrating that the claim as a whole integrates the exception into a practical application. One way to demonstrate such integration is when the claimed invention improves the functioning of a computer or improves another technology or technical field. As emphasized above, the claims are directed to security, such as preventing an imposter scam by a third person. Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are not persuasive. Applicant appears to argue that the amended claims are patent eligible because the claims now recite that the virtual item is a non-fungible token (NFT) whose owner information is managed in a distributed ledger using blockchain technology, that owner information is registered in the distributed ledger, and that the virtual item is provided only after confirming inspection of ticket data by checking a value of ticket inspection status to prevent an imposter scam. However, these amendments do not change the character of the claims as a whole. The claims remain directed to the abstract idea of organizing and managing an event-based commercial interaction and entitlement verification by identifying a user, confirming the user’s ticket/article status, providing a corresponding virtual item, and recording ownership information for that virtual item. The amended claim language still centers on collecting and evaluating user, ticket, article, and ownership information, then storing or registering the result. This is consistent with the previous §101 analysis, which found that the claims were directed to organizing and managing interactions between users, purchased items, and corresponding digital representations, including identifying a user, determining that an item has been provided, and providing/registering a corresponding virtual item. Applicant’s reliance on the NFT and distributed-ledger limitations is not persuasive because the claims do not recite any specific improvement to NFT technology, blockchain technology, distributed-ledger operation, cryptographic verification, consensus protocol, smart-contract execution, network security, or computer functionality. Rather, the NFT/distributed-ledger limitations are recited at a high level of generality and are used merely to record or manage ownership information for the virtual item. Registering ownership information in a distributed ledger is therefore a form of data storage or recordkeeping appended to the abstract idea, not a technological improvement. Applicant’s states that the claims prevent an imposter scam is also not persuasive. The claim recites the desired result of preventing an imposter scam, but does not recite a particular technical mechanism for doing so. The claim does not specify a new authentication protocol, a new cryptographic binding between a ticket and an NFT, a new blockchain verification architecture, a new ticket-inspection device, or a specific computer-security improvement. Instead, the claim merely requires confirming ticket data by checking a value of ticket inspection status before providing the virtual item. Such verification is part of determining whether a user is entitled to receive the corresponding item and is therefore part of the abstract idea of organizing event access and commercial entitlement. The recited “ticket inspection status” limitation does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Checking whether a user has a ticketed, non-ticketed, VIP, admitted, or other ticket-status value merely evaluates eligibility before providing the virtual item. This is a data verification step. It does not improve the functioning of the computer, the ticketing system, the distributed ledger, or the NFT itself. The amended §103 mapping likewise treats the ticket-inspection-status value as ticket-status verification used to ensure that only a verified ticketed attendee receives the event-related NFT/virtual item. Further, the recited circuitry and apparatus components are claimed generically. The claims do not require any particularized hardware structure or unconventional operation. The circuitry merely performs generic functions such as identifying, detecting, reading, verifying, providing, registering, transmitting, displaying, sensing, and communicating information. These are generic computer functions used as tools to implement the abstract idea. The claims therefore do not apply the abstract idea in a manner that imposes a meaningful technological limitation. Applicant’s further states also appear to rely on the alleged novelty or usefulness of the amended NFT/ticket-inspection combination. However, novelty or non-obviousness does not itself establish eligibility under §101. Even assuming the claimed combination were novel, the §101 inquiry asks whether the claim is directed to a judicial exception and whether any additional elements integrate that exception into a practical application or amount to significantly more. Here, the additional NFT, distributed-ledger, ticket-inspection, and anti-imposter language remains functional and result-oriented, and does not recite a technical improvement. Accordingly, Applicant’s statements are not persuasive because the amended claims merely use generic computer, ticket-verification, NFT, and distributed-ledger components to implement the abstract idea of managing an event-based entitlement and corresponding digital ownership record. The claims do not recite a specific technical solution to a technical problem, and the recited prevention of an imposter scam is stated as an intended result rather than a claimed technological improvement. Therefore, the §101 rejection is maintained. See MPEP §§ 2106.05(a)–(c), (e)– (h).
With regards to § 103 rejections:
Applicant's arguments, see pages 8-9, filed April 14th, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1-2 and 4-15 under 35 U.S.C 102/103 have been fully considered but are unpersuasive/moots on new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US. Pub. 20140213344 (“Rose”).
Rose discloses, a method for DYNAMIC PAYMENT OPTIMIZATION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS ("DPO") transform requests for on-demand and flexible monetization and related services via DPO components into currency transfers, purchase receipt notifications, social networking communications and transaction analytics reports. In some embodiments, the DPO obtains a user product purchase request for a user engaged in an online experience at a point of sale device. The DPO parses the user product purchase request, and thereby identifies at least one attribute of at least one of: the user; the online experience; and the point of sale device. The DPO customizes one or more properties of a user interface for initiating a purchase transaction related to the user product purchase request, according to the identified at least one attribute of the user, the online experience or the point of sale device; and providing the customized user interface.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GAUTAM UBALE whose telephone number is (571)272-9861. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 7:00 AM- 6:30 PM PST.
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/GAUTAM UBALE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3689
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