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 .
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 19-25 and 69-75 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Claim 1 recites a method for inviting remote players and controlling remote player connections via a console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher. The limitation of inviting remote players and controlling remote player connections via a console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting “console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher,” nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher” language, “inviting” in the context of this claim encompasses the user mentally thinking about asking someone to play a game. Similarly, the limitations of: sending are processes that, under their broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind. The same interpretation is applied to the remaining steps in claim 1. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher. The console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor implementing a step) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible. Similar reasoning is applied to claims 20-25 and 69-75.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 19-25 and 69-75 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Publication No. 2016/0001184 A1 to Sepulveda et al. (hereinafter “Sepulveda”).
Concerning claim 19, Sepulveda discloses a method for inviting remote players and controlling remote player connections via a console device or a cloud service client of a game publisher (Fig. 1, paragraphs [0101], [0111], [0191] – players are invited to game), the method comprising:
logging a profile associated with a console or game owner in to a console device or cloud service (CD/CS) using credentials (Fig. 6D, paragraphs [0123], [0198], [0216] – profile is entered);
sending, from a user account and authentication system (UAAS) of a console game provider or cloud service (CGP/CS), a user-authenticated response with a user identification to the CD/CS and a user authentication, user search, or user connection (UA/US/UC) response to a UA/US/UC controller of the CD/CS (Fig. 6D, paragraphs [0123], [0198], [0216], [0220] – authentication is sent to identify a player account);
in response to user selection of an option to invite remote players from at least one of the console device, a game service client, or a game paused via a user interface, sending, from the UA/US/UC controller of the CD/CS, a participants list request with the user identification to the UAAS of the CGP/CS (Fig. 5C, paragraphs [0113]-[0119] – list of participants is sent); and
sending, from the UAAS, a user list with user names and user identifications response to the UA/US/UC controller (Fig. 5C, paragraphs [0113]-[0119] – list of participants is sent).
Concerning claims 20 and 70, Sepulveda discloses comprising: in response to user selection of one or more participants to invite from the user list, adding the selected user identifications to an invite list for users to invite at the CD/CS; in response to user entry of a name and user selection of a search, sending, from the UA/US/UC controller, a search request with a user name and user identification to the UAAS; and sending, from the UAAS, the user list with user names and an empty response to the UAAS and machine user names and user identifications to the UA/US/UC controller (Fig. 5C, paragraphs [0112]-[0119] – adding users to the participant list).
Concerning claims 21 and 71, Sepulveda discloses comprising: in response to identifying the user identification in the UAAS, sending, from the UAAS, the user list with user names and user identifications response to the UAAS and the machine user names and the user identifications to the UA/US/UC controller; and in response to user addition of a searched user to the invite list, adding the selected user identification to the invite list for users to invite at the CD/CS (Fig. 5C, paragraphs [0112]-[0119] – sending the user participant list).
Concerning claims 22 and 72, Sepulveda discloses comprising: in response to user selection of a send invite selection option, sending, from a remote play controller of the CD/CS, a remote session request with the user identification and remote session identifier to a remote player management controller of the CGP/CS; and sending, from the remote player management controller of the CGP/CS or a remote play controller of the CD/CS, a remote session response with the remote session identifier to the remote play controller of the CD/CS (paragraphs [0101], [0172],-[0181], [0217] – remote session is sent).
Concerning claims 23 and 73, Sepulveda discloses comprising: sending, from the remote play controller of the CD/CS, to one or more client devices of one or more users an invite with the user identification list, a requesting user name and user identification, RTP streaming connection endpoint, and controller connection UDP 1 connection endpoint, UDP 2 connection endpoint, UDP 3 connection endpoint, UDP 4 connection endpoint, and remote session identifier to the remote player management controller of the CGP/CS (paragraphs [0101], [0172],-[0181], [0217] – user identification is requested).
Concerning claims 24 and 74, Sepulveda discloses comprising: sending, from the remote player management controller of the CGP/CS, a user invite request with the requesting user name and user identification, RTP streaming connection endpoint, and controller connection UDP 1 connection endpoint, UDP 2 connection endpoint, UDP 3 connection endpoint, UDP 4 connection endpoint, and remote session identifier to each invited user (paragraphs [0112]-[0119] – invite list and user name request is sent).
Concerning claims 25 and 75, Sepulveda discloses comprising: sending, from the CD/CS, the user authentication, user search, and UA/US/UC management controller user login with credentials to the UAAS of the CGP/CS (Fig. 5C, paragraphs [0113]-[0119] – login credentials are sent).
Concerning claim 69, see the rejection of claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed in the PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MALINA D BLAISE whose telephone number is (571)270-3398. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Thurs. 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (PT).
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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.
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MALINA D. BLAISE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3715
/MALINA D. BLAISE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715