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 Objections
Claims 1-3, 5-6, and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities.
Claim 1, line 3, “the number” should read “a number”.
Claim 1, line 5, “the quantity” should read “a quantity”.
Claim 1, line 10, “the electronic terminal” should read “an electronic terminal”.
Claim 2, lines 4-5, “the number of necessary tickets” should read “a number of necessary tickets”.
Claim 3, line 2, “the amount” should read “an amount”.
Claim 3, line 8, “the first members” should read “the first member”.
Claim 5, line 8, “the certification” should read “a certification”.
Claim 5, line 28, “a column vector” should read “the column vector”.
Claim 5, line 29, “a row vector” should read “the row vector”.
Claim 6, lines 3-4, “the number of required tickets” should read “a number of required tickets”.
Claim 6, lines 6-7, “the quantity of holding tickets” should read “a quantity of holding tickets”.
Claim 8, line 3, “the amount” should read “an amount”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1: Does the claimed invention fall inside one of the four statutory categories (process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter)? Yes for claims 1-11.
Claims 1-5 are drawn to a service providing server for providing tournament game services (i.e., manufacture). Claims 6-10 are drawn to a method for providing tournament game services (i.e., a process). Claim 11 is drawn to a non-transitory computer readable recording medium for providing tournament game services (i.e., a manufacture).
Step 2A - Prong One: Do the claims recite a judicial exception (an abstract idea enumerated in the 2019 PEG, a law of nature, or a natural phenomenon)? Yes, for claims 1-11.
Claim 1 recites:
A service providing server for providing tournament game services that support participation in tournaments for games using ticket, comprising: a game information storage unit storing information on the number of required tickets for participating in tournaments of a plurality of predetermined respective games;
a ticket information storage unit storing information on the quantity of holding tickets held by each of a plurality of members which subscribes in the tournament game service;
a confirmation unit conducting, when an access request command to a tournament session, wherein the tournament session means a session opened for allowing members accessing to the tournament session through the electronic terminal to play a first game online jointly, opened for the first game which is any one of the plurality of games is received from a first electronic terminal which is a first member which is any one of the plurality of members, certification for the first member, and then confirming a first required number which is the number of required tickets for participating in the tournament of the first game by referring to the game information storage unit, and confirming the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member by referring to the ticket information storage unit;
and a reduction processing unit allowing, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is equal to or more than the first required number, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session, and then reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number.
These steps amount to a form of mental process and organizing human activity (i.e., an abstract idea) because a human can obtain the number of required tickets for participating in games and the quantity of holding tickets subscribed in the service and a human can confirm the number of required tickets and then reduce the quantity of tickets by the required number of tickets. Applicant of claimed invention discloses “electronic terminals provide an environment which enables playing games with others online” [0004]. Examiner notes that competitive and strategic online game players generally keep track of the quantity of tickets or amount of currency required to participate.
Independent claims 6 and 11 describe nearly identical steps as claim 1 (and therefore recite limitations that fall within this subject matter of grouping abstract ideas), and these claims are therefore determined to recite an abstract idea under the same analysis. Dependent claims 2-5 and 7-10 are directed towards mini-tasks (calculating the number of necessary tickets, generating a guidance message, renting the number of necessary tickets, storing the amount of payment on cryptocurrency, etc.) for a service providing server for providing tournament game services. Each claim amounts to a form of collecting, generating, and analyzing information, and therefore falls within the scope of a method for organizing human activity, (i.e., an abstract idea). As such, the Examiner concludes that claims 2-5 and 7-10 recite an abstract idea.
Step 2A – Prong Two: Do the claims recite additional elements that integrate the exception into a practical application of the exception? No
In prong two of step 2A, an evaluation is made whether a claim recites any additional element, or combination of additional elements, that integrate the exception into a practical application of that exception. An “additional element” is an element that is recited in the claim in addition to (beyond) the judicial exception (i.e., an element/limitation that sets forth an abstract idea is not an additional element). The phrase “integration into a practical application” is defined as requiring an additional element or a combination of additional elements in the claim to apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the judicial exception, such that it is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception.
The requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using processing and storage units (independent claims 1, 6, and 11 and dependent claims 2-5 and 7-10) is equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer.
Similarly, the limitations of processing and storage units (independent claims 1, 6, and 11 and dependent claims 2-5 and 7-10) are recited at a high level of generality and amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. These limitations do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(f)). Use of a computer, processor, memory or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks (e.g., to receive, store, or transmit data) or simply adding a general-purpose computer or computer components after the fact to an abstract idea (e.g., a fundamental economic practice or mathematical equation) does not integrate a judicial exception into a practical application or provide significantly more. See Affinity Labs v. DirecTV, 838 F.3d 1253, 1262, 120 USPQ2d 1201, 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (cellular telephone); TLI Communications LLC v. AV Auto, LLC, 823 F.3d 607, 613, 118 USPQ2d 1744, 1748 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (computer server and telephone unit). Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Bank (USA), 792 F.3d 1363, 1367, 115 USPQ2d 1636, 1639 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (See MPEP 2106.05(f)).
Further, the additional limitations beyond the abstract idea identified above, serve merely to generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Specifically, they serve to limit the application of the abstract idea to a computerized environment (e.g., identifying and displaying, etc.) performed by a computing device, processor, and memory, etc. This reasoning was demonstrated in Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Capital One Bank (Fed. Cir. 2015), where the court determined "an abstract idea does not become nonabstract by limiting the invention to a particular field of use or technological environment, such as the Internet [or] a computer"). These limitations do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(h)).
Dependent claims 2-5 and 7-10 fail to include any additional elements. In other words, each of the limitations/elements recited in respective dependent claims are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective independent claim (i.e., they are part of the abstract idea recited in each respective claim). The Examiner has therefore determined that the additional elements, or combination of additional elements, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Accordingly, the claims are directed to an abstract idea.
Step 2B: Does the claim as a whole amount to significantly more than the judicial exception? i.e., Are there any additional elements (features/limitations/step) recited in the claim beyond the abstract idea? No
In step 2B, the claims are analyzed to determine whether any additional element, or combination of additional elements, are sufficient to ensure that the claims amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. This analysis is also termed a search for an “inventive concept.” An “inventive concept” is furnished by an element or combination of elements that is recited in the claim in addition to (beyond) the judicial exception, and is sufficient to ensure that the claim as a whole amount to significantly more than the judicial exception itself. Alice Corp., 573 U.S. at 27-18, 110 USPQ2d at 1981 (citing Mayo, 566 U.S. at 72-73, 101 USPQ2d at 1966).
As discussed above in “Step 2A – Prong Two”, the identified additional elements in independent claims 1, 6, and 11 and dependent claims 2-5 and 7-10 are equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer, and/or generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Therefore, the claims as a whole do not amount to significantly more than the judicial exception itself.
Viewing the additional limitations in combination also shows that they fail to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. When considered as an ordered combination, the additional components of the claims add nothing that is not already present when considered separately, and thus simply append the abstract idea with words equivalent to “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer or/and append the abstract idea with insignificant extra solution activity associated with the implementation of the judicial exception, (e.g., mere data gathering, post-solution activity) and/or simply appending well-understood, routine, conventional activities previously known to the industry, specified at a high level of generality, to the judicial exception.
Dependent claims 2-5 and 7-10 fail to include any additional elements. In other words, each of the limitations/elements recited in respective independent claims are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim (i.e. they are part of the abstract idea recited in each respective claim).
The Examiner has therefore determined that no additional element, or combination of additional claims elements are sufficient to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea identified above. Therefore, claims 1-11 are not eligible subject matter under 35 USC 101.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being unpatentable under US 20210090404 A1 (“Andrews”).
In regards to claim 1, Andrews discloses
A service providing server for providing tournament game services that support participation in tournaments for games using ticket, comprising ([0008], “a gaming system comprises a … game server … that monitors … ticket balances”): a game information storage unit storing information on the number of required tickets for participating in tournaments of a plurality of predetermined respective games ([0056], “the … database … may store data associated with … ticket balances” Examiner notes that the ticket data stored in the database inherently allows the count of the number of tickets.);
a ticket information storage unit storing information on the quantity of holding tickets held by each of a plurality of members which subscribes in the tournament game service ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.” Examiner notes that a ticket information storage unit may be one of the plurality of systems.);
a confirmation unit conducting, when an access request command to a tournament session, wherein the tournament session means a session opened for allowing members accessing to the tournament session through the electronic terminal to play a first game online jointly, opened for the first game which is any one of the plurality of games is received from a first electronic terminal which is a first member which is any one of the plurality of members, certification for the first member, and then confirming a first required number which is the number of required tickets for participating in the tournament of the first game by referring to the game information storage unit, and confirming the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member by referring to the ticket information storage unit ([0094], “Selecting the tournament panel … may confirm the player's participation in the tournament, … by causing a confirmation interface to be presented. The player device … may then transmit a message to the … server … to indicate the player's confirmation”);
and a reduction processing unit allowing, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is equal to or more than the first required number, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU can perform calculations (addition, subtraction, etc.) to determine whether the number of holding tickets are equal to or greater than the first required number.), and then reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number ([0039], “When a wagering-game … is executed, the CPU … executes … programming to generate … numbers” Examiner notes that a CPU can perform calculations that include subtraction and division to reduce the quantity of holding tickets.).
In regards to claim 2, Andrews discloses
wherein the reduction processing unit includes a message transmission unit calculating, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is less than the first required number, the number of necessary tickets, and then when it is confirmed that the number of necessary tickets is less than a predetermined threshold ([0061], “In other embodiments, the … game may … have … a ticket threshold”), generating a guidance message indicating that tickets of the number of necessary tickets may be rented, and transmitting the generated guidance message to the first electronic terminal ([0070], “Notification in response to a threshold being exceeded many reduce … resource burden of the … services server … threshold-based notification … forms of communication may be used” Examiner notes that a notification can be a guidance message regarding quantity of tickets required for a rental.), and a rental processing unit allowing ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes”), when a rental command instructing to rent the tickets of the number of necessary tickets is received from the first electronic terminal ([0041], “The gaming machine … may include … storage media including instructions for performing … operations”) in response to the guidance message, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session, reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number, and then when a predetermined rental period elapsed, generating a purchase message which instructs to purchase the tickets of the number of necessary tickets, and transmitting the generated purchase message to the first electronic terminal ([0070], “threshold-based notification … forms of communication may be used” Examiner notes that a notification can be a guidance message and that a predetermined setting is based on a threshold.).
In regards to claim 4, Andrews discloses
further comprising: a price information storage unit ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”) storing purchase price information of the ticket for participating in the tournament ([0086], “the player may ... purchase ... tickets”);
a payment processing unit requesting, upon receiving the purchase request command of requesting purchasing tickets as many as a first purchase quantity from the first electronic terminal, transmission of payment means information to the first electronic terminal, and upon receiving first payment means information from the first electronic terminal, calculating a price corresponding to the first purchase quantity based on the purchase price information, and then performing payment processing for the calculated price based on the first payment means information ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU can request information and calculate price corresponding to quantity.);
and an increment processing unit increasing, when the payment processing is completed, the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first purchase quantity ([0008], “a gaming system comprises a … server … that monitors a plurality of … ticket balances … and that accrue ... tickets during play”).
In regards to claim 6, Andrews discloses
An operating method of a service providing server for providing tournament game services that support participation in tournaments for games using ticket, comprising ([0008], “a gaming system comprises a … game server … that monitors … ticket balances”):
maintaining a game information storage unit storing information on the number of required tickets for participating in tournaments of a plurality of predetermined respective games ([0056], “the … database … may store data associated with … ticket balances” Examiner notes that the ticket data stored in the database inherently allows counting of the number of tickets.);
maintaining a ticket information storage unit storing information on the quantity of holding tickets held by each of a plurality of members which subscribes in the tournament game service ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.” Examiner notes that a ticket information storage unit may be one of the plurality of systems.);
conducting, when an access request command to a tournament session, wherein the tournament session means a session opened for allowing members accessing to the tournament session through the electronic terminal to play a first game online jointly, opened for the first game which is any one of the plurality of games is received from a first electronic terminal which is a first member which is any one of the plurality of members, certification for the first member, and then confirming a first required number which is the number of required tickets for participating in the tournament of the first game by referring to the game information storage unit, and confirming the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member by referring to the ticket information storage unit ([0094], “Selecting the tournament panel … may confirm the player's participation in the tournament, … by causing a confirmation interface to be presented. The player device … may then transmit a message to the … server … to indicate the player's confirmation”);
and allowing, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is equal to or more than the first required number, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU can perform calculations (addition, subtraction, etc.) to determine whether the number of holding tickets are equal to or greater than the first required number.), and then reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number ([0039], “When a wagering-game … is executed, the CPU … executes … programming to generate … numbers” Examiner notes that a CPU can perform calculations that include subtraction and division to reduce the quantity of holding tickets.).
In regards to claim 7, Andrews discloses
wherein the reducing includes calculating, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is less than the first required number, the number of necessary tickets, and then when it is confirmed that the number of necessary tickets is less than a predetermined threshold ([0061], “In other embodiments, the … game may … have … a ticket threshold”), generating a guidance message indicating that tickets of the number of necessary tickets may be rented, and transmitting the generated guidance message to the first electronic terminal ([0070], “Notification in response to a threshold being exceeded many reduce … resource burden of the … services server … threshold-based notification … forms of communication may be used” Examiner notes that a notification can be a guidance message regarding quantity of tickets required for a rental.), and allowing, when a rental command instructing to rent the tickets of the number of necessary tickets is received from the first electronic terminal ([0041], “The gaming machine … may include … storage media including instructions for performing … operations”) in response to the guidance message, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session, reduces the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number, and then when a predetermined rental period elapsed, generating a purchase message which instructs to purchase the tickets of the number of necessary tickets, and transmitting the generated purchase message to the first electronic terminal ([0070], “threshold-based notification … forms of communication may be used” Examiner notes that a notification can be a guidance message and that a predetermined setting is based on a threshold.).
In regards to claim 9, Andrews discloses
further comprising: maintaining a price information storage unit ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”) storing purchase price information of the ticket for participating in the tournament ([0086], “the player may ... purchase ... tickets”);
requesting, upon receiving the purchase request command of requesting purchasing tickets as many as a first purchase quantity from the first electronic terminal, transmission of payment means information to the first electronic terminal, and upon receiving first payment means information from the first electronic terminal, calculating a price corresponding to the first purchase quantity based on the purchase price information, and then performing payment processing for the calculated price based on the first payment means information ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU can request information and calculate price corresponding to quantity.);
and increasing, when the payment processing is completed, the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first purchase quantity ([0008], “a gaming system comprises a … server … that monitors a plurality of … ticket balances … and that accrue ... tickets during play”).
In regards to claim 11, Andrews discloses
A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having a program recorded therein for allowing a computer to execute ([0045], “the game-logic circuitry is configured to … cause further actions … in accord with stored instructions relating to … actions executed by the controller … the CPU … causes the recording of a digital representation … in … storage media”) an operating method of a service providing server for providing tournament game services that support participation in tournaments for games using ticket, comprising ([0008], “a gaming system comprises a … game server … that monitors … ticket balances”):
maintaining a game information storage unit storing information on the number of required tickets for participating in tournaments of a plurality of predetermined respective games ([0056], “the … database … may store data associated with … ticket balances” Examiner notes that the ticket data stored in the database inherently allows counting of the number of tickets.);
maintaining a ticket information storage unit storing information on the quantity of holding tickets held by each of a plurality of members which subscribes in the tournament game service ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.” Examiner notes that a ticket information storage unit may be one of the plurality of systems.);
conducting, when an access request command to a tournament session, wherein the tournament session means a session opened for allowing members accessing to the tournament session through the electronic terminal to play a first game online jointly, opened for the first game which is any one of the plurality of games is received from a first electronic terminal which is a first member which is any one of the plurality of members, certification for the first member, and then confirming a first required number which is the number of required tickets for participating in the tournament of the first game by referring to the game information storage unit, and confirming the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member by referring to the ticket information storage unit ([0094], “Selecting the tournament panel … may confirm the player's participation in the tournament, … by causing a confirmation interface to be presented. The player device … may then transmit a message to the … server … to indicate the player's confirmation”);
and allowing, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is equal to or more than the first required number, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU can perform calculations (addition, subtraction, etc.) to determine whether the number of holding tickets are equal to or greater than the first required number.), and then reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number ([0039], “When a wagering-game … is executed, the CPU … executes … programming to generate … numbers” Examiner notes that a CPU can perform calculations that include subtraction and division to reduce the quantity of holding tickets.).
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:
Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 3, 5, 8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable under Andrews in view of US 20200152005 A1 (“Higgins”).
In regards to claim 3, Andrews discloses the following limitations with the exception of the underlined limitations.
further comprising: a reward information storage unit storing information on the amount of payment of ([0056], “the … database … may store data associated with … digital currency”) cryptocurrency to be paid as a reward when winning the tournament for each of the plurality of games;
a wallet address storage unit storing information ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”) on a wallet address for accumulating cryptocurrency held by each of the plurality of members;
a reward confirmation unit confirming, when an event occurs, which indicates that the first member is a winner through the tournament session as the first members wins the tournament for the first game after the first member completes participating in the tournament for the first game as the first electronic terminal accesses the tournament session ([0008], “a gaming system comprises a … server … to determine at least one outcome of the … tournament game, and awards a … prize … to a winning player”), a first payment amount which is the payment amount of the crytocurrency to be paid as the reward when winning the tournament for the first game by referring to the reward information storage unit ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”), and confirming the wallet address of the first member by referring to the wallet address storage unit ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”);
and a reward processing unit transferring the crytocurrency of the first payment amount to the wallet address of the first member to complete reward processing for the first member.
Higgins discloses
cryptocurrency to be paid as a reward when winning the tournament for each of the plurality of games ([0013], “the system … enables cryptocurrency … to be transferred between a gaming … account … and an external cryptocurrency account.”);
on a wallet address for accumulating cryptocurrency held by each of the plurality of members ([0013], “to facilitate the transfer of cryptocurrency …, such as a cryptocurrency wallet … associated with the player”);
a first payment amount which is the payment amount of the crytocurrency to be paid as the reward when winning the tournament for the first game ([0013], “the system … enables cryptocurrency … to be transferred between a gaming … account … and an external cryptocurrency account.”) and confirming the wallet address of the first member ([0036], “Table 1 ... illustrates ... a transaction records log ... stored by the gaming ... fund management system ... Destination ... Address” Examiner notes that the destination address can be the same as the wallet address of a member.)
and a reward processing unit transferring the crytocurrency of the first payment amount to the wallet address of the first member to complete reward processing for the first member ([0013], “the system … enables cryptocurrency … to be transferred between a gaming … account … and an external cryptocurrency account.”).
Andrews and Higgins are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of gaming systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention for a service providing server for providing tournament game services that support participation in tournaments for games using ticket, comprising: a game information storage unit storing information on the number of required tickets for participating in tournaments of a plurality of predetermined respective games; a ticket information storage unit storing information on the quantity of holding tickets held by each of a plurality of members which subscribes in the tournament game service; a confirmation unit conducting, when an access request command to a tournament session, wherein the tournament session means a session opened for allowing members accessing to the tournament session through the electronic terminal to play a first game online jointly, opened for the first game which is any one of the plurality of games is received from a first electronic terminal which is a first member which is any one of the plurality of members, certification for the first member, and then confirming a first required number which is the number of required tickets for participating in the tournament of the first game by referring to the game information storage unit, and confirming the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member by referring to the ticket information storage unit; and a reduction processing unit allowing, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is equal to or more than the first required number, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session, and then reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number, further comprising: a reward information storage unit storing information on the amount of payment of; wallet address storage unit storing information, a reward confirmation unit confirming, when an event occurs, which indicates that the first member is a winner through the tournament session as the first members wins the tournament for the first game after the first member completes participating in the tournament for the first game as the first electronic terminal accesses the tournament session by referring to the reward information storage unit by referring to the wallet address storage unit, as disclosed by Andrews, cryptocurrency to be paid as a reward when winning the tournament for each of the plurality of games; on a wallet address for accumulating cryptocurrency held by each of the plurality of members; a first payment amount which is the payment amount of the crytocurrency to be paid as the reward when winning the tournament for the first game and confirming the wallet address of the first member and a reward processing unit transferring the crytocurrency of the first payment amount to the wallet address of the first member to complete reward processing for the first member, as disclosed by Higgins, to provide cryptocurrency, a cryptocurrency wallet, and a cryptocurrency transfer mechanism for a system that enables cryptocurrency funds to be transferred between a gaming establishment account associated with a player and an external cryptocurrency account.
In regards to claim 5, Andrews discloses the following limitations with the exception of the underlined limitations.
wherein the confirmation unit includes an e-mail storage unit storing information ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”) on a predetermined e-mail address for each of the plurality of members ([0085], “The … game server … data may include … an email address”), a public key storage unit storing ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”) a public key corresponding to a private key, wherein the private key for each of the plurality of members is stored in the electronic terminal of each member, pre-issued for each of the plurality of members, a certification event generation unit generating a certification event for conducting the certification for the first member when receiving the access request command to the tournament session from the first electronic terminal ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU may generate a certification.), an operating unit randomly generating a n, wherein n is a natural number of 2 or more, digit first certification number and an n-digit second certification number, and then generating a column vector having respective digit numbers constituting the first certification number as components and a row vector having respective digit numbers constituting the second certification number as components, and operating a matrix multiplication between the column vector and the row vector to generate an operation matrix of an n x n size, and then operating Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU may produce and process natural numbers, row vectors, column vectors, operation matrices, and the Frobenius norm.), a certification request unit ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes”) confirming a first e-mail address for the first member by referring to the e-mail storage unit, sending a certification e-mail including the first certification number with the first e-mail address as a receiving side, and then transmitting the second certification number to the first electronic terminal, and at the same time ([0055], “operator device … may push notifications from the … game server … via … email”), requesting an electronic signature based on the first certification number and the second certification number ([0038], “program generates a … digital signature” Examiner notes that a digital signature is a type of electronic signature.), and a certification processing unit extracting, upon receiving a first electronic signature value, wherein the first electronic signature value is generated as when the second certification number is received by the first electronic terminal, and the first member inputs, into the first electronic terminal, the first certification number included in the certification e- mail received by the account according to the first e-mail address, the first electronic terminal generates a column vector having respective digit numbers constituting the first certification number as components and a row vector having respective digit numbers constituting the second certification number as components, and operates the matrix multiplication between the column vector and the row vector to generate the operation matrix of the n x n size, and then signs the Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix ([0035], “The gaming machine … includes a central processing unit (CPU) … the CPU … is operable to execute … various gaming methods and other processes” Examiner notes that a CPU may produce and process natural numbers, row vectors, column vectors, operation matrices, and the Frobenius norm.) with the first private key for the first member stored in the first electronic terminal, in response to the electronic signature request from the first electronic terminal, a first public key for the first member from the public key storage unit, and then comparing a value acquired by decoding the first electronic signature value based on the first public key and the Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix with each other, and when it is confirmed that both values coincide with each other, completing the certification for the first member.
Higgins discloses
a public key corresponding to a private key, wherein the private key for each of the plurality of members is stored in the electronic terminal of each member, pre-issued for each of the plurality of members ([0018], “a transaction request ... is made by posting the transaction request ... using the public key and a person can ... access those funds when ... provide the corresponding private key”),
with the first private key for the first member stored in the first electronic terminal, in response to the electronic signature request from the first electronic terminal, a first public key for the first member from the public key storage unit, and then comparing a value acquired by decoding the first electronic signature value based on the first public key and the Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix with each other, and when it is confirmed that both values coincide with each other, completing the certification for the first member ([0018], “a transaction request ... is made by posting the transaction request ... using the public key and a person can ... access those funds when ... provide the corresponding private key”).
Andrews and Higgins are considered analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the field of gaming systems. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention for a service providing server for providing tournament game services that support participation in tournaments for games using ticket, comprising: a game information storage unit storing information on the number of required tickets for participating in tournaments of a plurality of predetermined respective games; a ticket information storage unit storing information on the quantity of holding tickets held by each of a plurality of members which subscribes in the tournament game service; a confirmation unit conducting, when an access request command to a tournament session, wherein the tournament session means a session opened for allowing members accessing to the tournament session through the electronic terminal to play a first game online jointly, opened for the first game which is any one of the plurality of games is received from a first electronic terminal which is a first member which is any one of the plurality of members, certification for the first member, and then confirming a first required number which is the number of required tickets for participating in the tournament of the first game by referring to the game information storage unit, and confirming the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member by referring to the ticket information storage unit; and a reduction processing unit allowing, when it is confirmed that the quantity of holding tickets held by the first member is equal to or more than the first required number, the first electronic terminal to access the tournament session, and then reducing the quantity of holding tickets for the first member stored in the ticket information storage unit by the first required number, wherein the confirmation unit includes an e-mail storage unit storing information on a predetermined e-mail address for each of the plurality of members, a public key storage unit storing a certification event generation unit generating a certification event for conducting the certification for the first member when receiving the access request command to the tournament session from the first electronic terminal, an operating unit randomly generating a n, wherein n is a natural number of 2 or more, digit first certification number and an n-digit second certification number, and then generating a column vector having respective digit numbers constituting the first certification number as components and a row vector having respective digit numbers constituting the second certification number as components, and operating a matrix multiplication between the column vector and the row vector to generate an operation matrix of an n x n size, and then operating Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix, a certification request unit confirming a first e-mail address for the first member by referring to the e-mail storage unit, sending a certification e-mail including the first certification number with the first e-mail address as a receiving side, and then transmitting the second certification number to the first electronic terminal, and at the same time, requesting an electronic signature based on the first certification number and the second certification number, and a certification processing unit extracting, upon receiving a first electronic signature value, wherein the first electronic signature value is generated as when the second certification number is received by the first electronic terminal, and the first member inputs, into the first electronic terminal, the first certification number included in the certification e- mail received by the account according to the first e-mail address, the first electronic terminal generates a column vector having respective digit numbers constituting the first certification number as components and a row vector having respective digit numbers constituting the second certification number as components, and operates the matrix multiplication between the column vector and the row vector to generate the operation matrix of the n x n size, and then signs the Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix, as disclosed by Andrews, a public key corresponding to a private key, wherein the private key for each of the plurality of members is stored in the electronic terminal of each member, pre-issued for each of the plurality of members, with the first private key for the first member stored in the first electronic terminal, in response to the electronic signature request from the first electronic terminal, a first public key for the first member from the public key storage unit, and then comparing a value acquired by decoding the first electronic signature value based on the first public key and the Frobenius Norm of the operation matrix with each other, and when it is confirmed that both values coincide with each other, completing the certification for the first member, as disclosed by Higgins, to provide a public key and a private key for a system that enables cryptocurrency funds to be transferred between a gaming establishment account associated with a player and an external cryptocurrency account.
In regards to claim 8, Andrews discloses the following limitations with the exception of the underlined limitations.
further comprising: maintaining a reward information storage unit storing information on the amount of payment of ([0056], “the … database … may store data associated with … digital currency”) cryptocurrency to be paid as a reward when winning the tournament for each of the plurality of games;
maintaining a wallet address storage unit storing information ([0056], “The … database … may include data storage accessible by a plurality of systems.”) on a wallet address for accumulating cryptocurrency held by each of the plurality of members;
confirming, when an event occurs, which indicates that the first member is a winner through the tournament session as the first members wins the tournament for the first game after the first member completes participating in the tournament for the first game as the first electronic terminal accesses the tournament session ([