Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 19/031,354

A METHOD FOR CREATING COMMODITY ASSETS FROM UNREFINED COMMODITY RESERVES UTILIZING BLOCKCHAIN AND DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGY

Non-Final OA §101§DOUBLEPATENT
Filed
Jan 18, 2025
Priority
Mar 08, 2017 — provisional 62/468,764 +3 more
Examiner
OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
Art Unit
3629
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Stichting Ip-Oversight
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
66%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 66% — above average
66%
Career Allowance Rate
770 granted / 1159 resolved
+14.4% vs TC avg
Strong +30% interview lift
Without
With
+29.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 8m
Avg Prosecution
41 currently pending
Career history
1188
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
29.1%
-10.9% vs TC avg
§103
18.9%
-21.1% vs TC avg
§102
27.5%
-12.5% vs TC avg
§112
10.6%
-29.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1159 resolved cases

Office Action

§101 §DOUBLEPATENT
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 Claims Claims 1-20 are currently pending in application 19/031,354. Claim Objections Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 7 recites the word “collaterializing “; which is misspelled. Appropriate correction to the correct spelling (“collateralizing”) is suggested. Double Patenting The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of Allowed U.S. Patent Application No. 18/432,729 (Patent number not issued yet), and over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,188,977. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all of the inventions disclose equivalent elements for creating an asset-backed distributed ledger token representing a smart contract, the token being backed by a pledge of an illiquid form of a precursor or means of production of a commodity asset. 19/031,354 Allowed US 18/432,729 Independent Claim 1 A cryptographic tokenization method, comprising: producing a plurality of tokens represented on a distributed ledger system tracking a transfer of tokens, authenticating a current owner of tokens, and revealing inconsistent transfers of tokens, the tokens each representing a collateralized property interest in a productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring payment of substitute collateral at the end of a tollable term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction, else foreclosure of the collateral; issuing the plurality of tokens on a market; transacting changes in ownership of the plurality of tokens on the market using the distributed ledger system; automatically determining, upon expiration of the tollable term, outstanding tokens, and conveying to token-holders the substitute collateral else an interest in the foreclosed collateral. Independent Claim 17 A cryptographic tokenization method of a productive asset which produces a commodity, comprising: collateralizing a property interest in the productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring delivery of substitute collateral representing an amount of the commodity at the expiration of a tollable term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction else foreclosure of the security interest in the collateralized property; generating a plurality of tokens, each token representing a portion of the collateralized property interest, represented on a blockchain system which tracks token transfers and authenticates token ownership; transacting changes in ownership and of the plurality of tokens on a market, and burning of tokens, using the blockchain; and determining, upon expiry of the tollable term, with respect to outstanding tokens, whether the substitute collateral has been delivered to the token-holders, else foreclosing the collateral. Independent Claim 20 A cryptographic tokenization system, comprising: a distributed ledger system comprising a plurality of nodes which together execute a fault tolerant distributed consensus system, which supports token transactions which authenticate a current owner of a token, block an inconsistent transfer of the token, provide an immutable record of token transfers, and transact changes in ownership of the token; a plurality of tokens, each token representing a portion of a secured transaction secured by collateral representing a property interest in a productive asset, under a security agreement requiring tender of substitute collateral at the end of a tollable term else foreclosure of the security interest in the collateral; and the distributed ledger system being configured to determine an expiry of the tollable term, and upon the expiry, determine whether the substitute collateral has been tendered else foreclose the collateral. Independent Claim 1 A cryptographic tokenization method of a productive asset, comprising: collateralizing a property interest in the productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring payment of substitute collateral at the end of a term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction; producing a plurality of tokens comprising cryptographic data structures on a distributed ledger system tracking a transfer of tokens, authenticating a current owner of tokens, and revealing inconsistent transfers of tokens; the plurality of tokens being associated with a smart contract automatically executed by a distributed virtual machine instantiated across a plurality of network nodes that implements the security interest, each token representing a fractional share of the transaction, the smart contract having as inputs at least time, an ownership status of the plurality of tokens, and a substitute collateral status with respect to the plurality of tokens, and having as an output an immutable indicator recorded on the distributed ledger system that automatically triggers execution of the security interest to permit operation of the productive asset on behalf of outstanding token-holders to fulfill obligations of the secured transaction; issuing the plurality of tokens on a market from an issuer; transacting changes in ownership of the plurality of tokens on the market using the distributed ledger system; and automatically determining by the smart contract, upon expiration of the term, outstanding tokens from the issuer for which payment of the substitute collateral has not been made. Independent Claim 17 A cryptographic tokenization method of a productive asset which produces a commodity, comprising: collateralizing a property interest in the productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring delivery of substitute collateral representing an amount of the commodity at the expiration of a term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction; producing a plurality of cryptographic tokens, each cryptographic token comprising a cryptographic data structure-representing a portion of the outstanding interests, represented on a blockchain system which tracks cryptographic token transfers and authenticates current cryptographic token ownership, wherein the blockchain system supports automatic execution of a distributed virtual machine instantiated across a plurality of network nodes that executes a smart contract that implements the security interest, the smart contract having as inputs at least time, current cryptographic token ownership, and substitute collateral status, and having as an output at least an immutable indicator recorded on the blockchain, the smart contract comprising instructions operating to determine a failure of satisfaction of terms of the secured transaction, and upon said determination, to authorize operation of the productive asset to fulfill obligations under the secured transaction; transacting changes in ownership of the plurality of cryptographic tokens on a market using the blockchain; and automatically determining by the smart contract, a tolling contingency for expiration of the term, and a failure of delivery of the substitute collateral to an outstanding cryptographic token holder upon expiration of the term. Dependent Claim 2 The cryptographic tokenization method of claim 1, wherein the smart contract further provides a condition for tolling of the expiration of the term. Independent Claim 20 A cryptographic tokenization system, comprising: a distributed ledger system comprising a plurality of nodes which together execute a fault tolerant distributed consensus system, which supports transactions in a market using tokens comprising cryptographic data structures, the distributed ledger system being configured which to authenticate a current owner of a token, block an inconsistent transfer of the token, and provide an immutable record of token transfers, and supports execution of a distributed state machine for execution of a smart contract; each token representing a portion of a secured transaction secured by collateral representing a property interest in a productive asset, under a security agreement requiring tender of substitute collateral at the end of a term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction to relinquish the collateral; the smart contract being automatically executed by the distributed state machine, having as inputs at least time, an ownership status of the plurality of tokens, and a substitute collateral status with respect to the plurality of tokens, and having as an output an indicator that permits operation of the productive asset on behalf of outstanding interests to fulfill obligations of the secured transaction; and the distributed ledger system being configured to transact changes in ownership of the token using the distributed ledger system. 19/031,354 US 11,188,977 Independent Claim 1 A cryptographic tokenization method, comprising: producing a plurality of tokens represented on a distributed ledger system tracking a transfer of tokens, authenticating a current owner of tokens, and revealing inconsistent transfers of tokens, the tokens each representing a collateralized property interest in a productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring payment of substitute collateral at the end of a tollable term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction, else foreclosure of the collateral; issuing the plurality of tokens on a market; transacting changes in ownership of the plurality of tokens on the market using the distributed ledger system; automatically determining, upon expiration of the tollable term, outstanding tokens, and conveying to token-holders the substitute collateral else an interest in the foreclosed collateral. Independent Claim 17 A cryptographic tokenization method of a productive asset which produces a commodity, comprising: collateralizing a property interest in the productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring delivery of substitute collateral representing an amount of the commodity at the expiration of a tollable term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction else foreclosure of the security interest in the collateralized property; generating a plurality of tokens, each token representing a portion of the collateralized property interest, represented on a blockchain system which tracks token transfers and authenticates token ownership; transacting changes in ownership and of the plurality of tokens on a market, and burning of tokens, using the blockchain; and determining, upon expiry of the tollable term, with respect to outstanding tokens, whether the substitute collateral has been delivered to the token-holders, else foreclosing the collateral. Independent Claim 20 A cryptographic tokenization system, comprising: a distributed ledger system comprising a plurality of nodes which together execute a fault tolerant distributed consensus system, which supports token transactions which authenticate a current owner of a token, block an inconsistent transfer of the token, provide an immutable record of token transfers, and transact changes in ownership of the token; a plurality of tokens, each token representing a portion of a secured transaction secured by collateral representing a property interest in a productive asset, under a security agreement requiring tender of substitute collateral at the end of a tollable term else foreclosure of the security interest in the collateral; and the distributed ledger system being configured to determine an expiry of the tollable term, and upon the expiry, determine whether the substitute collateral has been tendered else foreclose the collateral. Independent Claim 10 A method of transacting with a token, comprising: defining an executable smart contract, representing an agreement, secured by a security interest in real property or a right in real property, to return the token within a defined period of time, the executable smart contract being executed on an automated distributed virtual state machine, hosted by a plurality of cryptographic hardware processors, employing a competitive distributed consensus model which produces immutable blocks, and being configured to execute immutable transactions recorded on a blockchain comprising a series of the immutable blocks; pledging the real property or a right in real property as the security interest to secure the smart contract; issuing the token and recording issuance of the token by the on the blockchain; controlling the automated distributed state machine in accordance with the executable smart contract to extinguish the token and the security interest when the token is tendered for return; and controlling the automated distributed state machine in accordance with the executable smart contract to, after the defined period of time, communicate a message authorizing exercise of the security interest with respect to the real property or the right in the real property if the token is not returned. Dependent Claim 13 The method according to claim 10, wherein: the token comprises a fractional interest in the real property or a right in real property, the define period of time is tolled if a substitute asset is tendered, the real property or a right in real property comprises a mine having proven available reserves of the substitute asset, and wherein the proven available reserves are a predetermined multiple of the substitute asset. Independent Claim 17 A method for creating a liquid token representation from an illiquid asset comprising: receiving a pledge of an illiquid asset; and digitizing the illiquid asset into fractional representations; issuing a token representing the fractional representations, subject to an executable smart contract executed on a distributed virtual state machine, hosted by a plurality of cryptographic hardware processors, employing a distributed consensus model, and being configured to execute immutable transactions recorded on a blockchain, the fractional representations being secured by the pledge of the illiquid asset as collateral; controlling the immutable distributed state machine in accordance with the executable smart contract to extinguish the token and the security interest upon return of the liquid token; and controlling the immutable distributed state machine in accordance with the executable smart contract to, after the defined period of time, communicate a message authorizing exercise of the pledge of the illiquid asset as security for the outstanding liquid token. Dependent Claim 20 The method according to claim 19, wherein the at least one redemption rule comprises a maturity date establishing the defined period of time and a tolling rule for the delaying the maturity date, wherein a satisfaction of the at least one redemption rule triggers a release of the pledged illiquid asset back to the illiquid asset owner in exchange for return of all of the original fractional representations or substitute collateral. Independent Claim 1 A token system, employing a token representing an interest in a smart contract, the smart contract representing an agreement, secured by a security interest in real property or a right in real property, to return the token within a defined period, comprising: an automated distributed virtual state machine, hosted by a plurality of cryptographic hardware processors, employing a distributed consensus model, and being configured to execute immutable transactions recorded on a blockchain, the blockchain having blocks which are created in accordance with a competitive consensus process; automatically executable smart contract code which controls the automated distributed state machine, after the defined period of time, to permit exercise the security interest with respect to the real property or the right in the real property if the token is not returned; and a communication port configured to interface with an automated distributed communication network, to communicate distributed consensus messages through the automated distributed communication network, to receive the returned token, and to communicate an immutable message for exercise of the security interest through the automated distributed communication network. Dependent Claim 3 The token according to claim 1, wherein the executable smart contract code further permits tolling of the defined period of time for exercise of the security interest dependent on whether a substitute asset is tendered. Claim Rejections – 35 USC §101 35 U.S.C. § 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter, specifically an abstract idea. Claims 1-20 are directed to a judicial exception (i.e., abstract idea), without providing a practical application, and without providing significantly more. Under the 35 U.S.C. §101 subject matter eligibility two-part analysis, Step 1 addresses whether the claim is directed to one of the four statutory categories of invention, i.e., process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. See MPEP §2106.03. If the claim does fall within one of the statutory categories, it must then be determined in Step 2A [prong 1] whether the claim is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., law of nature, natural phenomenon, and abstract idea). See MPEP §2106.04. If the claim is directed toward a judicial exception, it must then be determined in Step 2A [prong 2] whether the judicial exception is integrated into a practical application. See MPEP §2106.04(d). Finally, if the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application, it must additionally be determined in Step 2B whether the claim recites "significantly more" than the abstract idea. See MPEP §2106.05. Examiner note: The Office’s 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance (2019 PEG) is currently found in the Ninth Edition, Revision 10.2019 (revised June 2020) of the Manual of Patent Examination Procedure (MPEP), specifically incorporated in MPEP §2106.03 through MPEP §2106.07(c). Regarding Step 1, Claims 1-19 are directed toward a process (method). Claim 20 is directed toward an apparatus (system). Thus, all claims fall within one of the four statutory categories as required by Step 1. Regarding Step 2A [prong 1], Claims 1-20 are directed toward the judicial exception of an abstract idea. Independent claims 1, 17 and 20 are directed specifically to the abstract idea of securitized/ collateralized financing. Regarding independent claim 1, the underlined limitations emphasized below correspond to the abstract ideas of the claimed invention: A cryptographic tokenization method, comprising: [Cryptographic tokenization can be done manually without a computer. While cryptographic tokenization does require complex math, and is time-consuming, it is possible to perform by hand using pen and paper.] producing a plurality of tokens represented on a distributed ledger system tracking a transfer of tokens, authenticating a current owner of tokens, and revealing inconsistent transfers of tokens, the tokens each representing a collateralized property interest in a productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring payment of substitute collateral at the end of a tollable term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction, else foreclosure of the collateral; issuing the plurality of tokens on a market; transacting changes in ownership of the plurality of tokens on the market using the distributed ledger system; automatically determining, upon expiration of the tollable term, outstanding tokens, and conveying to token-holders the substitute collateral else an interest in the foreclosed collateral. As the underlined claim limitations above demonstrate, independent claim 1 is directed to the abstract idea of Certain methods of organizing human activity (fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk); commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations). Regarding independent claim 17, the underlined limitations emphasized below correspond to the abstract ideas of the claimed invention: A cryptographic tokenization method of a productive asset which produces a commodity, comprising: collateralizing a property interest in the productive asset under a secured transaction with a security interest requiring delivery of substitute collateral representing an amount of the commodity at the expiration of a tollable term for outstanding interests in the secured transaction else foreclosure of the security interest in the collateralized property; generating a plurality of tokens, each token representing a portion of the collateralized property interest, represented on a blockchain system which tracks token transfers and authenticates token ownership; transacting changes in ownership and of the plurality of tokens on a market, and burning of tokens, using the blockchain; and determining, upon expiry of the tollable term, with respect to outstanding tokens, whether the substitute collateral has been delivered to the token-holders, else foreclosing the collateral. As the underlined claim limitations above demonstrate, independent claim 17 is directed to the abstract idea of Certain methods of organizing human activity (fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk); commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations). Regarding independent claim 20, the underlined limitations emphasized below correspond to the abstract ideas of the claimed invention: A cryptographic tokenization system, comprising: a distributed ledger system comprising a plurality of nodes which together execute a fault tolerant distributed consensus system, which supports token transactions which authenticate a current owner of a token, block an inconsistent transfer of the token, provide an immutable record of token transfers, and transact changes in ownership of the token; a plurality of tokens, each token representing a portion of a secured transaction secured by collateral representing a property interest in a productive asset, under a security agreement requiring tender of substitute collateral at the end of a tollable term else foreclosure of the security interest in the collateral; and the distributed ledger system being configured to determine an expiry of the tollable term, and upon the expiry, determine whether the substitute collateral has been tendered else foreclose the collateral. As the underlined claim limitations above demonstrate, independent claim 20 is directed to the abstract idea of Certain methods of organizing human activity (fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk); commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations). Dependent claims 2-16 and 18-19 provide further details to the abstract idea of claims 1, 17 and 20 regarding the received data, therefore, these claims include certain methods of organizing human activities for similar reasons provided above for claims 1, 17 and 20. After considering all claim elements, both individually and in combination and in ordered combination, it has been determined that the claims do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. Regarding Step 2A [prong 2], Claims 1-20 fail to integrate the recited judicial exception into any practical application. The claims recite additional limitations which are hardware or software elements or particular technological environment, such as a “distributed ledger system”, and a “blockchain”. However, these limitations are not enough to qualify as “practical application” being recited in the claims along with the abstract idea since these limitations are merely invoked as a tool to perform instruction of an abstract idea in a particular technological environment and/or are generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, and merely applying and abstract idea in a particular technological environment and merely limiting use of an abstract idea to a particular field or a technological environment do not provide practical application for an abstract idea (MPEP 2106.05 (f) & (h)). The claims do not amount to "practical application" for the abstract idea because they neither (1) recite any improvements to another technology or technical field; (2) recite any improvements to the functioning of the computer itself; (3) apply the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine; (4) effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing; (5) provide other meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. The presence of a distributed ledger system/ blockchain or computer implementations do not necessarily restrict the claim from reciting an abstract idea. The distributed ledger system/ blockchain and computer limitations claimed herein are simply used as a tool to apply the abstract idea without transforming the underlying abstract idea into patent eligible subject matter. As claimed, the distributed ledger system/ blockchain is not improved, it merely processes securitized transactions based on received input. Examiner notes that the additional limitations of distributed ledger system/ blockchain and computer processing do not result in computer functionality or technical/technology improvement and hence do not result in a practical application. The distributed ledger system/ blockchain and the computer limitation simply process the data through inputting and outputting data. Processing data is mere automation of manual processes, such as using a generic computer to process an application for financing a purchase, Credit Acceptance Corp. v. Westlake Services, 859 F.3d 1044, 1055, 123 USPQ2d 1100, 1108-09 Fed.Cir. 2017) or speeding up a loan application process by enabling borrowers to avoid physically going to or calling each lender and filling out a loan application, Lending Tree, LLLC v. Zillow, Inc., 656 Fed. App'x 991, 996-97 (Fed. Cir. 2019)(non-precedential). Thus, the additional limitations of distributed ledger system/ blockchain and computer limitations do not transform the abstract idea into a practical application. The relevant question under Step 2A [prong 2] is not whether the claimed invention itself is a practical application, instead, the question is whether the claimed invention includes additional elements beyond the judicial exception that integrate the judicial exception into a practical application by imposing a meaningful limit on the judicial exception. This is not the case with Applicant’s claimed invention. Automating the recited claimed features as a combination of computer instructions implemented by computer hardware and/or software elements as recited above does not qualify an otherwise unpatentable abstract idea as patent eligible. Examples where the Courts have found selecting a particular data source or type of data to be manipulated to be insignificant extra-solution activity include selecting information, based on types of information and availability of information in a power-grid environment, for collection, analysis and display, Electric Power Group, LLC v. Alstom S.A., 830 F.3d 1350, 1354-55, 119 USPQ2d 1739, 1742 (Fed. Cir. 2016); Applicant’s limitations as recited above do nothing more than supplement the abstract idea using additional hardware/software computer components as a tool to perform the abstract idea and generally link the use of the abstract idea to a technological environment, which is not sufficient to integrate the judicial exception into a practical application since they do not impose any meaningful limits. Dependent claims 2-16 and 18-19 merely incorporate the additional elements recited above, along with further embellishments of the abstract idea of independent claims respectively, but these features only serve to further limit the abstract idea of independent claims. Therefore, the additional elements recited in the claimed invention individually, and in combination fail to integrate the recited judicial exception into any practical application. Regarding Step 2B, Claims 1-20 fail to amount to “significantly more” than an abstract idea. The claims recite additional limitations which are hardware or software elements or particular technological environment, such as a “distributed ledger system”, and a “blockchain”. However, these limitations are not enough to qualify as “significantly more” being recited in the claims along with the abstract idea since these limitations are merely invoked as a tool to perform instruction of Abstract idea in a particular technological environment and/or are generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, and merely applying and abstract idea in a particular technological environment and merely limiting use of an abstract idea to a particular field or a technological environment do not provide significantly more to an abstract idea (MPEP 2106.05(f) & (h)). The claims do not amount to "significantly more" than the abstract idea because they neither (1) recite any improvements to another technology or technical field; (2) recite any improvements to the functioning of the computer itself; (3) apply the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine; (4) effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing; (5) add a specific limitation other than what is well-understood, routine and conventional in the field; (6) add unconventional steps that confine the claim to a particular useful application; nor (7) provide other meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. Dependent claims 2-16 and 18-19 merely recite further additional embellishments of the abstract idea of independent claims 1, 17 and 20 respectively, but these features only serve to further limit the abstract idea of independent claims 1, 17 and 20; however, none of the dependent claims recite an improvement to a technology or technical field or provide any meaningful limits. The addition of another abstract concept to the limitations of the claims does not render the claim other than abstract. Under the Interim Guidance on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility (PEG 2019), it specifically states that narrowing an abstract idea of claims do not resolve the claims of being "significantly more" than the abstract idea. Thus, the additional elements in the dependent claims only serve to further limit the abstract idea utilizing the computer components as a tool and/or generally link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, since there are no limitations in the claims 1-20 that transform the exception into a patent eligible application such that the claims amount to significantly more than the exception itself, and looking at the limitations as a combination and as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually, claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 USC § 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN P OUELLETTE whose telephone number is (571)272-6807. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8am-6pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynda C Jasmin, can be reached at telephone number (571) 272-6782. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form. July 18, 2026 /JONATHAN P OUELLETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3629
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 18, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 22, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §101, §DOUBLEPATENT (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
66%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+29.6%)
3y 8m (~2y 1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1159 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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