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Watch Skins Selection Application With Blockchain Token

Patent No. US11250399 (titled "Watch Skins Selection Application With Blockchain Token") was filed by Watch Skins Corp on Jul 23, 2019.

What is this patent about?

’399 is related to the field of electronic watches, specifically addressing the issue of scarcity and authentication of digital watch faces. Traditional electronic watch faces can be easily copied and distributed without any means of verifying authenticity or ownership. This patent aims to solve this problem by associating watch faces with cryptographic tokens.

The underlying idea behind ’399 is to use blockchain technology , specifically non-fungible tokens (NFTs) , to represent ownership of a digital watch face. Each watch face is linked to a unique NFT, and the watch will only display the face if the user's device can cryptographically prove ownership of the corresponding token. This creates scarcity and allows for verifiable ownership and trading of digital watch faces.

The claims of ’399 focus on an electronic watch system comprising a watch device with a display and a processor. The processor stores a cryptographic code linked to the watch face data. The watch face is displayed only if the cryptographic code indicates exclusive ownership. The claims also cover a method of displaying a watch face, which involves storing a cryptographic code and using it to control whether the watch face is displayed based on ownership.

In practice, a user would purchase a digital watch face, which would then be associated with an NFT in their blockchain wallet. The watch itself would contain software to verify ownership of the NFT before displaying the corresponding watch face. This verification process might involve communicating with a blockchain network or using a smart contract to confirm ownership. The user could then sell or trade the NFT, transferring ownership of the watch face to another user.

This approach differentiates itself from prior art by introducing verifiable scarcity and ownership to digital watch faces. Unlike traditional watch faces that can be freely copied, the use of NFTs ensures that each watch face is unique and that ownership can be tracked and transferred securely. This enables a marketplace for digital watch faces, similar to the market for physical limited-edition watches, where value is derived from scarcity and verifiable ownership.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the late 2010s when ’399 was filed, electronic devices such as smart watches were becoming increasingly common, at a time when users commonly relied on downloadable applications to customize the functionality and appearance of their devices. At this time, digital rights management and authentication were typically implemented using centralized servers and proprietary protocols, when blockchain technologies were emerging as a decentralized alternative for verifying ownership and authenticity.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because the prior art of record, specifically Wilson and Vijayan, did not teach or suggest an electronic watch system that includes a processor, stores a cryptographic code associated with the watch face information, and controls the display of the watch face based on the cryptographic code to indicate exclusive ownership. Wilson discloses configuring user interfaces for a portable device, and Vijayan discloses implementing blockchain-based content engagement platforms with NFTs, but neither reference teaches the specific combination of elements claimed in the application.

Claims

This patent contains 20 claims, with claims 1 and 11 being independent. The independent claims are directed to an electronic watch system and a method of displaying a watch face, respectively, both focusing on controlling the display of information based on a cryptographic code indicating ownership. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the features and functionalities described in the independent claims, such as customization options, blockchain implementation, and ownership verification.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Cryptographic code
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“In one specific embodiment described herein, the number of watch faces which can be created this way is limited by associating each authorized watch face with a cryptographic token, and requiring that the watch face can only be shown on the watch by the owner of the cryptographic token, or when the cryptographic token is otherwise verified as being legitimate for the specific watch face. In one embodiment, the cryptographic token is a blockchain based token.”A code used to control the display of information on the display face, indicating whether the user has exclusive ownership of the information.
Display face
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“The watch 99 may have, for example, a housing as conventional, with a screen 100 of liquid crystal or OLED face that can display any desired features that are provided from its internal memory and driven by an internal processor. According to a first embodiment, a digital watch 99 is shown with a watch face 100.”A screen on the watch device that shows information, including the current time and other arrangements based on information from memory.
Exclusive ownership
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“Each non-fungible token is associated with a specific watch face. Once the watch face has been created, only the owner of the token associated with that watch face can display the watch face on their watch.”The state of having sole rights to display certain information on the watch face, as determined by the cryptographic code.
Non-fungible token
(Claim 1)		“Once purchased, the information indicative of the watch face and it's unique characteristics is added to a non-fungible token or NFT of a blockchain system, at 630. A non-fungible token, as used according to an embodiment, is a special kind of cryptographic token that represents a unique item, where in general one non-fungible token is not interchangeable with another non-fungible token.”A special kind of cryptographic token that represents a unique item, where in general one non-fungible token is not interchangeable with another non-fungible token.
Watch device
(Claim 1, Claim 11)		“FIGS. 1A and 1B show watches with the watch faces obtained and created according to an embodiment, on a face of an electronic and digitally controllable watch 99. The watch 99 may have, for example, a housing as conventional, with a screen 100 of liquid crystal or OLED face that can display any desired features that are provided from its internal memory and driven by an internal processor.”An electronic watch with a housing, a display face, and a memory for storing information.

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US11250399

WATCH SKINS CORP
Application Number
US16520246
Filing Date
Jul 23, 2019
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Feb 19, 2040
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents