CTNF 19/268,380 CTNF 81378 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim(s) 1-12 are pending for examination. This action is Non-Final. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, and 9-11 is/ are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Siu (US 2024/0221000 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 2024/0119128 A1) and Iwamura (US 7,606,426 B1). Reg arding Claim 1; Siu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing therein a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) content processing program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising ([0029] - Aspects of the technical solution can be described by way of examples and with reference to FIGS. 1A-1E. FIG. 1A illustrates an item listing platform system 100 that includes NFT watermarking management system 100A, network 100B, NFT watermarking management engine 110, item listing platform legacy components 120; NFT watermarking management client 130; and external item listing platform components 140): when receiving a registration request including first NFT content to be registered and identification information (NFT_ID) for identifying the first NFT content, generating second NFT content in which the first NFT content is ... watermarked with the identification information ... ([0030] - For example, a user—via the NFT watermarking management client 130 —can communicate a request to perform NFT watermarking management operations including a watermark-minting operation and [0031] - A digital watermarking request attribute is a feature that communicated with a corresponding request that supports executing the request. The digital watermarking request attributes can be features of the NFT digital asset or features of the digital watermark that are used to identify the NFT digital asset, the digital watermark, the blockchain system and execute the corresponding request and [0044] and [0066] - NFTs include digital assets that are provably unique and as such cannot be duplicated or divided. As such, NFTs are not exchanged as having a same value as coins in cryptocurrency, but rather are digital assets having identifying information recorded as part of the smart contract 638. This identifying information is immutably recorded on that token's blockchain 616 and this ownership of the token is also recorded and tracked and [0077]-[0078] - The minting system 662 may encode an association of this metadata with the digital twin NFT by, for example, encoding the actual data (e.g., the unique fingerprint and/or the digital content) in the digital twin NFT, encoding unique identifiers of the actual data in the digital twin NFT, and/or encoding one or more addresses where such data is located (e.g., a storage location) in the digital twin NFT. ). registering the generated NFT content ([0030]-[0031] and [0044] - The NFT watermarking management engine 110 accesses the digital asset and the digital watermark based on the set of digital watermarking request. The set of digital watermarking request attributes can identify digital asset, the digital watermark, and a blockchain system for executing the watermark-minting operation and [0066] and [0077]-[0078]) when receiving a verification request including third NFT content to be verified ([0030] - a request to access an NFT digital asset—where the request authorizes viewing the NFT digital asset without a digital watermark and [0067] - To leverage this “twinning” blockchain queries initiated by the service provider system 604 can be used to determine and verify ownership of the NFT.), restoring identification information added as a watermark to the third NFT content from the third NFT content... ([0053] - At block 406, using the set of digital watermarking request attributes and a smart contract associated with the NFT digital asset, NFT watermarking management client causes authorization of display of the NFT digital asset without the digital watermark). Siu fails to explicitly disclose ... generating ... content is reversibly watermarked ... based on a predetermined first key by using a first algorithm restoring ... based on the first key by using the first algorithm; and making a notification of a verification result based on the restoration of the identification information added as a watermark to the third NFT content. However, in an analogous art, Iwamura teaches ... generating ... content is reversibly watermarked with the identification information based on a predetermined first key by using a first algorithm (FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 and col. 4, lines 38-62 - 4, In Fig. 4, first in step 301, image data (image data showing the original image) partially including the data (bit plane) of the m-th bit corresponding to the position where the visible digital watermark information should be embedded and the data (bit plane) of the 0-th bit corresponding to the position where the invisible digital watermark information should be embedded is formed. Subsequently, in step 302, the image data is reversibly compressed and col. 5, lines 1-10 - In the embedding of the invisible digital watermark information in step 303, the information showing that "the embedding position is the 0-th bit" becomes key information 1); and restoring identification information added as a watermark... based on the first key by using the first algorithm (FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 and col. 5, lines 29-47 - In the reconstructing process to the original image, first in step 401, the compression image data as invisible digital watermark information is extracted from the 0-th bit (bit plane) of the pixel value in the designated area by using the key information 1... The perfect original image can be reconstructed by the above processes) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Iwamura to the reversibly watermarked content of Siu to include generating ... content is reversibly watermarked with the identification information based on a predetermined first key by using a first algorithm; and restoring identification information added as a watermark... based on the first key by using the first algorithm One would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Iwamura to Siu to do so as it provides / allows a technique which can reconstruct an original image and can avoid an increase in whole image data amount due to the holding of key information, or the like (Iwamura, col. 3, lines 1-8). However, in an analogous art, Li teaches making a notification of a verification result based on the restoration of the identification information added as a watermark to the ... NFT content ([0011] - As disclosed herein, a digital asset ownership verification system is configured to embed an ownership verification message in digital token form into a digital asset, e.g. one or more images, video, or audio). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Li to the reversibly watermarked content of Siu in view of Iwamura to include making a notification of a verification result based on the restoration of the identification information added as a watermark to the ... NFT content. One would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Li to Siu in view of Iwamura to do so as it provides / allows enabling ownership verification of a digital asset by substantially any user of a social media platform or web application (Li, [0011]). Regarding Claim 2; Siu in view of Iwamura and Li disclose the method to Claim 1. Siu further discloses first, second and third NFT content ([0030]-[0031]). Siu in view of Iwamura and Li fail to explicitly disclose wherein: in the generation processing, fourth NFT content in which the second NFT content is reversibly watermarked with the first key based on a predetermined second key by using a second algorithm is further generated ; and in the restoration processing, information added as a watermark to the third ... content is restored from the third NFT content based on the second key by using the second algorithm, and then the identification information added as a watermark to the third NFT content is restored based on the restored information by using the first algorithm Iwamura further teaches wherein: in the generation processing, fourth ... content in which the second ... content is reversibly watermarked with the first key based on a predetermined second key by using a second algorithm is further generated (FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 and col. 7, lines 20-239 - Processes in steps 501 and 502 in FIG. 6 are similar to those in steps 301 and 302 in FIG. 4... In step 503, the compression image data is encrypted. This encryption can be realized by a common key encryption such as a DES (Data Encryption Standard) or the like or a public key encryption such as an RSA encryption or the like.... In step 503, the compression image data is encrypted. This encryption can be realized by a common key encryption such as a DES (Data Encryption Standard) or the like or a public key encryption such as an RSA encryption or the like. In this instance, a specific apparatus or person has to secretly hold a decryption key as key information 2 for decrypting (decoding) the encryption data); and in the restoration processing, information added as a watermark to the third ... content is restored from the third ... content based on the second key by using the second algorithm, and then the identification information added as a watermark to the third ... content is restored based on the restored information by using the first algorithm (FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 and col. 7, lines 43-55 - In the reconstructing process of the original image shown in FIG. 7, processes in steps 601, 603, and 604 are similar to those in steps 401 to 403 in FIG. 5 shown in the first embodiment. The invisible digital watermark information which is extracted in step 601, however, is different from the mere compression image data as shown in the first embodiment but the data obtained by encrypting the compression image data. In step 602, therefore, the compression image data is reconstructed by decrypting (decoding) the encryption data by using the key information 2. Further, in step 603, the compression image data is decrypted. In step 604, the original image is reconstructed. Those processes are similar to those in the first embodiment). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Li to the NFT content of Siu in view of Iwamura and Li to include further wherein: in the generation processing, fourth ... content in which the second ... content is reversibly watermarked with the first key based on a predetermined second key by using a second algorithm is further generated ; and in the restoration processing, information added as a watermark to the third ... content is restored from the third ... content based on the second key by using the second algorithm, and then the identification information added as a watermark to the third ... content is restored based on the restored information by using the first algorithm; thus making such teachings to a fourth NFT content. One would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Li to Siu in view of Iwamura to do so as it provides / allows enabling ownership verification of a digital asset by substantially any user of a social media platform or web application (Li, [0011]). Regarding Claim 3; Siu in view of Iwamura and Li disclose the method to Claim 2. Siu further discloses NFT content ([0030]-[0031]). Iwamura further teaches wherein at least one of the first key or the second key includes a watermark position at which the ... content is watermarked with information (col. 4, lines 39-45 - In FIG. 4, first in step 301, image data (image data showing the original image) partially including the data (bit plane) of the m-th bit corresponding to the position where the visible digital watermark information should be embedded and the data (bit plane) of the 0-th bit corresponding to the position where the invisible digital watermark information should be embedded is formed and col. 5, lines 1-10 - As a method for such a reversible compression, for example, there is a JPEG-LS method, an LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) method, an arithmetic encoding, or the like. In the embedding of the invisible digital watermark information in step 303, the information showing that "the embedding position is the 0-th bit" becomes key information 1 ). Similar rationale and motivation is noted for the combination of Iwamura to Siu in view of Iwamura and Li, as per claim 1, above. Regarding Claim(s) 5-7; claim(s) 5-7 is/are directed to a/an device associated with the medium claimed in claim(s) 1-3. Claim(s) 5-7 is/are similar in scope to claim(s) 1-3, and is/are therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding Claim(s) 9-11; claim(s) 9-11 is/are directed to a/an method associated with the medium claimed in claim(s) 1-3. Claim(s) 9-11 is/are similar in scope to claim(s) 1-3, and is/are therefore rejected under similar rationale . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 4, 8, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Siu (US 2024/0221000 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 2024/0119128 A1) and Iwamura (US 7,606,426 B1) and further in view of Ratnakar et al. (US 2003/0033529 A1) . Regarding Claim 4; Siu in view of Iwamura and Li disclose the method to Claim 2. Siu further discloses NFT content ([0030]-[0031]). Siu in view of Iwamura and Li fail to explicitly disclose wherein the first algorithm and the second algorithm watermark the NFT content with information at different positions. However, in an analogous art, Ratnakar teaches wherein [a] first algorithm and [a] second algorithm watermark the ... content with information at different positions ([0008] and [0014] - Another aspect of the invention involves a method for inserting multiple watermarks in an image which may include video frame(s). The image comprises a plurality of blocks of coded transform coefficients, each block containing one of a first type of coefficient and a plurality of a second type of coefficient. The method comprises the steps of applying a first watermark to each block in a first predetermined pattern area of the image; and applying a second watermark to each block in a second predetermined pattern area of the image; wherein multiple watermarks are inserted such that the resulting watermarked image is format compliant, each watermark being applied by performing at least one of the scrambling operations (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) described above). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ratnakar to the algorithms of Siu in view of Iwamura and Li to include wherein [a] first algorithm and [a] second algorithm watermark the ... content with information at different positions One would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ratnakar to Siu in view of Iwamura and Li to do so as it provides / allows watermarking techniques that address a visible watermarking problems “known in the art” (Ratnakar, [0007]). Regarding Claim(s) 8; claim(s) 8 is/are directed to a/an device associated with the medium claimed in claim(s) 4. Claim(s) 8 is/are similar in scope to claim(s) 4, and is/are therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding Claim(s) 12; claim(s) 12 is/are directed to a/an method associated with the medium claimed in claim(s) 4. Claim(s) 12 is/are similar in scope to claim(s) 4, and is/are therefore rejected under similar rationale. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ASFAND M SHEIKH whose telephone number is (571)272-1466. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7a-3p (MDT). 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) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JESSICA LEMIEUX can be reached at (571)270-3445. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ASFAND M SHEIKH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3626 /JESSICA LEMIEUX/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 2 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 3 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 4 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 5 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 6 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 7 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 8 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 9 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 11 Art Unit: 3626 Application/Control Number: 19/268,380 Page 12 Art Unit: 3626
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