DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the application 18/917,229 filed on October 16th, 2024.
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.
Claim 28-40 were canceled. Claims 1-27 are pending and herein considered.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 10/16/2024, is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CRR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Regarding claims 1 and 27; claims 1 and 27 are/is rejected under 35 USC 101 because the claims are/is directed to an abstract idea without being integrated into a practical application nor being significantly more.
The claims reciting the limitations “stor[ing] a cryptographic key for a blockchain that carries encrypted data corresponding to tracked information,” “receiv[ing] new data corresponding to new information into a second computer memory via an electronic device,” “encrypt[ing] the new data with a computer processor” and “associat[ing] the new data with the blockchain” are directed to an abstract idea as the claims recite mental processes. Accordingly, the claims recite an abstract idea. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. It’s noted that the claims recite additional element(s) (i.e, a first computer memory, a second computer memory, an electronic interface, a computer processor). However, said additional element is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor performing a generic computer function of storing/receiving/encrypting/associating) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Therefore, the claims are not integrated into a practical application.
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements when considered both individually and as an ordered combination do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. As mentioned above, although the claims recite additional element, said element taken individually or as a combination, do not result in the claim amounting to significantly more than the abstract idea because as the additional elements perform generic computer content distributing functions routinely used in information technology field. Establishing a secure communication session with the new node based on the selected encryption algorithm and the ephemeral shared key is conventional, well know routing in view of Berkeeimer memo here. Generic computer components recited as performing generic computer functions that are well understood, routine and conventional activities amount to no more than implementing the abstract idea with a computerized system. Therefore, the claim is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Regarding claims 2-26; claims 2-26 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter for the same reasons addressed above as the claims are directed to abstract idea without being integrated into a practical application nor being significantly more.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 9-11, 15 and 21-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zinder, U.S. Pub. Number 2017/0005804.
Regarding claim 1; Zinder discloses a computer method, comprising:
storing, in a first computer memory, a cryptographic key for a blockchain that carries encrypted data corresponding to tracked information (pars. 0034-0035; stores identifiers and private key information for participants of the computer system, digital asset identifiers that are used to represented assets on the blockchain, and blockchain transaction records.);
receiving new data corresponding to new information into a second computer memory via an electronic interface (par. 0035; a new blockchain transaction is submitted to the distributed blockchain computing system.);
encrypting the new data with a computer processor (par. 0054; when digital asset repository computer system interacts with a blockchain to create a blockchain transaction that is to be digitally signed by that participant, the computing system controlled by the participant may supply the private key and may digitally sign the transaction and transmit the digitally signed transaction back to the digital asset repository computer system for subsequent submission to the blockchain for verification.); and
with the computer processor using the cryptographic key, associating the new data with the blockchain (par. 0056; software associated with the digital wallet (e.g., via blockchain services) may be used to query the blockchain to determine what unspent transactions (e.g., those transaction outputs not used as input for another transaction) are associated with the identifier that are in the digital wallet.);
whereby the new information becomes a portion of the tracked information (par. 0048; each node that is part of the distributed computer system may keep a copy or a portion of the blockchain in storage that is local to the corresponding node.).
Regarding claim 2; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that the new information is to be tracked (par. 0040; digital assets are identifiable entities that can be tracked, managed, and verified by the computer system.).
Regarding claim 3; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1, wherein receiving the new data corresponding to the new information into the second computer memory via the electronic interface comprises: receiving an electronic message carrying at least a portion of the new information (par. 0077; sends an electronic message to the digital asset repository computer system.).
Regarding claim 4; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3, wherein the electronic message is received at an electronic message address that is designated to receive information that is to be tracked (par. 0081; data that indicates the asset may be part of an initial electronic data message that is sent from a user device to the digital asset repository computer system; this information may be used to retrieve the private key for the digital asset and generate a new blockchain transaction that is from the unique identifier associated with the asset to the unique identifier associated with the participant that is issuing the asset.).
Regarding claim 5; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 4, wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic mail message and wherein the electronic message address is an electronic mail address (par. 0083; inputs are can be unspent outputs associated with a public address (a unique identifier) which can be a participant identifier or the identifier for the asset.).
Regarding claim 9; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3, further comprising: determining that the electronic message carries new information that is intended to be tracked (par. 0057; asset storage includes records of all of the assets or resources tracked by digital asset repository computer system.).
Regarding claim 10; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 9, wherein determining that the electronic message carries new information that is intended to be tracked comprises: receiving a graphical command from a user, via a graphical user interface (GUI), indicating that the new information is to be tracked) (par. 0052; user interface allows a user via user device to view, update, or control the digital ledger through pre-programmed actions.).
Regarding claim 11; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 10, wherein receiving the graphical command from the user comprises receiving a GUI command including dragging a message icon onto a blockchain storage icon to save the new information in a folder corresponding to storage associated with the blockchain (par. 0058; ledger storage in conjunction with blockchain services, interfaces with the blockchain to store records of validated blockchain transactions.).
Regarding claim 15; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3, wherein the electronic message includes an email message (par. 0077: an electronic message.).
Regarding claim 21; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1, wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes writing the new data onto the blockchain as one or more transactions (par. 0079; the processor identifies the participant that is to be associated with the asset insurance transaction; e.g., a private key, public key, or unique identifier for the participant may be retrieved and used for formulate blockchain transaction that is subsequently created.).
Regarding claim 22; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1, further comprising: writing the new data to one or more secret addresses; wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes writing data corresponding to the one or more secret addresses onto the blockchain as one or more transactions (par. 0060; a new blockchain address and corresponding private and public keys may be created; this newly created data may be saved along with the asset definition (e.g., class of share, quantity to be issued) in asset storage.).
Regarding claim 23; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 22, wherein writing the new data to the one or more secret addresses comprises writing the new data using BigchainDB (par. 0048; validate a new block into the blockchain, the proof of work process that is performed may include finding an input hash value that results in an output hash value that meets a given condition.).
Regarding claim 24; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 22, wherein writing the new data to the one or more secret addresses comprises writing the new data to a Monera blockchain as tx_extra data; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes writing data corresponding to the Monera blockchain transaction identity and a corresponding Monera blockchain private key (par. 0048; as the data related to the blockchain transactions in the block are fixed, miners (e.g., noders on the blockchain) modify the nonce value that is included as part of the block being validated until the output value of the hash function meets the given condition.).
Regarding claim 25; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1, wherein the first computer memory and the second computer memory are the same computer memory (par. 0146; one or more memory devices.).
Regarding claim 26; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1, wherein the second computer memory comprises a remote memory different than the first computer memory (par. 0154; remote computing devices.).
Regarding claim 27; Zinder discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium (par. 0151; non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.) carrying a computer program and instructions selected to cause an electronic device to display, on an electronic display, a graphical user interface (GUI) (par. 0148; a user interface.), the GUI comprising:
a folders region displaying a plurality of folders corresponding to a message organization structure (par. 0121; displays contract information (e.g., through which the parties submit their signatures) also provides an interface to trigger a payment process.);
wherein at least one folder of the plurality of folders corresponds to a blockchain storage instance (par. 0126; upon reception of a response (e.g., the token) from the transfer agent that indicates the transfer of funds has been successfully initiated, the centralized computer system triggers a process to create a permanent record on the blockchain for the electronically executed contract.);
a messages region displaying at least one message icon (par. 0119; the central computer system adds a verification logo or other sign that indicates that the contract has been validated and verified by the centralized computer system.);
wherein the at least one message icon corresponds to an electronic message carrying new information that is intended to be indexed using the blockchain storage instance (par. 0127; the permanent record is stored a transaction on the blockchain; the blockchain transaction that is created may include the information regarding the transaction between the issuer and investor entities; the legal name and address of the issuer and investor, the number of shares associated with the transaction, the price of each share, the class of shares that were issued or transfer, the date of execution, the date of transaction, hashed values of all the documents associated with transaction, data of hashes for every signature that was executed, data associated with the funds transfer.);
wherein the GUI is programmed to receive a user input to drag the at least one message icon to the blockchain storage instance icon (par. 0136; the investor creates a blockchain transaction that includes inputs of digital currency from blockchain investor and shares in the contract from blockchain contract and outputs of currency to blockchain issuer.); and
wherein the computer program and instructions include computer program and instructions to encrypt, hash, store, and index at least the electronic message corresponding to the at least one message icon onto a blockchain data structure having instance parameters corresponding to the blockchain storage instance icon (par. 0138; a hashed value of the electronic contract may be created and submitted to the blockchain contract address; part of the scripted logic may be to check if a hashed value received from the investor matches the hashed valued that was originally from the investor.).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 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.
Claims 6-8, 12-14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Zinder, U.S. Pub. Number 2017/0005804, in view of Zakrzewski et al. (Zakrewski), U.S. Pub. Number 2020/0252457.
Regarding claim 6; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 4.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose the electronic message comprises an electronic text message and wherein the electronic message address is an electronic text-receiving telephone number.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic text message and wherein the electronic message address is an electronic text-receiving telephone number (Zakrzewski: par. 0091; sending text message or other forms of message to a personal device, e.g., a smartphone, running a messaging application, and receiving responsive messages from the user in return.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic text message and wherein the electronic message address is an electronic text-receiving telephone number to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 7; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 4.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose the electronic message comprises an electronic text protocol and wherein the electronic message address comprises a universally unique identity (UUID) associated with a personal device that runs an application for receiving the electronic text protocol.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic text protocol and wherein the electronic message address comprises a universally unique identity (UUID) associated with a personal device that runs an application for receiving the electronic text protocol (Zakrzewski: par. 0031; receiving a unique identifier for the initial content and encrypting the unique identifier and the encrypted content storage metadata can include an initial content hash, and an encrypted unique identifier of the initial content.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic text protocol and wherein the electronic message address comprises a universally unique identity (UUID) associated with a personal device that runs an application for receiving the electronic text protocol to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 8; Zinder and Zakrzewski disclose the computer method of claim 7, wherein Zakrzewski further discloses the UUID comprises a verified identifier of a personal electronic device (Zakrzewski: par. 0089; a computer can be embedded in another device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, or a portable storage device, e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive.).
Regarding claim 12; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic message attachment; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating electronic attachment data with the blockchain.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic message attachment; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating electronic attachment data with the blockchain (Zakrzewski: par. 0052; a regulator can calculate a message digest of a download document with the message digest saved on the main ledger of the blockchain.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic message attachment; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating electronic attachment data with the blockchain to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 13; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic link in the electronic message; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating the electronic link with the blockchain.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic link in the electronic message; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating the electronic link with the blockchain (Zakrzewski: par. 0052; a regulator can calculate a message digest of a download document with the message digest saved on the main ledger of the blockchain.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic link in the electronic message; and wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating the electronic link with the blockchain to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 14; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic link in the electronic message; and accessing data corresponding to the electronic link; wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating the data corresponding to the electronic link with the blockchain.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic link in the electronic message; and accessing data corresponding to the electronic link; wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating the data corresponding to the electronic link with the blockchain (Zakrzewski: par. 0052; a regulator can calculate a message digest of a download document with the message digest saved on the main ledger of the blockchain.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein receiving the electronic message includes receiving an electronic link in the electronic message; and accessing data corresponding to the electronic link; wherein associating the new data with the blockchain includes associating the data corresponding to the electronic link with the blockchain to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 16; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose the electronic message includes a text message.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein the electronic message includes a text message (Zakrzewski: par. 0091; text messages.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein the electronic message includes a text message to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 17; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 3.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose the electronic message includes a voice message.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods wherein the electronic message includes a voice message (Zakrzewski: par. 0091; a mobile audio.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder wherein the electronic message includes a voice message to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 18; Zinder and Zakrzewski disclose the computer method of claim 17, Zakrzewski further discloses comprising: performing a voice-to-text conversion on the voice message (Zakrzewski: par. 0091; a mobile audio.).
Regarding claim 19; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose recording a voice call to make a voice call recording; wherein receiving the new data comprises receiving the voice call recording.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods, further comprising: recording a voice call to make a voice call recording; wherein receiving the new data comprises receiving the voice call recording (Zakrzewski: par. 0091; a mobile audio.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder further comprising recording a voice call to make a voice call recording; wherein receiving the new data comprises receiving the voice call recording to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Regarding claim 20; Zinder discloses the computer method of claim 1.
Zinder fails to explicitly disclose recording a video conference to make a video conference recording; wherein receiving the new data comprises receiving the video conference recording.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zakrzewski discloses content management system and methods, further comprising: recording a video conference to make a video conference recording; wherein receiving the new data comprises receiving the video conference recording (Zakrzewski: par. 0091; a mobile audio.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Zakrzewski into the systems and methods of Zinder further comprising recording a video conference to make a video conference recording; wherein receiving the new data comprises receiving the video conference recording to ensure compliance with regulations within various jurisdiction (Zakrzewski: par. 0002).
Conclusion
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/KHOI V LE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2436