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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 16 May 2023 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered. Specifically, JP 200900257 A to MAURYAMA et al. has not been considered since this is not an accurate document number and the examiner could not retrieve the appropriate document. Additionally, DE 102018110585 B3 to HEPTNER et al. was erroneously recorded as DE 1020018110585 B3 as indicated via the correction on the IDS. With the exception of the JP 200900257 A, the foreign patent documents have been retrieved and considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the contact perimeter" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zach et al. (WO 2023/167949 A1; hereinafter Zach).
Regarding claim 1, Zach discloses a digital game piece assembly apparatus [126] comprising: a plurality of display units [134], each one of said plurality of display units [134] sized for manipulation in hand of a user, each one of said plurality of display units [134] comprising: an obverse surface (see top surface of puzzle piece [118] in Figure 3) having a touchscreen [120]; a reverse surface (see bottom surface of puzzle piece [118] in Figure 3); a writeable memory (integral to processing unit [122]) partitionable with reference to each one of the plurality of display units [134] wherein a unique value is assignable to each of the display units [134] participating in the plurality that enables display of a host image or file (paragraph 0099: “sub-image”) as a relative portion of an overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) synced between all other ones of the display units [134] participating in the plurality whereby a single image, graphic, or video file is executable as a mosaic displayed by all display units [134] participating in the plurality; and a charging station [132] (paragraph 0070: “the data connection 132 is a wired connection, that connection also serves to recharge batteries in the pieces of the entire puzzle set if all the pieces in the set are connected”) configured to operationally communicate with each of the plurality of display units [134]; wherein each of the plurality of display units [134] is storable in contact with the charging station [132] and wherein each of the plurality of display units [134] is programmable to display the host image or file (paragraph 0099: “sub-image”) irrespective of the position each of the plurality of display units [134] occupies relative to all other ones of the display units [134] participating in the plurality whereby situating each of the display units [134] participating in the plurality into a certain arrangement or sequence assembles or sequences the overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) congruently (paragraphs 0052-0082, 0085-0086, 0099, 0102, 00106-00108, and Figures 1A-8).
Regarding claim 2, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly of claim 1 wherein the overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) is uploadable (via sub-images) to the participating plurality of display units [134] when the participating plurality of display units [134] is operatively coupled to the charging station [132] (paragraphs 0064-0072, 0078, 0099, and Figures 1A-1B and 4).
Regarding claim 3, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of display units [134] includes a transceiver (integral to processing unit [122]) whereby the overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) is wirelessly uploadable to the participating plurality of display units [134] directly (via sub-images) (paragraphs 0064, 0071-0072, 0077-0079, 0099, and Figures 1A-1B and 3-4).
Regarding claim 4, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly of claim 2 wherein the charging station [132] is connectable in operational communication with an existing peripheral device [128] (paragraphs 0065-0067, 0069-0072, and Figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly of claim 3 wherein the plurality of display units [134] is wirelessly connectable in operational communication with an existing peripheral device [128] (paragraphs 0065-0067, 0069-0072, and Figure 4).
Regarding claim 6, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly of claim 5 wherein each one of the plurality of participating display units [134] is wirelessly networked [130] with all other display units [134] participating in the plurality, whereby entry of a command (via input devices [210]) by a user can rearrange the host images or files (paragraph 0099: “sub-image”) to scramble, re-scramble, or unscramble the overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) (paragraphs 0065-0072, 0085-0086, and Figures 4, 6, and 8; wherein the Content Designer can choose to upload new content, i.e., scramble the previous image, or upload the same content, i.e., re-scramble the previous image).
Regarding claim 8, Zach discloses a handheld, manually interactive digital game piece assembly apparatus [126] comprising: a plurality of display units [134], each one of said plurality of display units [134] sized for manipulation in hand of a user, each one of said plurality of display units [134] comprising: an obverse surface (see top surface of puzzle piece [118] in Figure 3) having a touchscreen [120]; a reverse surface (see bottom surface of puzzle piece [118] in Figure 3); a contact perimeter (paragraphs 0016 and 0068: “connector;” also see perimeter of puzzle piece [108] in Figure 1A) enabling sensation of proximity of all other display units [134] participating in the plurality wherein a relative position of each one of said plurality of display units [134] is determinable (paragraph 0016: “each puzzle component identifies the other puzzle component that is attached to through a connector”); a writeable memory (integral to processing unit [122]) partitionable with reference to each one of the plurality of display units [134] wherein an overall image (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) is uploadable to the plurality of display units [134], a unique value is assignable to each of the display units [134] participating in the plurality, and each one of the plurality of display units [134] executes a host image or file (paragraph 0099: “sub-image”) as a unique value in relative proportion of the overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”), whereby a single image, graphic, or file is executable and displayed in piece meal as individual host images or files (paragraph 0099: “sub-images”) on each of the display units [134] participating in the plurality; and a charging station [132] (paragraph 0070: “the data connection 132 is a wired connection, that connection also serves to recharge batteries in the pieces of the entire puzzle set if all the pieces in the set are connected”) configured to operationally communicate with each of the plurality of display units [134]; wherein each of the plurality of display units [134] is storable in contact with the charging station [132] and wherein each of the plurality of display units [134] is programmable to display the host image or file (paragraph 0099: “sub-image”) irrespective of the position each of the plurality of display units [134] occupies relative to all other ones of the display units [134] participating in the plurality whereby situating each of the display units [134] participating in the plurality into a certain arrangement or sequence assembles or sequences the overall image or file (paragraph 0099: “composite image”) congruently (paragraphs 0016, 0052-0082, 0085-0086, 0099-1000, 0102, 00106-00108, and Figures 1A-8).
Regarding claim 9, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly apparatus of claim 8 wherein the contact perimeter (paragraphs 0016 and 0068: “connector;” also see perimeter of puzzle piece [108] in Figure 1A) triggers execution of other host images or files (e.g., modify the images towards images that are easier to assemble) in response to a particular position (paragraph 00107: “puzzle components are connected together but are not connected according to one of the correct solutions”) the plurality of display units [134] is sensed to occupy or a particular sequence the plurality of display units [134] is sensed to eventualize (paragraphs 0016, 00106-00108, and Figure 1A).
Regarding claim 10, Zach discloses the digital game piece assembly apparatus of claim 9 wherein the physical arrangement of the plurality of display units [134] instantiates a virtual space wherein gameplay may be perceptibly represented (paragraph 0052, 0065, and Figures 1B and 4).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zach as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Zach et al. (WO 2023/167948 A1; hereinafter Zach(2)).
Regarding claim 7, Zach does not disclose at least one magnet disposed upon the contact perimeter. Zach(2), however, teaches a similar digital game piece assembly [118] comprising: a plurality of display units [100], wherein each of the plurality of display units [100] further comprises: at least one magnet [104, 106] disposed upon the contact perimeter [102] whereby each of the plurality of display units [100] is contactable together on contact with the contact perimeter [102] by action of the magnetic force (paragraphs 0018, 0060-0062, 0066, and Figures 1-2B). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure Zach’s contact perimeter to include at least one magnet, whereby the plurality of display units are contactable together by action of magnetic force, because Zach(2) teaches that this configuration accomplishes mechanical connections between puzzle pieces which are easily pulled apart (paragraphs 0018 and 0062).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Macura et al. (US 2010/0052253 A1) which discloses a similar interactive modular tile system having electronic tiles and Teo (“This LCD Mahjong System Makes Gaming Easy With Just A Simple Click”) which discloses similar LCD mahjong tiles.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AUDREY B. WALTER whose telephone number is (571)270-5286. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eugene Kim can be reached at (571)272-4463. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AUDREY B. WALTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3711