DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of the Claims
This is a final rejection prepared in response to applicant amendments filed on 05/18/2026.
Claims 1-7, 9 and 15-16 are cancelled.
Claims 22-29 are new.
Claims 8, 10-14 and 17-29 are pending.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is:
“a digital marketplace configured to…” and “the digital marketplace being further linked to the asset register through an application programming interface and further configured to…” in claim 8.
“a mobile experience component…” in claim 24.
Because this claim limitation is being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it is being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this limitations interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 8, 10-14 and 17-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor, at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 8, the limitations “a digital marketplace configured to…” and “the digital marketplace being further linked to the asset register through an application programming interface and further configured to…” invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Here the claims and specifications are silent with respect to any structure corresponding to the generic placeholder. Therefore the claim is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for lacking adequate written description.
Regarding claim 24, the limitation "a mobile experience component..." invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Here the claims and specifications are silent with respect to any structure corresponding to the generic placeholder. Therefore the claim is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for lacking adequate written description.
Claims 10-14 and 17-28 are also rejected upon rejected parent dependent claim 8.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8, 10-14 and 17-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 8, the limitations “a digital marketplace configured to…” and “the digital marketplace being further linked to the asset register through an application programming interface and further configured to…” invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. The specification fails to disclose sufficient corresponding structure for these limitations. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Regarding claim 24, the limitation “a mobile experience component...” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. The specification fails to disclose sufficient corresponding structure for these limitations. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Claims 10-14 and 17-28 are also rejected upon rejected parent dependent claim 8.
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 8, 10, 22-23 and 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lipton (US 11783011 B1) in view of Norton (US 12640935 B1), in further view of Jethmalani (US 20230298001 A1).
Regarding claims 8 and 29, Lipton discloses:
minting, by an asset register, (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) (col 3 lines 8-14) In some examples, a certificate of legal ownership can be stored by a hybrid asset management system in a private database or other storage resource “off-chain” (i.e., not on a blockchain or other type of public decentralized ledger), where access to the private database or other storage resource can be limited to only certain entities. (col 4 lines 42-55) When a user (e.g., a manufacturer of some type of physical asset or physical item), as the current legal owner of a physical asset, seeks to create an NFT representing the physical asset on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger, the user can use a hybrid asset trading platform 100 to register as a user of the platform and to further register the physical asset in question (e.g., identified in part by a unique serial number or other type of identifier) into the platform. In some examples, the hybrid asset trading platform 100 facilitates the creation and subsequent management of certificates of legal ownership and NFTs corresponding to such physical assets, such that the state of the three components for an asset (the physical asset, the certificate of legal ownership, and the NFT) can be continuously synchronized. (col 7 lines 35-45) In some examples, the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 performs processes including issuing digital asset certificates of legal ownership, which includes digitally signing asset certificates of legal ownership (for integrity protection, as described elsewhere herein) using a private key known only to the hybrid asset management system 104. In some examples, each asset certificate of legal ownership (such as, e.g., asset certificates 212) is associated with a unique serial number (which can include, e.g., a random number generated by the hybrid asset management system 104). (col 4 lines 59-67 & col 5 lines 1-2) In some examples, the hybrid asset management system 104 stores asset certificates 212 of legal ownership in a database or other type of datastore. The stored assets certificates 212 of legal ownership include, for example, asset certificates 212 of legal ownership \that have been issued by the hybrid asset management system 104 responsive to requests to register the assets. The stored asset certificates 212 of legal ownership information can include currently valid asset certificates of legal ownership, expired asset certificates of legal ownership, and revoked asset certificates of legal ownership, among other possible information. (col 10 lines 16-22) In some examples, at circle “2”, the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 creates the digital asset certificate of legal ownership corresponding to the hybrid asset requested for registration. For example, responsive to the request at circle “1,” the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 of the hybrid asset management system 104 creates a new asset certificate 212. In some examples, the hybrid asset management system 104 digitally signs the asset certificate 212. The signed asset certificate is then stored as part of asset certificates 212. (col 18 lines 4-9) This combination of a certificate of legal ownership and NFT can be referred to as a hybrid asset, where the asset certificate of legal ownership is maintained in a private data repository and the asset NFT is made available on a permissionless or permissioned decentralized ledger.)
blockchain-mapping beneficial ownership of the physical assets to the (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) (col 3 lines 29-42) In some examples, and as described in more detail herein, a hybrid asset management system can store NFTs representing physical items as data structures on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger, where an NFT is cryptographically bound to a matching certificate of legal ownership. For example, an NFT stored by the hybrid asset management system can include, as part of the NFT data structure, data contained in or derived from the certificate of legal ownership (such as, e.g., an identifying asset serial number, a hash of an entire certificate of legal ownership, etc.). Thus, in some examples, the hybrid asset management system creates a one-to-one correspondence between an NFT and a corresponding certificate of legal ownership, each associated with the hybrid asset. (col 15 lines 6-17) In some examples, at circle “2,” the asset NFT issuance and publishing service 214 invokes the asset metadata oracle service 220, thereby causing the asset metadata oracle service 220 to obtain data indicating a status of the corresponding physical item and to record data reflecting the status of the physical item onto the same decentralized ledger 122. In some examples, hybrid asset management system 104 provides the asset metadata oracle service 220 with a copy of the asset certificate as part of invoking the service, where the asset certificate can be used by the asset NFT transaction service 222 to obtain an identifier of the hybrid asset.
minting marketplace non-fungible tokens separate from but cryptographically linked to the (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) (col 3 lines 42-51) In some examples, an NFT representing a hybrid asset is recorded on a decentralized ledger (e.g., a public or private blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger) associated with a specific address (e.g., a blockchain address) of its owner and is controlled by the cryptographic private key of its owner. An NFT can be assigned by its current owner (e.g., as a seller of the hybrid asset) to another entity (e.g., a buyer of the hybrid asset) on the blockchain by its current owner using a computing device to assign the NFT to the address of the buyer. (col 8 lines 3-7) In some examples, the asset NFT issuance and publishing service 214 includes functionality enabling the issuance of asset NFTs corresponding to valid asset certificates of legal ownership stored as part of asset certificates 212 of legal ownership. (col 10 lines 49-58) Once the signed asset certificate is stored in a database or other data store as part of asset certificates 212, at circle “4,” the asset NFT issuance and publishing service 214 uses the asset certificate to create a matching asset NFT 224. (col 10 lines 59-67) In some examples, at circle “5,” the asset NFT issuance and publishing service 214 publishes the asset NFT to the decentralized ledger 122 (e.g., a blockchain), where the service address the NFT to the blockchain address of the issuer as the first owner of the asset NFT 224. Once the transaction settles (or “finalizes”) on the decentralized ledger 122, the issuer becomes the owner of the asset NFT and is thus generally able to sell, trade, or otherwise transfer the NFT to other entities/users. (col 17 lines 66-67 & col 18 lines 1-9) In some examples, the described hybrid asset management system 104 enables the digital representation of real-world physical assets using a combination of an asset certificate of legal ownership and asset non-fungible token (NFT), where the asset NFT is cryptographically linked to the asset certificate. This combination of a certificate of legal ownership and NFT can be referred to as a hybrid asset, where the asset certificate of legal ownership is maintained in a private data repository and the asset NFT is made available on a permissionless or permissioned decentralized ledger.)
metadata associated with the marketplace non-fungible tokens includes references to corresponding (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) ((col lines 7-9) In some examples, an asset NFT (e.g., NFT 224) includes a serial number that identifies a corresponding asset certificate 212 of legal ownership. (col 10 lines 52-58) In some examples, the asset NFT 224 includes, among other possible data, the serial number of the corresponding asset certificate, the blockchain address or other identifier of the current owner of the NFT (which can be the issuer's blockchain address for newly introduced assets with no prior history), an issuance date, a validity duration, etc.)
facilitating transactions involving marketplace non-fungible tokens via the digital marketplace linked to the asset register; and (col 13 lines 46-55) When a current owner of a hybrid asset desires to sell, trade, or other transfer ownership of a hybrid asset to another entity, in some examples, the owner uses a client application to perform a transaction on a decentralized ledger 122 reflecting the transaction. For example, the example can be a client application provided by an operator of the hybrid asset management system 104, or any other application capable of generating and sending transaction requests and optionally to query the state of the ledger, invoke smart contracts, and the like. (col 13 lines 56-67) Once the owner of a hybrid asset agrees to sell the hybrid asset to a buyer, in some examples, the asset NFT (corresponding to the hybrid asset) is assigned a new ownership by the owner to the buyer. For example, the owner (as seller) and the buyer can both use the asset NFT transaction service 222, where the service is owned by the hybrid asset management system 104 to facilitate the transaction. As indicated, in some examples, the asset NFT transaction service 222 can be a smart contract on a decentralized ledger 122; in other examples, the asset NFT transaction service 222 can be a software-based application or other executable code capable of managing transactions involving NFTs.
automatically synchronizing blockchain-mapped beneficial ownership associated with the physical assets in response to transactions involving the marketplace non-fungible tokens while the . (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) ((col 1 lines 59-66) According to examples described herein, the hybrid asset management platform provides continual synchronization between digital asset certificates of legal ownership (e.g., data structures managed off-chain in one or more private data stores) with corresponding asset non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that are tradeable on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger. (col 3 lines 52-58) In some examples, when an NFT representing a hybrid asset is traded, sold, or otherwise transferred on the blockchain from a first entity to a second entity (e.g., from one person to another), the hybrid asset management platform updates the ownership information in the corresponding certificate of legal ownership associated with the hybrid asset. (col 4 lines 56-64) When an NFT representing a physical asset managed by the hybrid asset trading platform 100 changes ownership on the blockchain, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that a matching asset certificate of ownership in a private database of the hybrid asset trading platform 100 is also updated. Similarly, when the physical asset changes ownership in the real-world, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that the matching asset certificate and asset NFT are also updated to reflect this change. (col 14 lines 48-58) When a change of ownership to an asset NFT has occurred on the decentralized ledger 122 (e.g., based on a successful transaction performed by the asset NFT transaction service 222), in some examples, an asset NFT monitoring service 218 can generate data reflecting a change to the corresponding NFT and store the data in the asset NFT status data 204. In some examples, the update to the data in the asset NFT status data causes the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 to revoke the existing asset NFT and issue a new asset NFT with the identity of the new owner. (col 18 lines 9-14) When a transaction involving a hybrids asset is performed, in some examples, the transaction occurs on the decentralized ledger to the asset NFT. Similarly, a change of ownership of the asset NFT on the blockchain results in the corresponding change of the information in the private asset certificate.)
Lipton further discloses:
one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions (col 21 lines 59-67 & col 22 lines 1-2, Computer system 900 also includes a main memory 906, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic or volatile storage device, coupled to bus 902 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 904. Main memory 906 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 904. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to processor 904, render computer system 900 a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions. Col 24 lines 46-51, Computer system 900 also includes a main memory 906, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic or volatile storage device, coupled to bus 902 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 904. Main memory 906 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 904. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to processor 904, render computer system 900 a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions.)
Lipton does not disclose, however Norton teaches:
register non-fungible tokens (abstract, A method and system for generating a limited mutable non-fungible token (NFT) digital certificate of authenticity (COA) are disclosed herein. Col 1 lines 58-60, One aspect of the present invention is a method for generating a limited mutable non-fungible token (NFT) digital certificate of authenticity (COA). Col 3 lines 2-4, Only certain fields of the metadata of an NFT can be changed, and the entirety of the fields cannot be changed by anyone.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to have modify the disclosure of Lipton by incorporating Norton’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated to replace the certificate of legal ownership for a register non-fungible token taught by Norton in order to improve how authenticity and ownership are managed by creating an immutable record in the blockchain.
The combination of Lipton and Norton do not disclose, however Jethmalani teaches:
a platform-controlled wallet (Jethmalani ¶0121, Further, the plurality of wallets in some implementations may be maintained as part of a single omnibus wallet associated with the service provider. ¶0124, While the buyer or first user in this example may be associated with a first digital wallet and the seller or second user may be associated with a second digital wallet, both digital wallets may be maintained as part of single omnibus wallet associated with the service provider. Thus, no actual transfer of the NFT takes place.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton and Norton by incorporating Jethmalani’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated to combine these common elements in order to maintain centralized administration of the register NFT while permitting ownership information associated with the underlining physical asset to be updated without requiring the transfer of the register NFT itself on the blockchain.
Further, the combination of prior art does not teach " a digital marketplace is further linked to the asset register through an application programming interface". However, the claim expression "a digital marketplace is further linked to the asset register through an application programming interface" only describe a characteristic of the digital marketplace which is non-functional descriptive material and this characteristic is not processed or used to carry out any functionality that specifically relies on these particular characteristics.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani further discloses:
correct the beneficial ownership of the one or more non-fungible tokens and the one or more physical assets that are associated therewith if the one or more physical assets are held by another person or were entered into the asset register by a person who is not the owner thereof. (col 4 lines 56-64, When an NFT representing a physical asset managed by the hybrid asset trading platform 100 changes ownership on the blockchain, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that a matching asset certificate of ownership in a private database of the hybrid asset trading platform 100 is also updated. Similarly, when the physical asset changes ownership in the real-world, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that the matching asset certificate and asset NFT are also updated to reflect this change. Col 9 lines 18-26, In some examples, an asset NFT monitoring service 218 performs ongoing or periodic monitoring of records on a decentralized ledger 122 to detect changes to NFTs ( e.g., NFT 224) issued and managed by the hybrid asset management system 104. In some examples, upon detecting an update to an NFT managed by the hybrid asset management system 104, the asset NFT monitoring service 218 records data reflecting the update as asset NFT status data 204, which can be stored in a database or other type of data store. Col 14 lines 48-59, When a change of ownership to an asset NFT has occurred on the decentralized ledger 122 (e.g., based on a successful transaction performed by the asset NFT transaction service 222), in some examples, an asset NFT monitoring service 218 can generate data reflecting a change to the corresponding NFT and store the data in the asset NFT status data 204. In some examples, the update to the data in the asset NFT status data causes the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 to revoke the existing asset NFT and issue a new asset NFT with the identity of the new owner. Col 16 lines 28-32, As shown, at some point later in time, additional metadata 508 may be obtained and stored on the decentralized ledger 122 reflecting any update to a physical status of a corresponding physical item ( e.g., as a result of transferring ownership of the hybrid asset). Col 21 lines 1-3, In some examples, the operations further include storing, at the decentralized ledger, updated status metadata, wherein the updated status metadata includes information reflecting the transfer of ownership from the first owner to the second owner.)
Regarding claim 22, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani further discloses:
the marketplace non-fungible tokens are held in wallets or accounts of holders or transferees while corresponding register non-fungible tokens associated with the one or more physical assets remain retained in the platform-controlled wallet, and wherein (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) (Lipton col 3 lines 42-47, In some examples, an NFT representing a hybrid asset is recorded on a decentralized ledger (e.g., a public or private blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger) associated with a specific address (e.g., a blockchain address) of its owner and is controlled by the cryptographic private key of its owner. Col 2 lines 56-62, In some examples, a hybrid asset can generally include one or more real-world physical items that are represented electronically using two interconnected data structures: a digital certificate of legal ownership stored off-chain in a private database or other storage resource managed by a hybrid asset trading platform, and a digital NFT token located on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger. Col 3 lines 52-58, In some examples, when an NFT representing a hybrid asset is traded, sold, or otherwise transferred on the blockchain from a first entity to a second entity (e.g., from one person to another), the hybrid asset management platform updates the ownership information in the corresponding certificate of legal ownership associated with the hybrid asset.)
transactions involving the marketplace non-fungible tokens automatically synchronize blockchain-mapped beneficial ownership records associated with the corresponding register non-fungible tokensconcerning user preferences in relation to assets held in the wallets or accounts associated with the holders or transferees. (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership) ((col 1 lines 59-66) According to examples described herein, the hybrid asset management platform provides continual synchronization between digital asset certificates of legal ownership (e.g., data structures managed off-chain in one or more private data stores) with corresponding asset non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that are tradeable on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger. (col 3 lines 52-58) In some examples, when an NFT representing a hybrid asset is traded, sold, or otherwise transferred on the blockchain from a first entity to a second entity (e.g., from one person to another), the hybrid asset management platform updates the ownership information in the corresponding certificate of legal ownership associated with the hybrid asset. (col 4 lines 56-64) When an NFT representing a physical asset managed by the hybrid asset trading platform 100 changes ownership on the blockchain, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that a matching asset certificate of ownership in a private database of the hybrid asset trading platform 100 is also updated. Similarly, when the physical asset changes ownership in the real-world, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that the matching asset certificate and asset NFT are also updated to reflect this change. (col 14 lines 48-58) When a change of ownership to an asset NFT has occurred on the decentralized ledger 122 (e.g., based on a successful transaction performed by the asset NFT transaction service 222), in some examples, an asset NFT monitoring service 218 can generate data reflecting a change to the corresponding NFT and store the data in the asset NFT status data 204. In some examples, the update to the data in the asset NFT status data causes the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 to revoke the existing asset NFT and issue a new asset NFT with the identity of the new owner. (col 18 lines 9-14) When a transaction involving a hybrids asset is performed, in some examples, the transaction occurs on the decentralized ledger to the asset NFT. Similarly, a change of ownership of the asset NFT on the blockchain results in the corresponding change of the information in the private asset certificate.)
Further, the combination of prior art does not teach "…to allow for at least one of owning, cataloging, authenticating, inventorying, managing, and promoting the one or more physical assets digitally via the marketplace non-fungible tokens, and for aggregation of data concerning user preferences in relation to assets held in the wallets or accounts associated with the holders or transferees". However, the claim expression "to… " is intended use and therefore does not move to distinguish over prior art.
Regarding claim 23, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani further discloses:
beneficial ownership of the one or more physical assets is blockchain-mapped to the register non-fungible tokens such that transfers of beneficial ownership are recorded as blockchain transactions independently from custody of the register non-fungible tokens while the asset register retains control of the register non-fungible tokens in the platform-controlled wallet. (i.e. register non-fungible tokens is mapped to a certificate of legal ownership (Col 2 lines 56-62, In some examples, a hybrid asset can generally include one or more real-world physical items that are represented electronically using two interconnected data structures: a digital certificate of legal ownership stored off-chain in a private database or other storage resource managed by a hybrid asset trading platform, and a digital NFT token located on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger. Col 3 lines 52-58, In some examples, when an NFT representing a hybrid asset is traded, sold, or otherwise transferred on the blockchain from a first entity to a second entity (e.g., from one person to another), the hybrid asset management platform updates the ownership information in the corresponding certificate of legal ownership associated with the hybrid asset. (col 3 lines 29-42) In some examples, and as described in more detail herein, a hybrid asset management system can store NFTs representing physical items as data structures on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger, where an NFT is cryptographically bound to a matching certificate of legal ownership. For example, an NFT stored by the hybrid asset management system can include, as part of the NFT data structure, data contained in or derived from the certificate of legal ownership (such as, e.g., an identifying asset serial number, a hash of an entire certificate of legal ownership, etc.). Thus, in some examples, the hybrid asset management system creates a one-to-one correspondence between an NFT and a corresponding certificate of legal ownership, each associated with the hybrid asset. (col 15 lines 6-17) In some examples, at circle “2,” the asset NFT issuance and publishing service 214 invokes the asset metadata oracle service 220, thereby causing the asset metadata oracle service 220 to obtain data indicating a status of the corresponding physical item and to record data reflecting the status of the physical item onto the same decentralized ledger 122. In some examples, hybrid asset management system 104 provides the asset metadata oracle service 220 with a copy of the asset certificate as part of invoking the service, where the asset certificate can be used by the asset NFT transaction service 222 to obtain an identifier of the hybrid asset.)
Regarding claim 27, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani further discloses:
the marketplace non-fungible tokens are minted by a user and held in a wallet of the user, separate from the register non-fungible tokens held in the platform-controlled wallet of the asset register. (Lipton col 3 lines 42-47, In some examples, an NFT representing a hybrid asset is recorded on a decentralized ledger (e.g., a public or private blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger) associated with a specific address (e.g., a blockchain address) of its owner and is controlled by the cryptographic private key of its owner. col 4 lines 42-55, When a user (e.g., a manufacturer of some type of physical asset or physical item), as the current legal owner of a physical asset, seeks to create an NFT representing the physical asset on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger, the user can use a hybrid asset trading platform 100 to register as a user of the platform and to further register the physical asset in question (e.g., identified in part by a unique serial number or other type of identifier) into the platform. In some examples, the hybrid asset trading platform 100 facilitates the creation and subsequent management of certificates of legal ownership and NFTs corresponding to such physical assets, such that the state of the three components for an asset (the physical asset, the certificate of legal ownership, and the NFT) can be continuously synchronized.
Regarding claim 28, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani further discloses:
transfer of a marketplace non-fungible token automatically synchronizes a blockchain-mapped beneficial ownership record associated with a corresponding register non-fungible token while the corresponding register non-fungible token remains retained in the platform-controlled wallet. ((col 1 lines 59-66) According to examples described herein, the hybrid asset management platform provides continual synchronization between digital asset certificates of legal ownership (e.g., data structures managed off-chain in one or more private data stores) with corresponding asset non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that are tradeable on a blockchain or other type of decentralized ledger. (col 3 lines 52-58) In some examples, when an NFT representing a hybrid asset is traded, sold, or otherwise transferred on the blockchain from a first entity to a second entity (e.g., from one person to another), the hybrid asset management platform updates the ownership information in the corresponding certificate of legal ownership associated with the hybrid asset. (col 4 lines 56-64) When an NFT representing a physical asset managed by the hybrid asset trading platform 100 changes ownership on the blockchain, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that a matching asset certificate of ownership in a private database of the hybrid asset trading platform 100 is also updated. Similarly, when the physical asset changes ownership in the real-world, then the hybrid asset trading platform 100 can ensure that the matching asset certificate and asset NFT are also updated to reflect this change. (col 14 lines 48-58) When a change of ownership to an asset NFT has occurred on the decentralized ledger 122 (e.g., based on a successful transaction performed by the asset NFT transaction service 222), in some examples, an asset NFT monitoring service 218 can generate data reflecting a change to the corresponding NFT and store the data in the asset NFT status data 204. In some examples, the update to the data in the asset NFT status data causes the asset certificate issuance and revocation service 206 to revoke the existing asset NFT and issue a new asset NFT with the identity of the new owner. (col 18 lines 9-14) When a transaction involving a hybrids asset is performed, in some examples, the transaction occurs on the decentralized ledger to the asset NFT. Similarly, a change of ownership of the asset NFT on the blockchain results in the corresponding change of the information in the private asset certificate.)
Claims 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani as applied to claims 8 and 10 above, in further view of Pearlman (US 20100223184 A1).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Pearlman teaches:
release the one or more non-fungible tokens to wallets of owners of the one or more non-fungible tokens or wallets of designated individuals thereof if the asset register ceases to exist. (¶0120, In one example, when the sponsored account 1500, 1590 is closed all funds remaining in the account 1500, 1590 are transferred back to the primary account 1400. ¶0124, If a sponsor closes the primary account 1400, then all sponsored accounts 1500, 1590 held within the primary account 1400 are automatically closed at the same time and all funds in the sponsored account(s) 1500, 1590 are returned to the primary account balance 1430. The primary account balance 1430 is distributed to the sponsor, for example, by a check.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Pearlman’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to ensure continuity of ownership and prevent assets from being lost.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Pearlman teaches:
the register releases non-fungible tokens to wallets of the owners or wallets of designated individuals thereof if the register ceases to exist. (¶0120, In one example, when the sponsored account 1500, 1590 is closed all funds remaining in the account 1500, 1590 are transferred back to the primary account 1400. ¶0124, If a sponsor closes the primary account 1400, then all sponsored accounts 1500, 1590 held within the primary account 1400 are automatically closed at the same time and all funds in the sponsored account(s) 1500, 1590 are returned to the primary account balance 1430. The primary account balance 1430 is distributed to the sponsor, for example, by a check.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Pearlman’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to ensure continuity of ownership and prevent assets from being lost.
Claims 12 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani as applied to claim 8 above, in further view of Fleming (WO 2023/039180 A2).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Flemming teaches:
a certificate of authenticity comprises information selected from the group consisting of physical asset care instructions; physical asset condition and wear; physical asset creation date; physical asset digital representation; physical asset dimensions and weight; physical asset identification number or serial number; physical asset maintenance and restoration history; physical asset manufacturing process or techniques; physical asset material composition; physical asset ownership transfer mechanism; physical asset packaging and preservation details; physical asset photographer or documenter; physical asset protection status such as insurance cover; physical asset registration status with relevant authorities; physical asset repair records; physical asset type and category; blockchain transaction record; creator or manufacturer's contact information; creator's digital signature; creator's name and biographical details; delivery or transportation method; digital twin of the physical asset; geolocation details during transport or display; location of the physical asset, intellectual property rights; certificate of authenticity; manufacturer's guarantee or warranty details; marketplace information; metadata describing digital records linked to the physical asset; ownership change history; ownership verification method; physical storage location and security details of the physical asset; provenance of the physical asset; quick response code (QR code) or radio frequency identifications (RFID) tag, or other identifier linked to the one or more non-fungible tokens; related contractual agreements; restoration or conservation details of the physical asset; smart contract terms governing the one or more non-fungible tokens; supply chain and logistics details; transaction timestamps for previous ownership; verification of originality or authenticity; and a combination thereof, wherein (Fleming ¶0065, In some cases, the certificate of ownership may include identifying information associated with the artifact, identifying information associated the entity who created the artifact, identifying information associated an owner of the copyright, smart contract information (e.g., terms associated with purchasing the certificate of ownership), etc.
the information can be accessed via a linked universal resource locator (URL) from a marketplace or by physical interaction with the one or more physical assets using at least one of a near field communication, image recognition, QR-codes and other identifiers that allow verification of asset information and authenticity with reference to the one or more non-fungible tokens as registered on the asset register. (¶0110, In some cases, the confirmation data includes a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with at least one of the copyright, the artifact, and/or the certificate of ownership. In some examples, the entity associated with the electronic device may use the URL to identify the copyright, the artifact, and/or certificate of ownership when accessing the registry system. ¶0140, Additionally, and/or alternatively, in some examples the process 800 may include generating the first certificate of ownership associated with the copyright includes generating a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with at least one of the copyright or the first certificate of ownership and storing the URL in the repository. See claim 10.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Fleming’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated because a certificate of authenticity is intended to provide information regarding the authenticated asset, therefore providing a complete picture of the authenticated asset. Further, the use of the URL to retrieve the certificate of authenticity information to improve user convenience and accessibility of the information.
Furthermore, the claimed limitation “… comprises information selected from the group…” is non-functional material that does not move to distinguish over prior art. The reference is provided for the purpose of compact prosecution.
Regarding claim 26, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Flemming teaches:
a register dashboard configured to catalog the one or more physical assets associated with the register non- fungible tokens in a user collection, generate a certificate of authenticity populated from non- fungible token metadata and blockchain transaction data, and associate rich content with a non- fungible token of the one or more non-fungible tokens and a specific physical asset of the one or more physical assets via a discrete URL tied to an NFC tag for the specific physical asset. (¶0020, For example, the registry system may cause a user interface to display, via the client-side device/system, dialog boxes and/or input fields including text associated with submitting a claim for insurance coverage in association with an insurance policy for the copyright and/or a certificate of ownership associated with the copyright and/or artifact. In these examples, given that an allegation of copyright and/or a certificate of ownership associated with the copyright and/or artifact misappropriation, or other legal claim, may exist in light of the similarity between the accused document and the registered copyright and/or a certificate of ownership associated with the copyright and/or artifact, one or more wizards may be initiated to assist in filing a claim for insurance coverage. Input data may be received representing responses to the dialog boxes, and based at least in part on receiving the input data, the input data may be formatted and/or sent to a remote system associated with an insurer indicating that a claim is to be filed and/or notifying the insurer of the potential misappropriation and/or other legal action. ¶0036, The asset registry 136 may store information associated with an artifact, a copyright, and/or a certificate of ownership associated with the copyright. For example, the information may include an identifier of the certificate of ownership associated with the copyright, a naming indicator for the artifact and/or copyright, a description of the artifact, one or more tags, a status identifier for the record and/or the certificate of ownership associated with the copyright, the cryptographic certificate of ownership value, the block number, the time value (also described as the block timestamp), insurance policy details, valuation details, smart contract data associated with the copyright and/or the certificate of ownership associated with the copyright, and/or other information associated with the artifact and/or copyright. The information may be stored along with one or more other records in the asset registry 136. The registry system 104, in examples, may generate confirmation data indicating that a record of the information has been generated, and the confirmation data, along with the record itself, may be sent to the electronic device 102 for display via a user interface 122.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Fleming’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to provide the user with an interface to view the certificate of authenticity information as well as to manage the asset.
Furthermore, the claimed limitation “to…” in “a register dashboard configured to catalog the one or more physical assets associated with the register non- fungible tokens in a user collection, generate a certificate of authenticity populated from non- fungible token metadata and blockchain transaction data, and associate rich content with a non- fungible token of the one or more non-fungible tokens and a specific physical asset of the one or more physical assets via a discrete URL tied to an NFC tag for the specific physical asset.” consists of language disclosing an intended use, so it is considered but given no patentable weight. (see MPEP 2111.05, MPEP 2114 and authorities cited therein). The reference is provided for the purpose of compact prosecution.
Claims 13-14 and 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani as applied to claim 8 above, in further view of Kapur (US 2023/0070586 A1).
Regarding claims 13 and 18-19, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Kapur discloses:
at least one of augmented reality experiences and other Rich Content are embedded in a URL associated with, and referenced in the one or more non-fungible tokens to provide at least one of multi-media experiences, learning and promotional opportunities regarding the one or more physical assets, and wherein the augmented reality experiences may be triggered by a predetermined value in information stored as part of the certificate of authenticity of the one or more non-fungible tokens, and wherein the augmented reality experiences and other Rich Content are transferable with the one or more non-fungible tokens. (¶0218, In storing rich media using blockchain, several components may be utilized by an entity (“miner”) adding transactions to said blockchain. References, such as URLs, may be stored in the blockchain to identify assets. Multiple URLs may also be stored when the asset is separated into pieces. An alternative or complementary option may be the use of APIs to return either the asset or a URL for the asset. In accordance with many embodiments of the invention, references can be stored by adding a ledger entry incorporating the reference enabling the entry to be timestamped. In doing so, the URL, which typically accounts for domain names, can be resolved to IP addresses. ¶0219, An NFT 510 in accordance with several embodiments of the invention may include many values including generalized data 511 (e.g. URLs), and pointers such as pointer A 512, pointer B 513, pointer C 514, and pointer D 515. In accordance with many embodiments of the invention, the generalized data 511 may be used to access corresponding rich media through the NFT 510. The NFT 510 may additionally have associated metadata 516. ¶0333, As illustrated in FIG. 22, an NFT 2200 can include several elements including a digital policy 2201 that can describe allowable use and/or any restrictions on the NFT, including on a content asset 2210 (e.g., artwork, media, video, rich media, among other types of NFT content) of the NFT. An NFT can include a policy 2201 that includes different triggering events (e.g., event A 2202, event B 2203, event C 2204) and each triggering event can be associated with a link (e.g., pointer) that provides a location to a particular layer (e.g., Layer A 2212, Layer B 2213, Layer C 2214... upto Layer N) of a content asset 2210 to which a particular triggering event corresponds.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Kapur’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to add value to both the NFT and the physical asset and ensure the experience remains tied to the asset.
Furthermore, the above claimed limitation is non-functional material that does not move to distinguish over prior art. The reference is provided for the purpose of compact prosecution.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Kapur teaches:
holding of the one or more physical assets via non-fungible tokens is configured for aggregation of data, statistics or trends concerning user preferences or choices in relation to assets held in a user account or wallet, and commercialization thereof. (¶0449, In many embodiments of the NFT evolution platforms, a portioned processing architecture can provide increased capabilities of protection information related to characteristics of triggering events and can provide a receiving entity (e.g., a registry), with information that may have commercial value. For example, signals conveyed to the registry may include usage statistics for the wallet, an inventory of NFTs stored in the wallet, user preferences, and/or user actions such as having achieved a new high score in a game. Signals conveyed to a registry may include outputs of artificial intelligence and/or machine learning analysis that can be performed locally in a wallet (e.g., a user identity prediction, a prediction regarding a user action with respect to an NFT in the user’s wallet, among various other types of information with commercial value). In many embodiments, to protect user data, a proxy can be used to collect information, anonymize it, and transmit it to a registry. A user may select what proxy to use, and different proxies can compete based on features, prices and protections.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Kapur’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to track user preferences, maintain information of inventory, support commercialization and enable data driven decisions while maintaining a direct link between digital and physical ownership.
Further, the claimed limitation “for…” in “holding of physical assets via non-fungible tokens is configured for aggregation of data…” consists of language disclosing an intended use, so it is considered but given no patentable weight. (see MPEP 2111.05, MPEP 2114 and authorities cited therein). The reference is provided for the purpose of compact prosecution.
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Kapur discloses:
the one or more non-fungible tokens represent a right to call for delivery of the one or more physical assets. (¶0003, A current holder of an NFT is typically provided asset usage rights for the underlying NFT asset. ¶0275, In some embodiments, a certifying third party may generate an NFT associated with certain rights upon the occurrence of a specific event. ¶0310, Under an earlier example, buying a live mouse artwork, as an NFT, may also carry the corresponding painting, and/or the rights to it. )
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Kapur’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to ensure that the ownership of the NFT directly corresponds to the ability to claim the underlying physical asset.
Further, the claimed limitation “…represents a right to call for delivery of the physical asset” is non-functional material that does not move to distinguish over prior art.
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani do not disclose, however Kapur teaches:
the metadata associated with the one or more non-fungible tokens includes details associated with ownership of the one or more physical assets the are indicated of at least one of emotional significance and hereditary provenance associated with the one or more physical assets. (¶0185, The metadata associated with an NFT may also include digital media assets such as (but not limited to) images, videos about the specific NFT, and the context in which it was created (studio, film, band, company song etc.). ¶0219, The NFT 510 may additionally have associated metadata 516.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Kapur’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to track who owns or historically owned the asset, recognize designated beneficiaries or sentimental value of the asset.
Furthermore, the claimed limitation “…associated with the one or more non-fungible tokens includes details associated with ownership of the physical assets the are indicated of emotion and/or heredity associated with the physical assets” is non-functional material that does not move to distinguish over prior art.
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani as applied to claim 8 above, in further view of Michaud (US 20240193619 A1).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani does not disclose, however Michaud teaches:
comprising a mobile experience component configured to associate a near field communication (NFC) tag with a specific physical asset of the one or more physical assets, wherein the NFC tag contains an asset identifier and a unique mobile experience uniform resource locator (URL), and display, in response to interaction between a mobile device and the NFC tag, a certificate of authenticity and rich content associated with a non-fungible token of the one or more non-fungible tokens on the mobile experience URL. (¶0064, Computing device 104 may include an antenna which is configured to communicate with the NFC chip of physical object 102. ¶0068, Increasingly, physical goods (i.e., assets or objects) come with corresponding digital counterparts—digital versions of the good, digital certificates of authenticity, etc. In order to link a physical good with its digital counterpart (and vice versa), a unique identifier may be attached to the physical item. Often, this takes the form of a scannable chip (e.g., NFC chip), which is programmed to be linked to the corresponding digital asset (e.g., NFT). In some embodiments, there may be a 1:1 relationship between the physical item, and its corresponding chip, and the digital asset. ¶0084, The user may press a “read” button and holds the NFC chip close to the device which scans the product to be fulfilled. This reads the data on the NFC tag and pulls the serial ID of the NFC tag affixed to (or associated with) the physical product. ¶0093, Here, the user may use computing device 701 to scan the target NFC chip. This reads the chip and saves the pre-encoded URL in local memory. At 706, the user may scan the NFC chip of physical object 703 with computing device 701. The NFC chip of physical object 703 may respond with an encoded URL at 708. ¶0103, Most consumer grade mobile phones have NFC capabilities. The mobile phone may have a radio antenna on the rear or top of the mobile phone which is capable of automatically detecting and reading NFC chips when they are in close proximity (e.g., less than 4 cm) away from the NFC chip.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton and Jethmalani with Michaud’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to improve accessibility to the certificate of authenticity information without manual data entry.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lipton, Norton, Jethmalani and Michaud as applied to claim 24 above, in further view of LaCamera (US 20250106484 A1).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of Lipton, Norton, Jethmalani and Michaud do not disclose, however LaCamera teaches:
the mobile experience URL is configured to time out and prevent display of the certificate of authenticity and Rich Content if the mobile experience URL is copied or extracted without a physical interaction with the NFC tag. (¶0046, The expiration of the URL may indicate an amount of time (or a time until) the URL may be used. In some embodiments, a URL expires a predetermined amount of time after it is generated (e.g., a URL may expire 5 minutes after being generated). ¶0055, For example, as described above in connection with the contents of the manifest file, the manifest file may include a URL expiration. Based on the URL expiration, the client application 103 may determine, based on a URL's expiration, whether the URL is valid, and if so, the client application may request a refresh of the manifest file.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to have modify the combination of Lipton, Norton, Jethmalani and Michaud with LaCamera’s teaching. One of ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated in order to improve security and restrict access to the information to only authorize users during an authorized period of time.
Further, the claimed limitation “to…” in “the mobile experience URL is configured to time out and prevent display of the certificate of authenticity and Rich Content if the mobile experience URL is copied or extracted without a physical interaction with the NFC tag.” consists of language disclosing an intended use, so it is considered but given no patentable weight. (see MPEP 2111.05, MPEP 2114 and authorities cited therein). The reference is provided for the purpose of compact prosecution.
Response to Arguments
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 112
Claim rejections 35 U.S.C. § 112 in the previous non-final action dated 01/29/2026 are withdrawn in light of the claim amendments.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 101
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 12-13, filed on 5/18/2026, with respect to 35 U.S.C. § 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 89 has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 103
Applicant submits remarks and arguments geared toward the amendments. Examiner has carefully reviewed and considered Applicant’s remarks, however they ARE MOOT in light of the fact that they are geared towards the newly added claimed expression in the amendments.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any 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.
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20230230069 A1 to Voorhees discloses: A non-fungible blockchain token (NFT) transferable from wallet to wallet on a blockchain represents ownership of a physical diamond custodied in a secure vault. The NFT can be sold and resold to investors wishing to use the diamond as a store of value. The NFT owner, who may only be known by a blockchain wallet address, can communicate with the custodian, the issuer, auditors, and more by writing signal messages into the blockchain NFT. A diamond custody controller unit at the custodian includes a trusted program module to handle private cryptographic key functions and to output retrieval and shipping instructions when a signal message indicates the NFT owner instructs the custodian to move the diamond to a new custodian. The NFT owner can also write signal messages into the NFT to instruct other parties, such as auditors, to perform services relating to the diamond.
US 20190366475 A1 to Scarselli discloses: A method of tokenization and use of assets, comprising: a) registering at least one asset on a distributed ledger; b) assigning the at least one asset a fungible or non-fungible token with a public key; c) reading information about the at least one asset using a reading device; d) verifying ownership of the at least one asset using a private key which matches the public key; and, e) performing a transaction with the at least one asset.
US 20230005000 A1 to DeLuca discloses: According to one embodiment, a method, computer system, and computer program product for identifying commercialization opportunities for digital twin resources captured on a sensor is provided. The present invention may include receiving digital content pertaining to a physical asset captured by the sensor; responsive to determining that no digital twin resources within a digital twin content store associated with the physical asset exceed a threshold level of similarity to the digital content, uploading the digital content to the digital twin content store based on a user response to one or more prompts.
US 20240412201 A1 to Fleming discloses: Systems and methods for wallet information and/or user information registration and verification are disclosed. Wallet information, such as a wallet identification (ID), and/or user information may be requested to be registered with an wallet ID registry. A record of the registration may be generated for the wallet ID registry such that the wallet ID registry may be searchable and/or offer functionality such as contractual obligations, insurance provision, and/or verification, among other benefits and functionalities.
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/J.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3698
/STEVEN S KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3698
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