Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc - Update on EU and US Patent Applications
(
"
QBT
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the Company
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Update on European and US Patent Applications - " ASIC Ultra Boost "
European Patent Application
The issuance of an Examination Report is a standard and expected step in the European patent application process and represents the beginning of substantive examination by the EPO. Such reports are routinely addressed through further technical clarification and refinement of the claims.
Examiner Feedback
The Examination Report raises:
-- an objection relating to patentable subject-matter, based on the
current claim formulation; and
-- novelty objections based on prior publications, including a thesis
by the inventor, a paper by Dr Nicolas T. Courtois , and a US patent
application filed by Intel Corporation (US 2018/0006808 A1).
The Company notes that the inventor's thesis and Intel Corporation's US patent application are explicitly cited within the patent application.
Company Position and Strategy
Following an initial review with its patent attorneys, QBT believes that the Examiner ' s observations primarily reflect the breadth of the patent application's current claims rather than a fundamental weakness in the underlying invention.
In particular:
-- the patentable subject-matter objection is considered formal in
nature and is expected to be addressed through minor claim amendments
clarifying the technical implementation; and
-- the novelty objections are viewed as relating to claim scope
optimisation, with the Company believing that the core inventive
concepts described in the specification remain distinct and defensible.
The Company therefore considers that there remains a credible pathway to securing patent protection for ASIC Ultra Boost, through targeted refinement of the claims and continued technical engagement with the EPO.
Next Steps
The deadline for responding to the Examination Report is
-- revised claim wording aligned with the Examiner ' s comments;
and
-- detailed technical arguments reinforcing the novelty and inventive
step of the invention.
US Patent Application
The Company also provides an update in relation to its US patent application referred to as " ASIC Ultra Boost " (US Patent Application No. 18/696,073, titled " Message Scheduling for Cryptographic Hashing") which, as disclosed previously, has received a " Final Rejection" from the United States Patent and Trademark Office ( " USPTO ").
The Company
'
s US attorneys conducted an interview with the US Patent Examiner on
The US Patent Examiner indicated that certain subject-matter from the description should be recited in the claims, which define the scope of protection being sought. The Company ' s US attorneys have now submitted a set of amended claims for the US Patent Examiner to consider in more detail. The Company expects to receive the Examiner ' s feedback on the amended claims within the next 1-2 weeks. QBT will provide further updates as appropriate.
" We view the Examination Report from the EPO as a constructive and expected stage in the European patent application process. Importantly, the feedback received does not challenge the core of our technology, but rather the way in which the claims are currently framed.
Our initial assessment is that the issues raised are addressable through targeted amendments, and we believe the underlying invention remains strong and differentiated. We are working closely with our patent attorneys to refine the claims and advance the application. We remain confident in the potential value of the ASIC Ultra Boost technology and its relevance to next-generation Bitcoin mining optimisation.
Regarding the US patent application, t he recent interview with the USPTO Examiner has provided useful direction on how to refine our claims, particularly around the treatment of reusable values and their implementation. We believe that the requested clarifications are consistent with our existing specification and have been addressed through the targeted amendments provided. We are now awaiting the Examiner ' s feedback on these proposed changes.
The US patent process may require multiple iterations, especially for innovative technologies such as ASIC Ultra Boost, and we remain committed to progressing the application in order to maximise its potential value."
-ends-
For further information please contact:
Leander (Financial PR) +44 (0) 7795 168 157
About
QBT (AIM: QBT) is a London Stock Exchange AIM listed Research & Development and investing company focused on an intensive R&D programme to disrupt the Blockchain Technologies sector which includes, cryptocurrency mining and other advanced blockchain applications. The primary goal of the R&D programme is to develop Bitcoin mining tools and techniques, via its technology-driven approach, which the Company believes will significantly outperform existing market practices
