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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/8/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Please review updated rejection below addressing newly added limitations. Applicant’s representative is pointing to 1306 of Lee to represent the side panels screens. Examiner would like to reiterate that the ring area 1310 were interpreted as the side panel in the previous office action. The updated rejection below also takes such interpretation.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LAPALME (US 2019/0102975 A1) in view of Lee (US 2019/0392669 A1).
1. LAPALME discloses an electronic gaming system comprising:
a main display having a top, a bottom, and sides, the main display including a main screen (200: Fig. 1, 2) and operable for displaying a first set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content [0057];
a plurality of side display panels (220: Fig. 1, 2) arranged vertically and adjacent to and flush with only the sides of the main display such that no side display panels are situated adjacent to and flush with the top and the bottom of the main display [0060], each side display panel of the plurality of side display panels including a side panel screen that is flushed with the front surface of the main screen to define an extended canvas, the plurality of side display panels operable to display: (i) a second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, (ii) a third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, or (iii) the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content and the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content [0088]; and
a game controller including a processor and memory storing program code including instructions executable to cause the game controller to (Fig. 7): control display of the first set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content on the main display, and coordinate display of the first set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content on the main display with (i) the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, (ii) the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, or (iii) the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content and the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content on the plurality of side display panels as a visual output [0057], [0088].
LAPALME does not expressly disclose that the main screen and the side panel screens have curved front surfaces with identical curvature and are flush to define an extended canvas. Lee discloses a main screen (1304) and side panel screen (i.e. curved ring area 1310) have curved front surfaces with identical curvature (Fig. 13, 14), [0231]. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify LAPALME to curve the main display and side panel screen as taught by Lee as it is a common and obvious design choice in the gaming machine art to improve player immersion, viewing angles, ergonomics, and aesthetic appeal.
2. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming system of claim 1, wherein the visual output is the first set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content synchronized with (i) the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, (ii) the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia contents, or (iii) the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content and the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, LAPALME [0015], [0088].
3. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming system of claim 1, further an accessory display framed by one or more accessory side display panels, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the game controller to control display of the visual output on the one or more accessory side display panels, LAPALME , [0061], [0102], [0117].
4. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming system of claim 1, further comprising an integrated candle, LAPALME [0102].
5. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a light emitting diode (LED) controller configured to synchronize the visual output with the game controller, LAPALME [0087].
6. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming system of claim 5, wherein the LED controller is configured to convert the first set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content, or the second set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content and the third set of dynamic graphics or multimedia content to a form that is displayable on the main display and the plurality of side display panels, LAPALME [0088].
7. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming system of claim 6, wherein the LED controller is further configured to individually control LEDs on the main display and the plurality of side display panels, LAPALME [0087]-[0088].
8. LAPALME and Lee discloses an electronic gaming machine comprising a curved main display having a top, a bottom, and sides, the curved main display having a curved front surface with a first curvature; a plurality of side display panels adjacent to and flush with only the sides of the curved main display such that no side display panels are situated adjacent to and flush with the top and the bottom of the curved main display, each side display panel of the plurality of side display panels having a curved front surface with a second curvature identical to the first curvature, the curved front surfaces of the plurality of side display panels being flush with the curved front surface of the curved main display to define an extended canvas; a light emitting diode (LED) controller; and a gaming controller configured to control the LED controller to coordinate a display of multimedia content across the curved main display and the plurality of side display panels based on one or more characteristics of the multimedia content and one or more characteristics of the curved main display and the plurality of side display panels as similarly discussed above.
9. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming machine of claim 8, further comprising a virtual button deck (VBD) and a VBD controller, wherein the gaming controller is further configured to control the VBD controller and the LED controller to synchronize an activation of touch inputs via the virtual button deck with the display of multimedia content across the curved main display and the plurality of side display panels, LAPALME (262, 264, 266, 268: Fig. 1), [0055], [0119] or Lee [0098], [0192], [0253].
10. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming machine of claim 9, wherein the gaming controller is further configured to control the VBD controller to synchronize output sound to a sound bar with the activation of touch inputs via the virtual button deck and the display of multimedia content across the curved main display and the plurality of side display panels, LAPALME [0112], [0119] or Lee [0098], [0192], [0253].
11. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the gaming controller is further configured to control the VBD controller and the LED controller to synchronize an activation of touch inputs via the VBD with the display of multimedia content across the curved main display and the plurality of side display panels, LAPALME [0112], [0119] or Lee [0098], [0192], [0253].
12. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming machine of claim 8, further comprising an accessory display and a plurality of accessory side display panels, LAPALME [0061], [0102], [0117].
13. LAPALME and Lee discloses the electronic gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the plurality of side display panels includes a first set of LEDs adjacent to the curved main display and a second set of LEDs perpendicular to the curved main display, LAPALME (Fig. 1-3), [0102], [0117].
14. LAPALME and Lee discloses a method of operating an electronic gaming device comprising: providing dynamic graphics or multimedia content to a controller; determining one or more displays from a main display and one or more side lighting displays to present the dynamic graphics or multimedia content, the main display having a top, a bottom, and sides, the main display having a curved front surface with a first curvature, the one or more side lighting displays adjacent to and flush with only one or more of the sides of the main display such that no side lighting displays are situated adjacent to and flush with the top and the bottom of the main display, each side lighting display of the one or more side lighting displays having a curved front surface with a second curvature identical to the first curvature. the curved front surface of each side lighting display being flush with the curved front surface of the main display to define an extended canvas; transmitting the dynamic graphics or multimedia content to a light emitting diode (LED) controller; and controlling synchronization of a presentation of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content across the one or more displays by displaying a first portion of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content on the main display and displaying a second portion of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content on the one or more side lighting displays as similarly discussed above.
15. LAPALME and Lee discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising coordinating the presentation of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content with an activation of touch inputs at a virtual button deck (VBD), LAPALME [0088], [0093]-[0101].
16. LAPALME and Lee discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising determining to control the main display or the one or more side lighting displays based on one or more characteristics of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content and one or more characteristics of the main display and the one or more side lighting displays, LAPALME [0088], [0093]-[0101].
17. LAPALME and Lee discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the one or more characteristics of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content includes at least one of a format type, a minimum resolution, a minimum display size, or a message type, LAPALME [0088].
18. LAPALME and Lee discloses the method of claim 17, wherein the one or more characteristics of the main display and the one or more side lighting displays includes at least one of a position, a size, or a resolution of the main display and the one or more side lighting displays, LAPALME [0088].
19. LAPALME and Lee discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising coordinating the presentation of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content with sound at a sound bar, LAPALME [0112].
20. LAPALME and Lee discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising coordinating the presentation of the dynamic graphics or multimedia content with an accessory display, LAPALME [0088], [0102], [0016], [0117].
Filing of New or Amended Claims
The examiner has the initial burden of presenting evidence or reasoning to explain why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the original disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims. See Wertheim, 541 F.2d at 263, 191 USPQ at 97 (“[T]he PTO has the initial burden of presenting evidence or reasons why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims.”). However, when filing an amendment an applicant should show support in the original disclosure for new or amended claims. See MPEP § 714.02 and § 2163.06 (“Applicant should specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure.”). Please see MPEP 2163 (II) 3. (b)
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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SENG H LIM whose telephone number is (571)270-3301. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9-5).
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, Xuan Thai can be reached at (571) 272-7147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Seng H Lim/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
Prosecution Insights