DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The present application, filed on July 18, 2025, is accepted.
Claims 1 – 20 are being considered on the merits.
Drawings
The drawings, filed on July 18, 2025, are accepted.
Specification
The specification, filed on July 18, 2025, is accepted.
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 conflicting claims 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); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1 – 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 – 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,388,820 B1. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both the application and the patent disclose constructing a foundational identity to establish the identity of an individual and linking the foundational identity to various other identities of the individual in virtual spaces. An example method includes linking identities across virtual spaces. The example method further includes verifying identity activity associated with the various other identities using the link between the various other identities and the foundational identity, and based on the verification of the identity activity, generate outputs.
19/274,001
U.S. Patent No. 12,388,820 B1
1. A method for linking identities across a plurality of virtual spaces, the method comprising: obtaining, by communication hardware, identity information, wherein the identity information comprises a plurality of identities within the plurality of virtual spaces; generating, by an identity linking engine and based on the plurality of identities within the plurality of virtual spaces, a foundational identity comprising a first identity chosen from the plurality of identities; generating, by the identity linking engine, a foundational identity identifier comprising at least one of: (i) a string comprising numbers, letters, and symbols, (ii) a set of biometric data corresponding to a user associated with the foundational identity, (iii) a non-fungible token, and (iv) an image; linking, by the identity linking engine, the plurality of identities to the foundational identity such that identities in the plurality of virtual spaces are associated to one another through the foundational identity identifier, wherein, prior to the linking, the identities lack linking information that associates the identities to one another, wherein linking the plurality of identities comprises, for each identity of the plurality of identities: recording the identity, creating association data associating the foundational identity to the identity, and storing the association data together with a representation of the identity; verifying, by a verification engine, identity activity associated with the plurality of identities using links between each of the plurality of identities and the foundational identity; and generating, by the verification engine, an output specifying a result of a verification of the identity activity.
1. A method for linking identities across a plurality of virtual spaces, the method comprising: obtaining, by communication hardware, identity information, wherein the identity information comprises a plurality of identities within the plurality of virtual spaces and wherein at least one of the identities is a first self-reported identity; generating, by an identity linking engine, a foundational identity comprising the first self-reported identity, wherein the first self-reported identity may be automatically chosen from a plurality of self-reported identities; generating, by the identity linking engine, a foundational identity identifier comprising at least one of: (i) a string comprising numbers, letters, and symbols, (ii) a set of biometric data corresponding to a user associated with the foundational identity, (iii) a non-fungible token, and (iv) an image; linking, by the identity linking engine, the plurality of identities to the foundational identity such that identities in the plurality of virtual spaces are associated to one another through the foundational identity identifier, wherein, prior to the linking, the identities lack linking information that associates the identities to one another, wherein linking the plurality of identities comprises, for each identity of the plurality of identities: recording the identity, creating association data associating the foundational identity to the identity, and storing the association data together with a representation of the identity; verifying, by a verification engine, identity activity associated with the plurality of identities using links between each of the plurality of identities and the foundational identity; and generating, by the verification engine, an output specifying a result of a verification of the identity activity.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying the identity activity comprises: obtaining, by the verification engine, a first request to verify first identity activity associated with a second identity among the plurality of identities; determining, by the verification engine, that the second identity is associated with the foundational identity; and in response to determining that the second identity is associated to the foundational identity, by the verification engine, allowing execution of the first identity activity.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying the identity activity comprises: obtaining, by the verification engine, a first request to verify first identity activity associated with a second identity among the plurality of identities; determining, by the verification engine, that the second identity is associated with the foundational identity; and in response to determining that the second identity is associated to the foundational identity, by the verification engine, allowing execution of the first identity activity.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second identity is directly associated with the foundational identity.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second identity is directly associated with the foundational identity.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second identity is indirectly associated with the foundational identity through a third identity among the plurality of identities.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second identity is indirectly associated with the foundational identity through a third identity among the plurality of identities.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying the identity activity further comprises: obtaining, by the verification engine, a second request to verify second identity activity associated with a third identity among the plurality of identities; determining, by the verification engine, that the third identity is not associated with the foundational identity; and in response to determining that the third identity is not associated to the foundational identity, by the verification engine, blocking execution of the second identity activity.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying the identity activity further comprises: obtaining, by the verification engine, a second request to verify second identity activity associated with a third identity among the plurality of identities; determining, by the verification engine, that the third identity is not associated with the foundational identity; and in response to determining that the third identity is not associated to the foundational identity, by the verification engine, blocking execution of the second identity activity.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the foundational identity is a unique identifier associated with one or more individuals.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the foundational identity is a unique identifier associated with one or more individuals.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of identities, which are associated with the plurality of virtual spaces, comprises: A second identity associated with a first virtual space; and A third identity associated with a second virtual space different from the first virtual space.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of identities, which are associated with the plurality of virtual spaces, comprises: a second identity associated with a first virtual space; and a third identity associated with a second virtual space different from the first virtual space.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first identity and the second identity are associated with a same individual.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first self-reported identity and the second identity are associated with a same individual.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first identity and the second identity are associated with different individuals.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first self-reported identity and the second identity are associated with different individuals.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of identities is a digital avatar in a virtual space of the plurality of virtual spaces.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of identities is a digital avatar in a virtual space of the plurality of virtual spaces.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the output specifying the result of the verification of the identity activity comprises an instruction output which causes execution of the identity activity to be blocked.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the output specifying the result of the verification of the identity activity comprises an instruction output which causes execution of the identity activity to be blocked.
Regarding claims 12 – 20, they recite features similar to features within claims 1 – 11, therefore, they are rejected in a similar manner.
Conclusion
Pertinent prior art made of record, however, not relied upon:
US 20210240729 A1 to Grant et al.
“Techniques for performing dynamic profile reconciliation in a communication system. A server computing system may identify two or more user profiles corresponding to a same user that is associated with the communication system. The server computing system may integrate historical data associated with the two or more user profiles into a single user profile (e.g., a destination user profile). The historical data may include messages sent and/or received via the two or more user profiles, files associated with the messages, metadata corresponding to each message, and the like. Responsive to combining the two or more user profiles into the single user profile, the server computing system may delete at least one of the two or more user profiles, storing the combined data in association with the single user profile.”
US 11222298 B2 to Abelow
“An electronic platform enables a user and others to provide instructions that control continuous, variable content control principles that produce one or more unique digital environments for that user. The environment's content control principles support dynamic user presence awareness and control over real-time controls over identification, preferences, filters, prioritization, selective replacements, protection, privacy, and paywall, among others. The resulting digital experiences environment is continuous and dynamically updated across diverse electronic devices, at multiple times, and at various places. A user may have multiple sets of variable content control principles and switch between each of the corresponding environments. The electronic platform enables a user-controlled continuous digital user-controlled environment to remain always on, reflect a user's content control instructions, and provide a continuous user-controlled experiences environment across devices, place, and times until the user changes it.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Phuc Pham whose telephone number is (571)272-8893. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM; Friday 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
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/P.P./Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2408
/LINGLAN EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2408
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