IP Library Granted Patent US 12,547,702
Granted Patent B2
US 12,547,702 · App. 18/933,425 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Secure environment register system and method of operation

Inventors: Robert William Kocher (McLean, VA); Douglas Earl Dyer (Herndon, VA); John Shelly Bowling, II (Reston, VA)
Assignee: P4 X Group, Inc.
G06F21/53G07B15/00G06F2221/034G06Q2240/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,547,702
App. No.
18/933,425
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system may include a physically secure environment configured to receive precious metal thereto, to retain precious metal therein, and release precious metal therefrom. A system may include a registration system configured to record and maintain records containing unique precious metal identification information, physically secure location information of precious metal, lot identification information of precious metal, and one of certification information or de-processing information of precious metal. A system may include allocating a portion of a total quantity of certified standard uniform characteristic (SUC) precious metal units in a first location within the physically secure environment to be associated with a first lot and creating a first private registry with corresponding records associated with the allocated portion of certified SUC precious metal units in the first location. A system may include authorizing at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of a lot for a trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment.

Claims (49)

1 . A physically secure environment system comprising:

a physically secure environment configured to receive precious metal thereto, to retain precious metal therein, and release precious metal therefrom; and

a registration system configured to record and maintain records comprising

unique precious metal identification information,

physically secure location information of precious metal,

lot identification information of precious metal, and

one of certification information or de-processing information of precious metal;

wherein the physically secure environment system being configured to receive precious metal thereto by

processing, within the physically secure environment, the received precious metal into one of a plurality of predetermined mass values and one of a plurality of predetermined purity values to thereby constitute a unit of certified standard uniform characteristic (SUC) precious metal;

wherein the physically secure environment system being further configured to retain precious metal therein by

allocating a portion of a total quantity of certified SUC precious metal units in a first location within the physically secure environment to be associated with a first lot and creating a first private registry with corresponding records associated with the allocated portion of certified SUC precious metal units in the first location,

authorizing at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for a trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment; and

wherein the physically secure environment system being further configured to release precious metal therefrom.

2 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein receiving the precious metal into the physically secure environment system further includes registering the certified SUC precious metal unit by providing a registration indicia on one of the certified SUC precious metal unit or a container containing the certified SUC precious metal unit, and creating and storing a record within the registration system associated with the certified SUC precious metal unit.

3 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the allocating the portion of the total quantity of certified SUC precious metal includes one of:

setting a fixed quantity of certified SUC precious metal for the first lot;

setting a maximum replenishment quantity of certified SUC precious metal for the first lot;

setting a minimum quantity of certified SUC precious metal for the first lot; and

setting a predetermined incremental replenishment quantity of certified SUC precious metal for the first lot.

4 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on a territorial law or regulation.

5 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on a financial law or regulation.

6 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on at least one of government entity or sovereign entity.

7 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on at least one of a geophysical region or geopolitical jurisdiction.

8 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on at least one of a local, national or regional currency.

9 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on an e-commerce financial transaction platform.

10 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on a social media platform.

11 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on a banking or financial services provider or platform.

12 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on one of a brokerage institution or trading company.

13 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner is based on an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) financing service or OEM payment platform.

14 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the authorizing the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment further includes authorizing the trusted partner to manage purchasing, selling and assigning of ownership of allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot of the trusted partner.

15 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the authorizing the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment further includes authorizing the trusted partner to manage processing a request for physical delivery of at least one allocated SUC precious metal unit of the first lot of the trusted partner.

16 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the authorizing the at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment further includes authorizing the trusted partner to manage subdivision of an interest of one allocated SUC precious metal unit of the first lot of the trusted partner and subsequent purchase, sale and assignment of ownership of at least one subdivided interest of the allocated SUC precious metal unit of the first lot.

17 . The physically secure environment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one administrative privilege provides access the corresponding records of the first private registry for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for the trusted partner.

18 . A physically secure environment system comprising:

a physically secure environment configured to receive precious metal thereto, to retain precious metal therein, and release precious metal therefrom; and

a registration system configured to record and maintain records containing precious metal identification, location, lot and certification information;

wherein the physically secure environment system being configured to receive precious metal thereto by

processing, within the physically secure environment, the received precious metal into one of a plurality of predetermined mass values and one of a plurality of predetermined purity values to thereby constitute a unit of certified standard uniform characteristic (SUC) precious metal;

wherein the physically secure environment system being further configured to retain precious metal therein by

allocating a portion of a total quantity of certified SUC precious metal units in a first location within the physically secure environment to be associated with a first lot and creating a first private registry with corresponding records associated with the allocated portion of certified SUC precious metal units in the first location, and

authorizing at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for a trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment; and

wherein the physically secure environment system being further configured to release precious metal therefrom.

19 . A method of allocating a portion of a total quantity of certified SUC precious metal units held within a physically secure environment system, the method comprising:

providing a physically secure environment configured to receive precious metal thereto, to retain precious metal therein, and release precious metal therefrom;

providing a registration system configured to record and maintain records containing precious metal identification, location, lot and certification information;

processing, within the physically secure environment, the received precious metal into one of a plurality of predetermined mass values and one of a plurality of predetermined purity values to thereby constitute a unit of certified standard uniform characteristic (SUC) precious metal;

allocating, by the physically secure environment system, at least a portion of a total quantity of certified SUC precious metal units in a first location within the physically secure environment to be associated with a first lot, and creating a private registry with corresponding records associated with the allocated portion of certified SUC precious metal units in the first location;

authorizing at least one administrative privilege for the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot for a trusted partner outside of the physically secure environment; and

providing, to the trusted partner, access to the private registry to manage the allocated SUC precious metal units of the first lot.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2025
From: KOCHER, ROBERT WILLIAM; DYER, DOUGLAS EARL; BOWLING, JOHN SHELLY, II
To: P4 X GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 070959/0424 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 18581345 · Feb 19, 2024
Continuation In Part 18376776 · Oct 4, 2023
Continuation 17986037 · Nov 14, 2022
Provisional Application 63282012 · Nov 22, 2021
Related Publication 20250053644A1 · Feb 13, 2025
References Cited (50)
US 6389402B1 · Ginter et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 7143062B2 · Turk et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 8032436B2 · Dailey et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8577689B1 · Czarnetzky · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8626641B1 · Merk · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9990625B2 · Pitroda et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10140658B1 · Bagherzadeh · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10970549B1 · Krishnan · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11386492B1 · Weiner · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20050044022A1 · Spirgel et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20070106612A1 · O'Brien et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090076941A1 · Schneierson et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090164328A1 · Bishop et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090172035A1 · Lessing et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20110047062A1 · Kerschner · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120254009A1 · Thorp · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130073473A1 · Heath · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140025553A1 · Jones et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140201033A1 · Crain · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150066728A1 · Newall · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170024818A1 · Wager · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190028276A1 · Pierce · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190095987A1 · Seergy et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190130484A1 · de Jong · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190188790A1 · Lovato et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190251526A1 · Jackson · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190253256A1 · Saab · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190337322A1 · Tanko · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210082044A1 · Sliwka · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210158456A1 · Morgan · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210201299A1 · Hilton · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210256070A1 · Tran et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20230074283A1 · Malcolm · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230082841A1 · Marsh · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240028706A1 · Kocher et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 20240112172A1 · Wilson et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
Caton, James Lee. “Cryptoliquidity: the blockchain and monetary stability.” Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy 9.2 (2019) : 227-252. (Year: 2019). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report and Written Opinion issued in App. No. PCT/US2023/036921, mailing date Dec. 21, 2023, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
Morris, Charlie. “The London Bullion Market Association Issue Oct. 2, 79015.” (2015). (Year: 2015). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/220 and PCT/ISA/210) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/US2025/015573 dated May 19, 2025 (4 pages). [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued in Application No. PCT/US2025/015573 dated May 19, 2025 (8 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/041,958 dated Mar. 19, 2025 (16 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/041,959 dated Mar. 20, 2025 (16 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/041,957 d ated Mar. 25, 2025 (14 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/041,961 dated Mar. 31, 2025 (16 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/041,960 dated Apr. 2, 2025 (20 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/041,956 dated Apr. 3, 2025 (15 pages). [cited by applicant]
Strata Trust Company, “IRA Transfer Request: Precious Metal”, Jul. 2017, https://www.stratatrust.com/content/uploads/2017/07/IRA-Transfer-Request_Precious-Metals.pdf (3 pages). [cited by applicant]
Mohanty, D., “Supply Chain-Gold Tokenization”, In: R3 Corda for Architects and Developers, Apress, Berkeley, CA, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-4529-3_ 11 pp. 193-198 (6 pages). [cited by applicant]
U.S. Non-Final Office Action issued in U.S. Appl. No. 19/205,326 dated Oct. 3, 2025 (20 pages). [cited by applicant]