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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the predetermined information" in lines 6, 10, 16, 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim recites “updating predetermined information” in line 3, however further in the claim, “the updated predetermined information” is used as well.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the special condition" in lines 14 and 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Further, it is unclear if it referring to the claim limitation “a preset special condition”.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "a value" in lines 15 and 20. It is not clear if these are the same element or distinct elements. For clarity, when multiple terms have the same name but are intended to be distinct elements, clearly distinct labels, such as "first element" and "second element" should be used to make the distinct nature clear. Conversely, if the terms are to the same element, a consistent name should be used with “said” or “the” when referring back.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the predetermined information" in lines 6, 10, 16, 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim recites “updating predetermined information” in line 3, however further in the claim, “the updated predetermined information” is used as well.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the special condition" in lines 14 and 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Further, it is unclear if it referring to the claim limitation “a preset special condition”.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a value" in lines 15 and 20. It is not clear if these are the same element or distinct elements. For clarity, when multiple terms have the same name but are intended to be distinct elements, clearly distinct labels, such as "first element" and "second element" should be used to make the distinct nature clear. Conversely, if the terms are to the same element, a consistent name should be used with “said” or “the” when referring back.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the predetermined information" in lines 6, 10, 16, 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim recites “updating predetermined information” in line 3, however further in the claim, “the updated predetermined information” is used as well.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the special condition" in lines 14 and 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Further, it is unclear if it referring to the claim limitation “a preset special condition”.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "a value" in lines 15 and 20. It is not clear if these are the same element or distinct elements. For clarity, when multiple terms have the same name but are intended to be distinct elements, clearly distinct labels, such as "first element" and "second element" should be used to make the distinct nature clear. Conversely, if the terms are to the same element, a consistent name should be used with “said” or “the” when referring back.
All dependent claims inherit the deficiencies of the claim(s) from which they depend and are similarly rejected for the same reason.
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 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claims 1 – 6 are all within at least one of the four categories of invention, and have been analyzed to determine whether they are directed to any judicial exceptions.
Step 2A, Prong 1
Each of claims 1 – 6 recites at least one step or instruction for setting gameplay parameters, which is grouped as a mental process and certain methods of organizing human activity under the 2019 PEG. The claimed limitations involve concepts performed in the human mind, namely observation, evaluation and judgement, which are mental processes and managing personal behavior and following rules or instructions, which are methods of organizing human activity under the 2019 PEG. Accordingly, each of Claims 1 - 6 recites an abstract idea.
Independent Claim 1 recites:
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute:
processing for updating predetermined information in accordance with a game status of a player;
processing for setting an upper limit of a parameter of a game medium based on the predetermined information; and
processing for changing the parameter up to the set upper limit,
wherein, in the processing for setting the upper limit,
when the predetermined information is updated with a preset special condition being not satisfied, the upper limit of a particular game medium can be set to a reference value corresponding to the updated predetermined information,
when the special condition is satisfied, the upper limit of the particular game medium can be set to a value that exceeds the reference value corresponding to the predetermined information at that time by a predetermined value, and
when the predetermined information is updated with the special condition being satisfied, the upper limit of the particular game medium can be set to a value that exceeds the reference value corresponding to the updated predetermined information by the predetermined value.
Accordingly, as indicated in bold above, each of the above-identified claims recites an abstract idea. Further, dependent Claims 1 – 6 merely include limitations that either further define the abstract idea (and thus don’t make the abstract idea any less abstract) or amount to no more than generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use because they’re merely incidental or token additions to the claims that do not alter or affect how the process steps are performed.
Step 2A, Prong 2
The above-identified abstract idea in each of independent Claims 1, 5 and 6 (and their respective dependent Claims 2 - 4) is not integrated into a practical application under 2019 PEG because the additional elements (identified above in independent Claims 1, 5 and 6), either alone or in combination, generally link the use of the above-identified abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use. More specifically, the additional elements of computer, as recited in independent Claims 1, 5 and 6 and its dependent claims are generically recited computer elements which do not improve the functioning of a computer, or any other technology or technical field. Nor do these above-identified additional elements serve to apply the above-identified abstract idea with, or by use of, a particular machine, effect a transformation or apply or use the above-identified abstract idea in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use thereof to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception.
Furthermore, the computer and the above-identified additional elements do not add a meaningful limitation to the abstract idea because they amount to simply implementing the abstract idea on a computer/computing device. For at least these reasons, the abstract idea identified above in independent Claims 1, 5 and 6 (and their respective dependent Claims 2 - 4) are not integrated into a practical application under 2019 PEG.
Moreover, the above-identified abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application
under 2019 PEG because the claimed system merely implements the above-identified abstract
idea (e.g., mental process) using rules (e.g., computer instructions) executed by a computer (e.g.
a computer as recited in independent claims 1, 5 and 6). In other words, these claims are merely directed to an abstract idea with additional generic computer elements which do not add a meaningful limitation to the abstract idea because they amount to simply implementing the abstract idea on a computer/computing device.
Additionally, Applicant’s specification does not include any discussion of how the claimed invention provides a technical improvement realized by these claims over the prior art or any explanation of a technical problem having an unconventional technical solution that is expressed in these claims. That is, like Affinity Labs of Tex. v. DirecTV, LLC, the specification fails to provide sufficient details regarding the manner in which the claimed invention accomplishes any technical improvement or solution. Thus, for these additional reasons, the abstract idea identified above in independent Claims 1, 5 and 6 (and their respective dependent Claims 2 - 4) are not integrated into a practical application under the 2019 PEG.
Step 2B
None of the Claims 1 - 6 include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to
significantly more than the abstract idea for at least the following reasons. These claims require the additional elements of: a computer as recited in the independent claims.
The above-identified additional elements are generically claimed computer components
which enable the above-identified abstract idea(s) to be conducted by performing the basic
functions of automating mental tasks. The courts have recognized such computer functions as
well-understood, routine, and conventional functions when claimed in a merely generic manner
(e.g., at a high level of generality) or as insignificant extra-solution activity. See, Versata Dev.
Group, Inc. v. SAP Am., Inc. , 793 F.3d 1306, 1334, 115 USPQ2d 1681, 1701 (Fed. Cir. 2015);
and OIP Techs., 788 F.3d at 1363, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93.
Like SAP America vs InvestPic, LLC (Fed. Cir. 2018), it is clear, from the claims themselves and the specification, that these limitations require no improved computer resources, just already available computers, with their already available basic functions, to use as tools in executing the claimed process.
The recitation of the above-identified additional limitations in Claims 1 - 6 amounts to
mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a computer. Simply using a computer 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 provide significantly more. See Affinity Labs v. DirecTV, 838 F.3d 1253, 1262, 120 USPQ2d 1201, 1207 (Fed. Cir. 2016) and TLI Communications LLC v. AV Auto, LLC, 823 F.3d 607, 613, 118 USPQ2d 1744, 1748 (Fed. Cir. 2016). Moreover, implementing an abstract idea on a generic computer, does not add significantly more, similar to how the recitation of the computer in the claim in Alice amounted to mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of intermediated settlement on a generic computer.
A claim that purports to improve computer capabilities or to improve an existing
technology may provide significantly more. McRO, Inc. v. Bandai Namco Games Am. Inc., 837
F.3d 1299, 1314-15, 120 USPQ2d 1091, 1101-02 (Fed. Cir. 2016); and Enfish, LLC v. Microsoft
Corp., 822 F.3d 1327, 1335-36, 118 USPQ2d 1684, 1688-89 (Fed. Cir. 2016). However, a
technical explanation as to how to implement the invention should be present in the specification
for any assertion that the invention improves upon conventional functioning of a computer, or
upon conventional technology or technological processes. That is, the disclosure must provide
sufficient details such that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the claimed invention
as providing an improvement. Here, Applicant’s specification does not include any discussion of
how the claimed invention provides a technical improvement realized by these claims over the
prior art or any explanation of a technical problem having an unconventional technical solution
that is expressed in these claims. Instead, as in Affinity Labs of Tex. v. DirecTV, LLC 838 F.3d
1253, 1263-64, 120 USPQ2d 1201, 1207-08 (Fed. Cir. 2016), the specification fails to provide
sufficient details regarding the manner in which the claimed invention accomplishes any
technical improvement or solution.
For at least the above reasons, Claims 1 – 6 are directed to applying an abstract idea (e.g., mental process or certain method of organizing human activity) on a general purpose computer without (i) improving the performance of the computer itself (as in McRO, Bascom and Enfish), or (ii) providing a technical solution to a problem in a technical field (as in DDR). In other words, none of Claims 1 – 6 provide meaningful limitations to transform the abstract idea into a patent eligible application of the abstract idea such that these claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
Taking the additional elements individually and in combination, the additional elements
do not provide significantly more. Specifically, when viewed individually, the above-identified
additional elements in independent Claims 1, 5 and 6 (and their dependent claims) do not add
significantly more because they are simply an attempt to limit the abstract idea to a particular
technological environment. That is, neither the general computer elements nor any other
additional element adds meaningful limitations to the abstract idea because these additional
elements represent insignificant extra-solution activity. When viewed as a combination, these
above-identified additional elements simply instruct the practitioner to implement the claimed
functions with well-understood, routine and conventional activity specified at a high level of
generality in a particular technological environment. As such, there is no inventive concept
sufficient to transform the claimed subject matter into a patent-eligible application. As such, the
above-identified additional elements, when viewed as whole, do not provide meaningful
limitations to transform the abstract idea into a patent eligible application of the abstract idea
such that the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. Thus, Claims 1 - 6 merely apply an abstract idea to a computer and do not (i) improve the performance of the computer itself (as in Bascom and Enfish), or (ii) provide a technical solution to a problem in a
technical field (as in DDR).
Therefore, none of the claims 1 - 6 amounts to significantly more than the abstract idea
itself.
Accordingly, claims 1 – 6 are not patent eligible and rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as
being directed to abstract ideas implemented on a generic computer in view of the Supreme
Court Decision in Alice Corporation Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank International, et al. and 2019 PEG.
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.
Claims 1 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kikuchi et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0326452 A1).
As per claim 1, Kikuchi et al. discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute: processing for updating predetermined information in accordance with a game status of a player ([0046] – [0049] and [0063]); processing for setting an upper limit of a parameter of a game medium based on the predetermined information (a parameter upper limit (maximum value) for a game medium (e.g., stamina, resource amount), see [0052] – [0056]); and processing for changing the parameter up to the set upper limit (increasing (restoring) the game parameter value, [0057] – [0058]), wherein, in the processing for setting the upper limit, when the predetermined information is updated with a preset special condition being not satisfied, the upper limit of a particular game medium can be set to a reference value corresponding to the updated predetermined information (a normal state in which no special item or condition is applied, in this state, the upper limit remains at a standard reference value, see [0053] and [0060]), when the special condition is satisfied, the upper limit of the particular game medium can be set to a value that exceeds the reference value corresponding to the predetermined information at that time by a predetermined value (a special condition is triggered (such as consumption of an item, payment of in-game currency, see [0065] – [0068]) and when the predetermined information is updated with the special condition being satisfied, the upper limit of the particular game medium can be set to a value that exceeds the reference value corresponding to the updated predetermined information by the predetermined value (the increased upper limit remains effective while the special condition is active, even as player information or parameter values change, the higher cap continues to apply, see [0068] – [0071]).
As per claim 2, Kikuchi et al. discloses processing for consuming a cost when the parameter is changed, wherein a consumption amount of the cost required to change the parameter is constant irrespective of whether the special condition is satisfied or not (consuming a cost when a game parameter is changed, such as consumption of in-game currency, consumption of an item, see [0065] – [0068]).
As per claim 3, Kikuchi et al. discloses the predetermined information is updated with the special condition being satisfied, in the processing for setting the upper limit of the particular game medium, the predetermined value is added to the reference value corresponding to the updated predetermined information ([0054] – [0056], [0068] – [0071]).
As per claim 4, Kikuchi et al. discloses the predetermined information is updated with the special condition being satisfied, in the processing for setting the upper limit of the particular game medium, the predetermined value is added to the reference value corresponding to the updated predetermined information ([0054] – [0056], [0065] – [0071]).
As per claim 5, the instant claim is a method in which corresponds to the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1. Therefore, it is rejected for the reasons set forth above.
As per claim 6, the instant claim is a system in which corresponds to the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1. Therefore, it is rejected for the reasons set forth above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and is listed on the attached Notice of References Cited.
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/ANKIT B DOSHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3715