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
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.
Claims 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over :
Nicely (US 20170076538 A1) in view of Arezina (US 20140256413 A1) and Romagnolo (US 20130204664 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Nicely teaches :
A gaming system configuration system that is separate from a first electronic gaming machine and separate from a second electronic gaming machine (Nicely Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032 “In one embodiment, the computerized instructions for controlling any games are executed by at least one central server, central controller, or remote host. In such a “thin client” embodiment, the central server remotely controls any games (or other suitable interfaces) and the gaming device is utilized to display such games (or suitable interfaces) and receive one or more inputs or commands from a player. In another embodiment, the computerized instructions for controlling any games are communicated from the central server, central controller, or remote host to a gaming device local processor and memory devices. In such a “thick client” embodiment, the gaming device local processor executes the communicated computerized instructions to control any games (or other suitable interfaces) provided to a player”) the gaming system configuration system comprising:
a communication system (Nicely Fig. 2B element 56 and 58);
a processor (Nicely Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032, central server requires a processor); and
a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032) cause the processor to:
receive, from a first system separate from the gaming system configuration system, a first customization that is applicable to a first wagering game of the first electronic gaming machine, wherein the first wagering game comprises a plurality of different sequential presentation states (Nicely Fig. 2B paragraph [0053] custom information display and sequential states, paragraph [0085] user profile) and wherein the customization:
determine first customization data related to the first customization (Nicely Fig. 2B paragraph [0053]).
Nicely fails to teach, however Arezina teaches :
comprises an additional presentation state configured to be added to the plurality of different sequential presentation states of the first wagering game (Arezina Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 paragraph [0066] user custom symbols can be added instead of modifying existing symbols) without removing or changing any of the plurality of different sequential presentation states,
does not change any awards resulting from any play of the first wagering game, and
does not change any probabilities of obtaining any awards from any play of the first wagering game (Arezina Fig. 4 symbols are cosmetic and don’t change awards or probabilities);
determine customization data related to each of the customizations (Nicely Fig. 2B paragraph [0053] custom information display and sequential states, paragraph [0085] user profile, Arezina, Fig. 4, all customization data needs to be updated and stored for that player’s profile based on user input); and
based on the customization data, use the customizations to create a new customization and configure a second gaming system to comprise a second wagering game with all of the plurality of different sequential presentation states and with the additional presentation state of the new customization (Nicely, user profile, Arezina, cosmetic data added to user profile as explained above, said profile follows the user which is loaded on to any machine that the player uses).
Prior art does not explicitly teach specifically adding the new symbols between existing ones, however: the addition of user specific symbols as an entire additional group can only be added as the first, last, or in the middle of a sequence of states. To add it specifically between two existing states would have been a predictable result. Further if the sequence group can loop, then even if added as the first or last, it would still be between two previously presented states.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the baseline gaming machines of Nicely with the cosmetic symbol system of Arezina in order to allow for great depth of player customization.
Nicely in view of Arezina fail to explicitly teach determining first customization popularity data related to the first customization and indicating popularity of the first customization: and
based on the first customization popularity data, use the first customization to configure the second electronic gaming machine with the presentation state of the first customization.
Romagnolo specifically teaches customized multimedia content each showing global popularity, personalized popularity, and additional usage metric data (Romagnolo, Fig. 2 Popular Today, Rising For You, New and Untested), the user may then select any of the displayed custom multimedia content to view or use.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to implement said popularity organizational system of Romagnolo in the combined graphical user customization system of Nicely and Arezina in order to allow a much larger library of user interface customizations to be organized and used more efficiently.
The combination of the references would teach the missing limitations as noted above.
Regarding Claim 2, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the first system comprises a customization creation system (Nicely paragraphs [0053] [0085] and Arezina Fig. 4 customization of the profile is created and stored on the server side).
Regarding Claim 3 and 15, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the first system comprises a customization storage system (Nicely paragraphs [0053] [0085] and Arezina Fig. 4 customization of the profile is created and stored on the server side).
Regarding Claim 4, Nicely further teaches wherein the first system is the first gaming system (Nicely, Fig. 2B paragraph [0075] the first system can be any gaming system in the casino).
Regarding Claim 5 and 16, Nicely further teaches wherein the second gaming system is an existing gaming system in a casino (Nicely, Fig. 2B paragraph [0075] the second gaming system can be any gaming system that already exists in the casino).
Regarding Claim 6 and 17, Nicely further teaches wherein the second gaming system is a new gaming system for a casino (Nicely, Fig. 2B paragraph [0075] the second gaming system can be any compatible new gaming system that is attached to the central controller).
Regarding Claim 7 and 18, Nicely further teaches wherein the first wagering game and the second wagering game are a same type of wagering game (Nicely, Fig. 2B all element 10 paragraph [0090]).
Regarding Claim 8, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine first customization data related to the first customization based on data received from a second system separate from the gaming system configuration system (Nicely, Fig. 2B all gaming devices, Arezina Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 Favorite symbols & personalized gaming experience. The user may move around to any number of machines, the profile of the user and their preferences will be tracked and move with the user, therefore any changes made at any of the machines, including the second machine or second system, will simply be changed on the central server and tracked with the user’s profile).
Regarding Claim 9, Nicely teaches :
A gaming system configuration system that is separate from a first electronic gaming machine and separate from a second electronic gaming machine (Nicely Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032 “In one embodiment, the computerized instructions for controlling any games are executed by at least one central server, central controller, or remote host. In such a “thin client” embodiment, the central server remotely controls any games (or other suitable interfaces) and the gaming device is utilized to display such games (or suitable interfaces) and receive one or more inputs or commands from a player. In another embodiment, the computerized instructions for controlling any games are communicated from the central server, central controller, or remote host to a gaming device local processor and memory devices. In such a “thick client” embodiment, the gaming device local processor executes the communicated computerized instructions to control any games (or other suitable interfaces) provided to a player”) the gaming system configuration system comprising:
a communication system (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 and 58);
a processor (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032); and
a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032), cause the processor to:
receive, from a first system separate from the gaming system configuration system (Inputs for customization are received from the user, through the touchscreen system, elements 42, 44 and 46), a plurality of different customizations that are applicable to a first wagering game of the first electronic gaming machine, wherein the first wagering game comprises a plurality of different sequential presentation states (Nicely Fig. 2B paragraph [0053] custom information display and sequential states, paragraph [0085] user profile) and wherein each customization:
Nicely fails to teach, however Arezina teaches :
comprises an additional presentation state configured to be added between two of the plurality of different sequential presentation states of the first wagering game (Arezina Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 paragraph [0066] user custom symbols can be added instead of modifying existing symbols, see rejection for claim 1) without removing or changing any of the plurality of different sequential presentation states,
does not change any awards resulting from any play of the first wagering game, and
does not change any probabilities of obtaining any awards from any play of the first wagering game (Arezina Fig. 4 symbols are cosmetic and don’t change awards or probabilities);
determine customization data related to each of the customizations (Nicely Fig. 2B paragraph [0053] custom information display and sequential states, paragraph [0085] user profile, Arezina, Fig. 4, all customization data needs to be updated and stored for that player’s profile based on user input); and
based on the customization data, use the customizations to create a new customization and configure a second gaming system to comprise a second wagering game with all of the plurality of different sequential presentation states and with the additional presentation state of the new customization (Nicely, user profile, Arezina, cosmetic data added to user profile as explained above, said profile follows the user which is loaded on to any machine that the player uses).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the baseline gaming machines of Nicely with the cosmetic symbol system of Arezina in order to allow for great depth of player customization.
Nicely in view of Arezina fail to explicitly teach determining first customization popularity as claimed.
Romagnolo specifically teaches customized multimedia content each showing global popularity, personalized popularity, and additional usage metric data (Romagnolo, Fig. 2 Popular Today, Rising For You, New and Untested), the user may then select any of the displayed custom multimedia content to view or use.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to implement said popularity organizational system of Romagnolo in the combined graphical user customization system of Nicely and Arezina in order to allow a much larger library of user interface customizations to be organized and used more efficiently.
The combination of the references would teach the missing limitations as noted above.
Regarding Claim 10, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the additional presentation state of the new customization comprises one of the additional presentation states of one of the customizations (Arezina Fig. 4, user can select any one or multiples of the cosmetic customizations).
Regarding Claim 11, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, based on the customization data, use the customizations to create the new customization to configure the second gaming system to comprise the second wagering game with a plurality of additional presentation states of the new customization (Nicely, Fig. 2B, Arezina Fig. 4, user can select any one or multiples of the cosmetic customizations, said customizations can be loaded and/or further modified on any number of gaming machines).
Regarding Claim 12, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the additional presentation states of the new customization comprises one of the additional presentation states of each one of the customizations (Arezina, Fig. 4, any and/or all of the customizations may be added or removed from the player’s profile).
Regarding Claim 13, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the additional presentation states of the new customization comprises one of the additional presentation states of each one of the customizations except for one of the customizations (Arezina, Fig. 4, any and/or all of the customizations may be added or removed from the player’s profile, however the unique profile is constant and unchanged, there is also be a default customization for new profile necessary for the machine to operate, also unchanged).
Regarding Claim 14, Nicely in view of Arezina further teaches wherein the additional presentation states of the new customization is based on a template for the additional presentation state of the new customization (Arezina, Fig. 4, template must be compatible with the game being played, in the examiner it’s the different groups of cosmetic symbols).
Regarding Claim 19, Nicely teaches :
A gaming system configuration system (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032) comprising:
a communication system (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032);
a processor (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032); and
a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions (Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032) which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: determine customization data related to each of a plurality of customizations for a first type of wagering game, wherein the first type of wagering game comprises a plurality of different sequential presentation states ((Nicely, Fig. 2B element 56 paragraph 0032 and 0053 custom information display and sequential states, paragraph [0085] user profile) and wherein each customization:
Nicely fails to teach, however Arezina teaches :
comprises an additional presentation state configured to be added between two of the plurality of different sequential presentation states of the first wagering game (Arezina Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 paragraph [0066] user custom symbols can be added instead of modifying existing symbols, see rejection for claim 1) without removing or changing any of the plurality of different sequential presentation states,
does not change any awards resulting from any play of the first type of wagering game, and does not change any probabilities of obtaining any awards from any play of the first type of wagering game (Arezina Fig. 4 symbols are cosmetic and don’t change awards or probabilities); and
based on the customization data, use the customizations to create a new customization and to configure a wagering game of a gaming system with the new customization and the plurality of different sequential presentation states (Nicely, Fig. 2B, Arezina Fig. 4, paragraph [0066] user can select any one or multiples of the cosmetic customizations, said customizations can be loaded and/or further modified on any number of gaming machines).
Nicely in view of Arezina fail to explicitly teach determining first customization popularity as claimed.
Romagnolo specifically teaches customized multimedia content each showing global popularity, personalized popularity, and additional usage metric data (Romagnolo, Fig. 2 Popular Today, Rising For You, New and Untested), the user may then select any of the displayed custom multimedia content to view or use.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to implement said popularity organizational system of Romagnolo in the combined graphical user customization system of Nicely and Arezina in order to allow a much larger library of user interface customizations to be organized and used more efficiently.
The combination of the references would teach the missing limitations as noted above.
Regarding Claim 20, Nicely in view of Arezina wherein the new customization comprises a plurality of additional states from the customizations (Arezina, Fig. 4 each new group of cosmetics would constitute a new state of display).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 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
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/KE XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2627