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 .
This action is in response to the claims filed 12/19/2025, in response to a restriction requirement mailed 12/02/2025. Claims 1-14 are pending with claims 6-8, 13 and 14 withdrawn due to the restriction. Claims 1-5 and 9-12 are under examination. Claims 1 (a method) and 9 (a machine) are independent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1-3, 9-12 require that a first and second device both have the same “a first secret number” and also transmitting “the first secret number”. It is not clear how the first number is secret when it is transmitted without any protection from eavesdropping and every entity of the claim knows the number.
Claims 2 and 10 require: “wherein the first and second processing devices synchronously in time generate a respective same second secret number”. It is not clear if this is intended to be the same or a different number from the first secret number
Claim 5 is dependent on claim 4 and requires: “wherein each of the first and second secret numbers is a one-time password (OTP), such as a time-based OTP, TOTP.” A one-time password is a password entered by a user. No user interaction is required. Therefore, it is unclear what claim 5 requires as no password use is required by the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 9-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Speasl et al., US 2020/0014816 (published 2020), in view of Deole et al., US 2020/0134143 (published 2020).
As to claims 1 and 9, Speasl discloses a method/machine comprising:
by a first processing device processing a first data sequence captured from a monitored environment during a first time period: (“At step 1305, a media asset is captured by a sensor of a media capture device, optionally with its metadata as well. The metadata may include, …., a timestamp identifying date and time of capture…. , time, date, time zone, title, ” Speasl ¶ 113. See Speasl ¶ 111, media searchable by date and time.)
- generating a first digital signature for the first data sequence by applying a first cryptographic digital signature algorithm to:
first data of the first data sequence and a first secret number; (“a digital signature is computed by generating a hash digest—optionally using a secure hash algorithm such as SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, or SHA-3—of the captured media, and optionally of the metadata as well.” Speasl ¶ 115. Metadata includes date as seen in Speasl ¶ 113)
- incorporating the first secret number and the first digital signature in the first data sequence; and (“Assuming the authentication of step 1335 was successful, a certified media dataset is generated by bundling the media, metadata, and the encrypted digital signature, for example in a zip file or other compressed archive file. The public key may also be bundled with them, though additional security may be provided by publishing it elsewhere to a trusted authentication server. At step 1345, the certified media dataset (and optionally the public key) is transmitted to a secondary device” Speasl ¶ 117)
- transmitting the first data sequence; (Speasl ¶ 117)
by a second processing device (note claim 12, second device may be the same device) processing a second data sequence different from the first data sequence and captured from the monitored environment (“The system is made of an unlimited number of mobile devices, users and cloud real-time communicative secure data interactive system that captures, collects, certifies media simultaneously using a secure mobile application on a digital device while organizing and using the information from the collection process and details contained within the media; such as who, where, why, how, and other metadata; location, orientation, time/date, elevation, camera heading, acceleration, metadata, velocities” Speasl ¶ 96) during a second time period at least partly overlapping with the first time period, wherein the first and second processing devices are different parts of a surveillance system and set up to synchronously in time generate a respective same first secret number (The date/time of Speasl ¶ 113), and wherein the second data sequence is different from the first data sequence: (“the image capture device can first synchronize its image and/or sensor data with a second device. For example, a camera device (e.g., a digital point-and-shoot camera) may first be required to synchronize its data with a user device such as a smartphone or wearable device, which can then form a connection to the internet/cloud system. In the future these devices, i.e. handheld digital cameras, body cameras, binoculars can contain the certified media capture and transmission system and interact directly with the cloud as well as the second device.” Speasl ¶ 105)
- generating a second digital signature for the second data sequence by applying a second cryptographic digital signature algorithm to: (“a digital signature is computed by generating a hash digest—optionally using a secure hash algorithm such as SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, or SHA-3—of the captured media, and optionally of the metadata as well.” Speasl ¶ 115. Metadata includes date as seen in Speasl ¶ 113)
second data of the second data sequence …; (“Assuming the authentication of step 1335 was successful, a certified media dataset is generated by bundling the media, metadata, and the encrypted digital signature, for example in a zip file or other compressed archive file. The public key may also be bundled with them, though additional security may be provided by publishing it elsewhere to a trusted authentication server. At step 1345, the certified media dataset (and optionally the public key) is transmitted to a secondary device” Speasl ¶ 117. All devices perform the same certification process.)
- incorporating the generated second digital signature and the … in the second data sequence, (“Assuming the authentication of step 1335 was successful, a certified media dataset is generated by bundling the media, metadata, and the encrypted digital signature, for example in a zip file or other compressed archive file. The public key may also be bundled with them, though additional security may be provided by publishing it elsewhere to a trusted authentication server. At step 1345, the certified media dataset (and optionally the public key) is transmitted to a secondary device” Speasl ¶ 117)
whereby the first data sequence and the second data sequence are coupled by the first secret number and …; and (“These may include organization by photos, video, audio, location, position, by image capture device, by user, by date, time, logged user, subscription user, or a number of other attributes of an image/video/audio/media file. Likewise, these images may be made searchable via these attributes in a network based (including “cloud based”) storage system as well as a local storage system.” Speasl ¶ 111. Search by date)
- transmitting the second data sequence. (Speasl ¶ 117)
Speasl does not explicitly disclose:
during a second time period at least partly overlapping with the first time period
and a first digest, wherein the first digest is generated by the second processing device) applying a first cryptographic digest algorithm to the first secret number
the first digest
the first digest
Deole discloses:
and a first digest, wherein the first digest is generated by the second processing device) applying a first cryptographic digest algorithm to the first secret number
(“The block 201C comprises a head pointer 202C, a hash of date/time of the communication session 230, a date/time of the communication session or pointer 231, and a tail pointer 203C. … The hash of the date/time of the communication session 230 is typically a single hash. However, in one embodiment, there may be a separate hash of the date and a separate hash of the time.” Deole ¶ 52. The hash memorializing a user communication, see Deole ¶ 79).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide individual hashes of the respective date and time metadata of Speasl, in addition to the hash utilized to generate the signature, by incorporating said hashes into the media data sets and/or providing a ledger storage of the media data sets (e.g. Speasl ¶ 107). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Speasl with Deole in order to allow the searching or matching of the respective media data sets as well as validation of the respective individual metadata.
While Speasl does not explicitly describe: “during a second time period at least partly overlapping with the first time period” this clause does not actually require the performance of any steps to effectuate the overlapping time periods and rather is a statement regarding the coincidental happenstance of data being sampled simultaneously.
The time periods of Speasl are days and it clearly accommodates data from a plurality of devices within a day, see Figures 10 and 11. Even if not explicitly described, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the multiple devices of Speasl might capture data on the same day.
As to claim 2, Speasl in view of Deole discloses the method of claim 1 and further discloses:
wherein the first and second processing devices synchronously in time generate a respective same second secret number, (“a timestamp identifying date and time of capture…. , time, date, time zone, title, ” Speasl ¶ 113. See Speasl ¶ 111, media searchable by date and time.)
wherein the first digital signature is further generated based on a second digest, which second digest is generated by the first processing device applying a second cryptographic digest algorithm to the second secret number, (“there may be a separate hash of the date and a separate hash of the time.” Deole ¶ 52.)
wherein the second digital signature is further generated based on the second secret number, wherein the incorporating of the first secret number and the first digital signature in the first data sequence further comprises: (“a digital signature is computed by generating a hash digest—optionally using a secure hash algorithm such as SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, or SHA-3—of the captured media, and optionally of the metadata as well.” Speasl ¶ 115. Metadata includes date as seen in Speasl ¶ 113)
- incorporating the second digest in the first data sequence; and (Speasl ¶¶ 113 and 115 as combined with the date hash of Deole)
wherein the incorporating of the generated second digital signature and the first digest in the second data sequence further comprises:
- incorporating the second secret number in the second data sequence. (“Assuming the authentication of step 1335 was successful, a certified media dataset is generated by bundling the media, metadata, and the encrypted digital signature, for example in a zip file or other compressed archive file. The public key may also be bundled with them, though additional security may be provided by publishing it elsewhere to a trusted authentication server. At step 1345, the certified media dataset (and optionally the public key) is transmitted to a secondary device” Speasl ¶ 117)
As to claim 3, Speasl in view of Deole discloses the method of claim 2 and further discloses:
wherein the first digital signature is generated by the first processing device applying the first cryptographic digital signature algorithm to the first data, the first secret number (“a digital signature is computed by generating a hash digest—optionally using a secure hash algorithm such as SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, or SHA-3—of the captured media, and optionally of the metadata as well.” Speasl ¶ 115. Metadata includes date as seen in Speasl ¶ 113) and also to the second digest; and (“The hash of the date/time of the communication session 230 is typically a single hash. However, in one embodiment, there may be a separate hash of the date and a separate hash of the time.” Deole ¶ 52, as combined with Speasl)
wherein the second digital signature is generated by the second processing device applying the second cryptographic digital signature algorithm to the second data, the first digest (“a digital signature is computed by generating a hash digest—optionally using a secure hash algorithm such as SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, or SHA-3—of the captured media, and optionally of the metadata as well.” Speasl ¶ 115. Metadata includes date as seen in Speasl ¶ 113) and also to the second secret number. (“The hash of the date/time of the communication session 230 is typically a single hash. However, in one embodiment, there may be a separate hash of the date and a separate hash of the time.” Deole ¶ 52, as combined with Speasl)
As to claim 10, Speasl in view of Deole discloses the device of claim 9 and further discloses:
wherein the first and second processing devices are set up to synchronously in time generate a respective same second secret number, wherein the first processing device is further configured to: (“a timestamp identifying date and time of capture…. , time, date, time zone, title, ” Speasl ¶ 113. See Speasl ¶ 111, media searchable by date and time.)
- generate the first digital signature based additionally on a second digest, which second digest is generated by applying a second cryptographic digest algorithm to the second secret number, and (“there may be a separate hash of the date and a separate hash of the time.” Deole ¶ 52.)
- incorporate the second digest in the first data sequence; and (Speasl ¶¶ 113 and 115 as combined with the date hash of Deole)
wherein the second processing device is further configured to:
- generate the second digital signature based additionally on the second secret number, and (“a digital signature is computed by generating a hash digest—optionally using a secure hash algorithm such as SHA-0, SHA-1, SHA-2, or SHA-3—of the captured media, and optionally of the metadata as well.” Speasl ¶ 115. Metadata includes date as seen in Speasl ¶ 113)
- incorporate the second secret number in the second data sequence. (“Assuming the authentication of step 1335 was successful, a certified media dataset is generated by bundling the media, metadata, and the encrypted digital signature, for example in a zip file or other compressed archive file. The public key may also be bundled with them, though additional security may be provided by publishing it elsewhere to a trusted authentication server. At step 1345, the certified media dataset (and optionally the public key) is transmitted to a secondary device” Speasl ¶ 117)
As to claim 11, Speasl in view of Deole discloses the device of claim 9 and further discloses:
wherein the first and second processing devices are different processing devices with synchronized clocks. (“a timestamp identifying date and time of capture…. , time, date, time zone, title, ” Speasl ¶ 113. See Speasl ¶ 111, media searchable by date and time.)
As to claim 12, Speasl in view of Deole discloses the device of claim 9 and further discloses:
wherein the first and second processing devices are comprised in a single device, such as in a single monitoring camera, or in two different devices, such as in two different monitoring cameras. (“The system is made of an unlimited number of mobile devices, users and cloud real-time communicative secure data interactive system that captures, collects, certifies media simultaneously using a secure mobile application on a digital device while organizing and using the information from the collection process and details contained within the media; such as who, where, why, how, and other metadata; location, orientation, time/date, elevation, camera heading, acceleration, metadata, velocities” Speasl ¶ 96)
Claim(s) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Speasl et al., US 2020/0014816 (published 2020), in view of Deole et al., US 2020/0134143 (published 2020), and Deleeuw et al., US 2016/0012252 (published 2016).
As to claim 4, Speasl in view of Deole discloses the method of claim 1 but does not disclose:
wherein the first and second secret numbers are generated based on a respective seed value and using a respective cryptographically secure number generator.
Deleeuw discloses:
wherein the first and second secret numbers are generated based on a respective seed value and using a respective cryptographically secure number generator.
(“When the user mobile device travels among different locations, the user mobile device may periodically publish a new location, which may be used to create a record of the user location. To store this location information in an anonymous fashion the PRNG0 may generate periodically a set of PRNs P.sub.00 to P.sub.0s as shown.” Deleeuw ¶ 38. The random number being necessary to access the user generated data: “In order for a trusted party to regenerate a given PRN in a sequence generated by the PRNG0, in addition to the actual algorithm employed by the PRNG0, the party may be provided with a seed used to initialize the PRNG0, as well as the number of steps taken to reach the given PRN from the PRNG0.” Deleeuw ¶ 39)
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have combined Speasl in view of Deole with Deleeuw by utilizing a seed and a random number generator to anonymize user data for storage. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Speasl in view of Deole with Deleeuw in order to protect user privacy and thereby attract additional users, Deleeuw ¶ 3.
As to claim 5, Speasl in view of Deole and Deleeuw discloses the method of claim 1 and further discloses:
wherein each of the first and second secret numbers is a one-time password (OTP), such as a time-based OTP, TOTP.
(“In order for a trusted party to regenerate a given PRN in a sequence generated by the PRNG0, in addition to the actual algorithm employed by the PRNG0, the party may be provided with a seed used to initialize the PRNG0, as well as the number of steps taken to reach the given PRN from the PRNG0.” Deleeuw ¶ 39)
(“The metadata may include, for example, latitude and longitude coordinates from a GNSS receiver or other positioning receiver, an identification of the media capture device, a timestamp identifying date and time of capture, an altitude at capture, a heading at capture, an inclination at capture, a yaw at capture, a roll at capture, pitch at capture, a watermark, an annotation, any other data that might be found in image EXIF metadata” Speasl ¶ 113)
(“A digital signature is generated by generating a hash of both the captured media and at least some of this metadata. For example, the digital signature may be a hash of the captured media, the timestamp, and an identifier of the mobile device 105 that captured the media.” Speasl ¶ 120)
(“a plurality of timestamps, each timestamp associated with capture of one of the plurality of media assets by the media capture device. Each of the plurality of timestamps falls within the time period. The timestamps may correspond to a moment in which a particular media asset was captured when the capture occurs in an instant or during a short range of time” Speasl ¶ 124. “A location may be received that identifies a location that the media capture device was in at a beginning and/or an end of capture of a particular media asset that is captured over a duration of time—from a moment at which capture or recording begins to a moment at which capture or recording ends—such as a video captured by a camera or an audio recording captured by a microphone.” Speasl ¶ 125)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892, particularly:
Choyi et al., US 2016/0065362, disclosing securing group communications using a counter with a 5 second incrementation period.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL W CHAO whose telephone number is (571)272-5165. The examiner can normally be reached M, W-F 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rupal Dharia can be reached at (571) 272-3880. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL W CHAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2492