DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 2, 4-12, and 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP6697533 as evidence of Google Patents English Translation https://patents.google.com/patent/JP6697533B1/en?oq=JP6697533 to Capcom in view of JP2021149407 as evidence of Google Patents English Translation https://patents.google.com/patent/JP2021149407A/en?oq=JP2021149407 to Kurabuchi, and US Pub. 20210197086 to Asuna et al (Asuna).
Claims 1, 19, 20, and 21 Capcom discloses an information processing system comprising:
one or more processors programmed to:
generate information for displaying, on at least a first user terminal, a video that displays at least a first character object of a first user in a virtual space (“in the game device 3, a user executes a predetermined game including a plurality of stages (hereinafter, referred to as “quest”) in which the user operates the player character in the virtual game space via the touch pad 350 to proceed”),
receive a lottery request for an item from the first user terminal (“The medium lottery execution means, when the information regarding the holding medium is generated, and when the association between the holding medium and the identification information of the user is released based on the operation of the user, the lottery The game content associated with the parameter associated with the storage medium may be selected from a list”), and
execute a lottery process that determines a first item from among an item group including a plurality of items, in response to receiving the lottery request (“A medium for executing the medium lottery triggered by a request for a medium lottery based on a user's operation, and selecting the game medium from a lottery list in which a plurality of types of game mediums each having at least one parameter are stored”).
However, Capcom fails to explicitly disclose:
determine whether the first item determined by the lottery process is replaceable with a second item related to the first item, and generate information for displaying in the video a result screen showing a result of the lottery process, the result screen including an image of the first item determined to be replaceable with the second item, wherein
the one or more processors further generate information for displaying, in the video, a change screen for changing the first item to the second item,
the change screen is displayed in response to the image of the first item being selected on the result screen,
the change screen displays an image of the second item with which the first item is replaceable, and
the second item is a replacement in the result of the lottery process (emphasis added).
Kurabuchi teaches determine whether the first item is replaceable with a second item related to the first item, and generate information for displaying in the video a result screen, the result screen including an image of the first item determined to be replaceable with the second item (“a plurality of wearing items on which a pattern of a source portion having a different color or shape is drawn may be associated”, and “when the viewing user accepts a co-starring application for the video of the first avatar wearing the first wearing item, the viewing user is asked whether or not to change into the second wearing item. You may do this and transition to the closet screen”), wherein the one or more processors further generate information for displaying, in the video, a change screen for changing the first item to the second item (“change screen”), the change screen is displayed in response to the image of the first item being selected on the result screen (“Then, as shown in FIG. 10, a predetermined part or item (item a1 in FIG. 10) is selected from one or more body parts and one or more mounted items displayed for each category (A to D in FIG. 10). Is specified, and the color for the specified item (color CL2 in FIG. 10) is selected to create a character object CO composed of the specified item a1 of the selected color CL2. The display of the character object CO changes correspondingly each time each part or item is specified”), and the change screen displays an image of the second item with which the first item is replaceable (“It should be noted that the change of the character object CO referred to here includes "change of clothes" in which the attached item is simply changed without changing the body parts”). The gaming system of Capcom would have motivation to use the teachings of Kurabuchi in order to give game players the option to modify image gaming features in doing so would make a more fun and interesting gaming experience.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gaming system of Capcom with the teachings of Kurabuchi in order to give game players the option to modify image gaming features in doing so would make a more fun and interesting gaming experience.
Asuna teaches wherein a result screen showing a result of the lottery process (¶¶137, 230, 528 “reward is actually provided in a lottery event such as gacha”), and a change screen for changing the first item to the second item, the change screen displays an image of the second item with which the first item is replaceable, and the second item is a replacement in the result of the lottery process (Fig. 6, and ¶¶137-138, 316, 492-494, 712-714). The gaming system of Capcom in view of Kurabuchi would have motivation to use the teachings of Asuna in order to give game players the opportunity win more valuable game items such as rare or more powerful game items in doing so would provide an even further exciting gaming experience.
It would have been further obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gaming system of Capcom in view of Kurabuchi with the teachings of Asuna in order to give game players the opportunity win more valuable game items such as rare or more powerful game items in doing so would provide an even further exciting gaming experience.
Claim 2 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the one or more processors determine that the first item is replaceable with the second item when the second item is not yet associated with the first user, and when the second item is not an item determined by the lottery process (see Kurabuchi “When the closet button 37 is selected, the display of the above-mentioned list screen of body parts and mounted items is started, and the character object CO can be changed” such that second item is chosen from an inventory listing not lottery).
Claim 3 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the one or more processors further generate information for displaying, in the video, a change screen for changing the first item to the second item,
the change screen is displayed in response to the image of the first item being selected on the result screen, and
the change screen displays an image of the second item with which the first item is replaceable (see Kurabuchi “When the closet button 37 is selected, the display of the above-mentioned list screen of body parts and mounted items is started, and the character object CO can be changed”).
Claim 4 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein the one or more processors further
generate information for displaying in the video a confirmation screen for associating the second item with the first user in response to the first user selecting the image of the second item displayed on the change screen, and
store the second item in association with the first user in response to receiving a confirmation operation by the first user via the confirmation screen (see Kurabuchi “the image of the confirmation screen displayed when the attached item is changed on the closet screen”, and “The display of the character object CO changes correspondingly each time each part or item is specified”).
Claim 5. Capcom in view of Kurabuchi and Asuna teaches wherein if an application for displaying the video terminates prior to the confirmation operation by the first user (see Asuna ¶¶528, 646 “suspend” and “cancels the advantage option of the corresponding player (step S121) and terminates the operations”), the one or more processors generate information for displaying in the video any one of the result screen, the change screen and the confirmation screen when the one or more processors subsequently receive another lottery request from the first user terminal or when the one or more processors receive a display request for an item stored in association with the first user (see Asuna ¶¶137, 230, 528 “reward is actually provided in a lottery event such as gacha”, in this case, a later request for gacha; or see Kurabuchi “the viewing user is asked whether or not to change into the second wearing item”, and “The display of the character object CO changes correspondingly each time each part or item is specified”).
Claim 6 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the one or more processors further change the image of the first item displayed on the result screen to the image of the second item, in response to the image of the second item displayed on the change screen being selected by the first user (see Kurabuchi “The first mounting object is a mounting object having a portion corresponding to the first image in a specific image composed of a first image portion and a second image portion, and the second mounting object is a specific. It can be a wearing object having a portion corresponding to the second image in the image of”, “The first wearing object is a wearing object that can be worn by the first avatar”, and “there are different color items in these items that differ only in color”).
Claim 7 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches, wherein
the one or more processors display a predetermined icon attached to the image of the first item (see Kurabuchi Fig. 13, element 37, and Figs. “14 (a)-(b), 15 (a)-(b), and 16 (a) show, for example, an example in which a specific symbol is an animal, a character and a symbol, food, a block block, or the like (¶ Fig. 34, element 45, edit button”).
Claim 8 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches
wherein when there is a plurality of second items with which the first item can be replaced, the one or more processors determine a display order and/or a display format of images of the second items displayed on the change screen, based on user information and/or event information associated with the second items (see Kurabuchi Fig. 10 and “Then, as shown in FIG. 10, a predetermined part or item (item a1 in FIG. 10) is selected from one or more body parts and one or more mounted items displayed for each category (A to D in FIG. 10). Is specified, and the color for the specified item (color CL2 in FIG. 10) is selected to create a character object CO composed of the specified item a1 of the selected color CL2. The display of the character object CO changes correspondingly each time each part or item is specified”).
Claim 9. Capcom in view of Kurabuchi and Asuna teaches wherein the user information associated with the second items is the number of users associated with each of the second items (see Asuna Fig. 5, and ¶¶393, 478, 491, respective players’ IDs are associated with available rewards, note, the rewards are the second items).
Claim 10. Capcom in view of Kurabuchi and Asuna teaches wherein the users associated with the second items (see Asuna ¶319) are users having a predetermined relationship with the first user (see Asuna “¶¶144, 194, 344-350 “friend”, “team”).
Claim 11 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the one or more processors further generate information for displaying the video on a second user terminal of a second user (see Kurabuchi “viewing user terminal of the viewing user”).
Claim 12 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the one or more processors further receive, from the second user terminal, a comment about the video and/or a display request for an object (see Kurabuchi “The viewing user can post a comment by inputting text in the comment posting field 206 and pressing the send button 207”).
Claim 16 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the one or more processors are further programmed to:
determine whether or not the lottery request is for a specific item group (see Capcom selecting the game medium from a lottery list in which a plurality of types of game mediums”; and see Kurabuchi “Whichever game content is executed, one of the game content is selected from the plurality of types of game content”), and
determine whether the first item is replaceable with the second item (see Kurabuchi “When the closet button 37 is selected, the display of the above-mentioned list screen of body parts and mounted items is started, and the character object CO can be changed”) when the lottery request is for the specific item group.
Claim 17 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the second item differs from the first item only in color and/or texture (see Kurabuchi “there are different color parts in these parts that differ only in color”, and “there are different color items in these items that differ only in color”).
Claim 18 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi teaches wherein
the first item is a part that makes up the character object (see Kurabuchi “The character object is composed of one or more body parts and one or more wearing items. These body parts and mounted items are stored in association with the identification number in the storage provided in the server device”).
Claims 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP6697533 as evidence of Google Patents English Translation https://patents.google.com/patent/JP6697533B1/en?oq=JP6697533 to Capcom in view of JP2021149407 as evidence of Google Patents English Translation https://patents.google.com/patent/JP2021149407A/en?oq=JP2021149407 to Kurabuchi and US Pub. 20210197086 to Asuna et al (Asuna)as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of US Pub. 20200351552 to Oe et al (Oe).
Claim 13 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi fails to explicitly teach a switch operation for displaying or not displaying the comment and/or the object in the video during display of the result screen (emphasis added).
Oe teaches a switch operation for displaying or not displaying the comment and/or the object (Oe Fig. 5, and ¶¶61 and 63). The gaming system of Capcom in view of Kurabuchi would have motivation to use the teachings of Oe in order to give game players the option to control display features in hopes to provide a better gaming experience to players.
It would have been further obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gaming system of Capcom in view of Kurabuchi with the teachings of Oe in order to give game players the option to control display features in hopes to provide a better gaming experience to players.
Claim 14 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi and Oe teaches wherein
the switch operation is an operation that selects a region of the video outside the result screen (see Oe Fig. 5, and ¶¶56, 61-62, and 84).
Claim 15 Capcom in view of Kurabuchi and Oe teaches wherein
when the comment and/or the object is displayed through the switch operation, the one or more processors change the display format of the comment and/or the object so that the comment and/or the object is displayed without overlapping the result screen displayed in the video (see Oe Fig. 5, and ¶¶56, 61-62, and 86).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2 and 4-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAMON J PIERCE whose telephone number is (571)270-1997. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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/DAMON J PIERCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715