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 .
Response to Amendment
The examiner acknowledges applicant’s arguments in the Response dated December 15, 2025 directed to the Non-Final Office Action dated September 15, 2025. Claims 1-6, 8, 10-16, 18, and 20 are pending in the application and subject to examination as part of this office action.
Claim Objections
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 20 is identified as “(Original)”. The response dated 6/17/2025 amended claim 20 but not identified as “Currently Amended”. The status of the claims should be properly updated. Claim 20 should be identified as “Previously Presented”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 8, 10-13, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mattice et al., US 2007/0054723 A1 (hereinafter Mattice), in view of Winston, US 2020/0090459 A1 (hereinafter Winston), and further in view of Deighton, US 2022/0103738 A1 (hereinafter Deighton).
Regarding Claim 1 (Currently Amended): Mattice discloses a system comprising:
a wheel display system (Mattice, top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0-057]), the wheel display system comprising:
a wheel portion comprising:
a central display area (Mattice, top box 111 contains a video display 140 [0057] and [Fig. 2]);
an annular display area surrounding the central display area (Mattice, the outer mechanized wheel 160 surrounds the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 and has the ability to rotate around the virtual wheel 140; in this particular embodiment, the outer wheel has outer segments 162 that match to the inner segments 142 of the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 [0068] and [Fig. 3A]), wherein the annular display area is sectioned into sub-regions each configured to present one or more symbols (Mattice, the outer mechanized wheel 160 surrounds the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 and has the ability to rotate around the virtual wheel 140; in this particular embodiment, the outer wheel has outer segments 162 that match to the inner segments 142 of the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 [0068] and [Fig. 3A]); and
at least one pointer configured to indicate a sub-region of the annular display area (Mattice, top box 111 is somewhat different than the top box 11 of exemplary gaming machine 10 above; top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0057] and [Fig. 2]), wherein the at least one pointer is configured to mechanically move based on a display of the annular display area (Mattice, an outside pointer, attached to the video-mechanical wheel, may be used to indicate a location of on the video-mechanical wheel; the pointer may be a physical device attached to the video-mechanical wheel or may be generated as an image on the inner video display [0036]; in the particular embodiment of FIG. 3B, the player has the opportunity to "spin" a mechanized pointer 260 around an inner video display 240 through the use of the designated spin area 270 [0080]); and
a base structure configured to hold the wheel portion (Mattice, top box 111 is somewhat different than the top box 11 of exemplary gaming machine 10 above; top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0057] and [Fig. 2]), wherein the base structure comprises an audio system (Mattice, gaming machine 100 also includes a top box 111 and a main cabinet 112, one or both of which can comprise an exterior housing arranged to contain a number of internal gaming machine components; many features can also be the same or similar to corresponding features in gaming machine 10, such as a main door 120, a primary video display monitor 126 and one or more speakers 132 [0056] and [Fig. 2]); and
a game controller configured to execute computer code to cause presentation of game graphics on the wheel portion (Mattice, a mechanized wheel controller controls the mechanized outer wheel; in one embodiment, the gaming machine's MGC coordinates output from the video controller and from the mechanized wheel controller; the output from the controllers may be coordinated so that images displayed on the inner video appear to move in sync with the motion of the mechanized outer wheel [0035]).
Mattice fails to explicitly disclose
wherein the annular display area comprises a plurality of LED panels and
wherein a video signal is provided in a single video port of the wheel system.
Winston teaches
wherein the annular display area comprises a plurality of LED panels (Winston, as shown in FIG. 3, each wheel segment 306 may include a display panel, e.g., an LCD, LED, OLED, micro-LED, or other type of pixelated display device, that has a display surface that provides an outer face 316 (which may be sector-shaped or have an annular sector shape; a “sector” generally refers to a segment of a circle bounded by two radii of the circle (a “pie” or “wedge” shape) and an “annular sector” refers to the equivalent shape for an annulus or ring, although it will be understood that the term “sector-shaped,” as used herein, may refer to any sub-portion of a larger shape that is bounded by two lines radiating out from a general center point of the larger shape—for example, a wheel display may have a square area instead of a circular area, and a sector shape of the square area may be a triangle or quadrilateral defined by the outer edge or edges of the square and two lines radiating out to that edge or edges from a common point within the square) of the wheel segment 306 and that may be configured to display graphical content in response to instructions received from a controller [0072]).
Mattice disclose a gaming machine includes a combination inner video display and rotatable object (Mattice [Abstract]). The inner video display and the rotatable object may be correlated together to form a reconfigurable object (Mattice [Abstract]). Both the inner video display and the rotatable object can have segments wherein each segment may have an indicia associated with the segment, wherein the indicia can be a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss of spin character, a blank space or a null character (Mattice [Abstract]). The rotatable object can have a lighting pattern built into the object that allows for lighting sequences to be displayed along with the combination video-mechanical wheel (Mattice [0087]).
Winston teaches gaming systems with wheel displays with movable wheel segments (Winston [Abstract]). Winston teaches various dynamic wheel displays, or simply “wheel displays,” in which segments of the wheel are used to indicate various outcomes that may be selected in response to “spinning” the wheel (such “spinning” may be virtual, i.e., there may be no rotation of the wheel itself, but segments may be successively selected and deselected to give the appearance that the “selection” occurs in a rotating manner, e.g., similar to spinning a wheel relative to a fixed pointer or spinning a pointer relative to a fixed wheel) (Winston [0006]). In such wheel displays, an actuation mechanism may be provided that causes the wheel segments to translate, pivot, or otherwise move in concert with such a wheel spin such that the “selected” wheel segment(s) at any given time is indicated through the relative displacement of the wheel segments (or portions thereof) in directions parallel to a center axis of the wheel display (Winston [0006]). In some such implementations, the wheel display assembly may further include one or more sets of second wheel segments radially arranged around the common center axis (Winston [0006]). Each wheel segment may include an LED display panel (Winston [0072]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the combination inner video display and rotatable object that can have a lighting pattern built into the object that allows for lighting sequences to be displayed along with the combination video-mechanical wheel as disclosed by Mattice with the use of an LED panel for second wheel segments that are radially arranged around a common center axis as taught by Winston to allow all the segments to show customized images during game play.
Deighton teaches a controller for use in a PWM control system
wherein a video signal is provided in a single video port of the wheel system (Deighton, the communication interface 306 also is configured to communicate with external devices for control purposes via one or more Ethernet or other digital communication links 308b; such control data may include video framerate 106, video sync 108, external sync 109, camera framerate 110, camera shutter speed 112, camera shutter type 114, and shutter speed adjustment 116; the communication interface 306 also is configured to send and/or receive video display or LED panel control signals (such as screen control signal 120) via one or more additional Ethernet or other digital communication links 308c; some of links 308a, 308b and 308c may optionally share a single physical connection; in other embodiments, the video signal, control data, and video data may be combined or separated into fewer or more than three communication links [0053]).
Mattice disclose a gaming machine includes a combination inner video display and rotatable object (Mattice [Abstract]). The inner video display and the rotatable object may be correlated together to form a reconfigurable object (Mattice [Abstract]). Both the inner video display and the rotatable object can have segments wherein each segment may have an indicia associated with the segment, wherein the indicia can be a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss of spin character, a blank space or a null character (Mattice [Abstract]).
Deighton teaches a controller for use in a PWM control system (Deighton [0052]). The controller includes a processor electrically coupled to a memory (Deighton [0052]). The processor is further electrically coupled to and in communication with a communication interface, a user display screen, and a user interface (Deighton [0053]). The communication interface is configured to receive a video signal (such as video data) via one or more communication links (Deighton [0053]). The communication interface also is configured to communicate with external devices for control purposes via one or more Ethernet or other digital communication links (Deighton [0053]). Such control data may include video framerate, video sync, external sync, camera framerate, camera shutter speed, camera shutter type, and shutter speed adjustment (Deighton [0053]). The communication interface also is configured to send and/or receive video display or LED panel control signals (such as screen control signal) via one or more additional Ethernet or other digital communication links (Deighton [0053]). Some of links, may optionally share a single physical connection (Deighton [0053]). In other embodiments, the video signal, control data, and video data may be combined or separated into fewer or more than three communication links (Deighton [0053]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the combination inner video display and rotatable object as disclosed by Mattice with a controller that sends video display or LED panel control signals via one digital communication link as taught by Deighton in order to control the LED panels.
Regarding Claims 2 (Original) and 12 (Original): Mattice further discloses the wheel portion further comprising:
an input device configured to receive an input, wherein graphics are presented on the annular display area in accordance with the input device (Mattice, the inner video display 140 has a plurality of touchscreen sensors; the touch screen sensor may be employed to allow a player to directly interact with both the virtual wheel presented on the inner video display 140 and the outer mechanized wheel 160; for example, the player may be provided the opportunity to initiate and affect the motion of the combination virtual and mechanized wheel by touching the designated spin area 170 on the inner wheel, i.e., the player can "spin" the wheel [0070]).
Regarding Claims 3 (Original) and 13 (Original): Mattice further discloses wherein the input device is a touch sensor (Mattice, the inner video display 140 has a plurality of touchscreen sensors; the touch screen sensor may be employed to allow a player to directly interact with both the virtual wheel presented on the inner video display 140 and the outer mechanized wheel 160; for example, the player may be provided the opportunity to initiate and affect the motion of the combination virtual and mechanized wheel by touching the designated spin area 170 on the inner wheel, i.e., the player can "spin" the wheel [0070]).
Regarding Claims 8 (Previously Presented) and 18 (Previously Presented): Mattice further discloses wherein each panel corresponds to a sub-region of the annular display area (Mattice, the outer mechanized wheel 160 surrounds the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 and has the ability to rotate around the virtual wheel 140; in this particular embodiment, the outer wheel has outer segments 162 that match to the inner segments 142 of the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 [0068] and [Fig. 3A]).
Regarding Claims 10 (Original) and 20 (Original): Mattice further discloses wherein the game controller is disposed in a console, separate from the wheel system (Mattice, the gaming machine or system can include the MGC adapted to control one or more game aspects, and control the inner video display and the rotatable object [0008] and [Fig. 2B]).
Regarding Claim 11 (Currently Amended): Mattice discloses a gaming device comprising:
a wheel display system (Mattice, top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0057]), the wheel display system comprising:
a wheel portion comprising:
a central display area (Mattice, top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0-057]);
an annular display area surrounding the central display area (Mattice, the outer mechanized wheel 160 surrounds the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 and has the ability to rotate around the virtual wheel 140; in this particular embodiment, the outer wheel has outer segments 162 that match to the inner segments 142 of the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 [0068] and [Fig. 3A]), wherein the annular display area is sectioned into sub-regions each configured to present one or more symbols (Mattice, the outer mechanized wheel 160 surrounds the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 and has the ability to rotate around the virtual wheel 140; in this particular embodiment, the outer wheel has outer segments 162 that match to the inner segments 142 of the virtual wheel on the inner video display 140 [0068] and [Fig. 3A]); and
at least one pointer configured to indicate a sub-region of the annular display area (Mattice, top box 111 is somewhat different than the top box 11 of exemplary gaming machine 10 above; top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0057] and [Fig. 2]), wherein the at least one pointer is configured to mechanically move based on a display of the annular display area (Mattice, an outside pointer, attached to the video-mechanical wheel, may be used to indicate a location of on the video-mechanical wheel; the pointer may be a physical device attached to the video-mechanical wheel or may be generated as an image on the inner video display [0036]; in the particular embodiment of FIG. 3B, the player has the opportunity to "spin" a mechanized pointer 260 around an inner video display 240 through the use of the designated spin area 270 [0080]); and
a base structure configured to hold the wheel portion (Mattice, top box 111 is somewhat different than the top box 11 of exemplary gaming machine 10 above; top box 111 contains a video display 140 surrounded by a mechanically driven rotatable object 160 [0057] and [Fig. 2]), wherein the base structure comprises an audio system (Mattice, each gaming machine can have various audio and visual display components that can include, for example, speakers [0004]).
Mattice fails to explicitly disclose
wherein the annular display area comprises a plurality of LED panels and
a single video port, wherein a video signal is provided in the single video port of the wheel system.
Winston teaches
wherein the annular display area comprises a plurality of LED panels (Winston, as shown in FIG. 3, each wheel segment 306 may include a display panel, e.g., an LCD, LED, OLED, micro-LED, or other type of pixelated display device, that has a display surface that provides an outer face 316 (which may be sector-shaped or have an annular sector shape; a “sector” generally refers to a segment of a circle bounded by two radii of the circle (a “pie” or “wedge” shape) and an “annular sector” refers to the equivalent shape for an annulus or ring, although it will be understood that the term “sector-shaped,” as used herein, may refer to any sub-portion of a larger shape that is bounded by two lines radiating out from a general center point of the larger shape—for example, a wheel display may have a square area instead of a circular area, and a sector shape of the square area may be a triangle or quadrilateral defined by the outer edge or edges of the square and two lines radiating out to that edge or edges from a common point within the square) of the wheel segment 306 and that may be configured to display graphical content in response to instructions received from a controller [0072])
As stated above with respect to claim 1, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the combination inner video display and rotatable object that can have a lighting pattern built into the object that allows for lighting sequences to be displayed along with the combination video-mechanical wheel as disclosed by Mattice with the use of an LED panel for second wheel segments that are radially arranged around a common center axis as taught by Winston to allow all the segments to show customized images during game play.
Deighton teaches
a single video port, wherein a video signal is provided in the single video port of the wheel system (Deighton, the communication interface 306 also is configured to communicate with external devices for control purposes via one or more Ethernet or other digital communication links 308b; such control data may include video framerate 106, video sync 108, external sync 109, camera framerate 110, camera shutter speed 112, camera shutter type 114, and shutter speed adjustment 116; the communication interface 306 also is configured to send and/or receive video display or LED panel control signals (such as screen control signal 120) via one or more additional Ethernet or other digital communication links 308c; some of links 308a, 308b and 308c may optionally share a single physical connection; in other embodiments, the video signal, control data, and video data may be combined or separated into fewer or more than three communication links [0053]).
As stated above with respect to claim 1, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the combination inner video display and rotatable object as disclosed by Mattice with a controller that sends video display or LED panel control signals via one digital communication link as taught by Deighton in order to control the LED panels.
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mattice, in view of Winston, in view of Deighton, and further in view of BERNARD et al., US 2021/0065501 A1 (hereinafter Bernard).
Regarding Claims 4 (Original) and 14 (Original): Mattice, as modified, discloses the invention as recited above. Mattice, as modified, fails to explicitly disclose the wheel portion further comprising:
one or more circular bezels surrounding at least one of the central display area and the annular display area.
Bernard teaches the wheel portion further comprising:
one or more circular bezels surrounding at least one of the central display area and the annular display area (Bernard, a mechanical wheel display assembly including a mechanical rotatable bezel surrounding a mechanical wheel [Abstract]).
Mattice disclose a gaming machine includes a combination inner video display and rotatable object (Mattice [Abstract]). The inner video display and the rotatable object may be correlated together to form a reconfigurable object (Mattice [Abstract]). Both the inner video display and the rotatable object can have segments wherein each segment may have an indicia associated with the segment, wherein the indicia can be a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss of spin character, a blank space or a null character (Mattice [Abstract]).
Bernard teaches a mechanical wheel display assembly including a mechanical rotatable bezel surrounding a mechanical wheel (Bernard [Abstract]). The mechanical wheel display input assembly is suitable for use in a gaming terminal, a gaming cabinet or a gaming machine (Bernard [Abstract]). According to one or more aspects of the present invention, a gaming terminal, gaming cabinet or gaming machine includes a housing configured to house gaming components and a display comprising a mechanical wheel display and a rotatable mechanical bezel surrounding the mechanical wheel display to provide both output and input capabilities (Bernard [0005]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the combination inner video display and rotatable object as disclosed by Mattice with the rotatable mechanical bezel surrounding the mechanical wheel display as taught by Bernard in order to provide both output and input capabilities.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 15, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the rejections under 35 USC 103, applicant states “Mattice fails to disclose any mechanical movement of the pointer based on (e.g., in response to) movement of the underlying content on the annular (e.g., central) display area of the gaming device” (Response [p. 7]).
First, the claims do not recite that the pointer moves based on movement of the underlying content on the annular display area.
Mattice disclose a gaming machine includes a combination inner video display and rotatable object (Mattice [Abstract]). The inner video display and the rotatable object may be correlated together to form a reconfigurable object (Mattice [Abstract]). Both the inner video display and the rotatable object can have segments wherein each segment may have an indicia associated with the segment, wherein the indicia can be a prize, a bonus multiplier, a progressive jackpot, a negative value, a bonus spin character, a loss of spin character, a blank space or a null character (Mattice [Abstract]).
In one embodiment, the player has the opportunity to "spin" a mechanized pointer around an inner video display through the use of a designated spin area (Mattice [0080] and [Fig. 3B]). A player may run their finger across the designated spin area, which may be coupled to a touch screen sensor (Mattice [0080]). The initial contact with the touch screen sensor and/or the rate that the player brushes the touch screen sensor may trigger the pointer to start its motion (Mattice [0080]). The examiner maintains that Mattice still reads on the limitation at issue, as currently recited.
The examiner has conducted a cursory prior art search based on [0095] from applicant’s specification, which states “the triangular panel may utilize a small motor to cause the pointer 494 to make small rotations giving the appearance that the symbols presented in the annular display area 488 are causing the pointer 494 to move”. The closest prior art related to the language from the specification is Stergides, US 2009/0011815 A1 (hereinafter Stergides). Stergides teaches a basic fruit machine simulator apparatus associated with a feature game apparatus, so that the feature game may be played when a score above a predetermined threshold is achieved in the basic game (Stergides [Abstract]). The feature game includes a display showing a dial having a movable pointer and a blocked off zone, and divided into sections by dividers (Stergides [Abstract]). The pointer may be stopped at, or rebound from the blocked off zone (Stergides [Abstract]). The pointer may “rebound" or "bounce" (Stergides [0013]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 WERNER G GARNER whose telephone number is (571)270-7147. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-15:30 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DAVID LEWIS can be reached at (571) 272-7673. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WERNER G GARNER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715