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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on March 12, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-9, 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nguyen (2019/0122492) in view of Mitchell, JR (US 2004/0155104) in yet further view of Griswold et al (US 2013/0137516)
Claim 1: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches a gaming system,
comprising:
a first gaming machine(Nguyen Figure 4; Paragraph [0192]) comprising:
a camera configured to capture a face image of a player (Nguyen Paragraphs [0250], [0281]; Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]);
a card stacker configured to stack a plurality of information cards (Mitchell, JR Figure 5; Element 96);
a communication interface (Nguyen Figure 4; Element 422); and
a first processor (Nguyen Figure 4; Element 402) configured to
execute a game based on a first game value inserted from an outside (Nguyen Figures 12, 14; Paragraphs [0634], [0635]-[0636], [0643]),
pay out a second game value according to a result of the game (Nguyen Figures 12, 14; Paragraphs [0634], [0635]-[0636], [0643]),
when an information card is not inserted as the first game value, issue a new information card through the card stacker, wherein the new information card is a non-member information card that is not associated with personal information, generate first history information including (a) first gaming machine identification information for specifying the first gaming machine, (b) first insertion information representing an inserted amount of the first game value and an insertion time thereof, (c) first payout information representing a payout amount of the second game value paid out and a payout time thereof, and (d) first identification information for specifying the new information card,
assign a flag having a first value to the first identification information, the first value indicating the new information card being newly issued from a card stacker (-wherein the first flag value is understood to correlate to the lack of a previous voucher value when the insertion is not tied to an existing voucher value and to a the previous voucher when one is utilized for the insertion of game value- Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] & - Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card, alternatively described as non-member card, if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented - Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]), and
transmit, through the communication interface, the first history information and image data representing the face image, (-wherein voucher transactions are logged in a tracking database- Nguyen Element 1602; Figures 16, 17A, 17B; Paragraphs [0648], [0667] [0675] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]) and
when the information card is inserted as the first game value, generate second history information including (a) second gaming machine identification information for specifying the first gaming machine, (b) second insertion information representing the inserted amount of the first game value and the insertion time thereof, (c) second payout information representing the payout amount of the second game value paid out and the payout time thereof, and (d) second identification information for specifying the information card
assign the flag having a second value different from the first value, to the second identification information the second value indicating the information card being continuously used (-wherein the second flag value is understood to correlate to the previous voucher when one is utilized for the insertion of the game value- Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] & -Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented- Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]);
transmit through the communication interface the second history information and the image data (-wherein voucher transactions are logged in a tracking database- Nguyen Element 1602; Figures 16, 17A, 17B; Paragraphs [0648], [0667] [0675] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]); and
an information processing device comprising:
a gaming machine interface configured to communicate with a plurality of gaming machines (Nguyen Figures 8, 9; Elements 801, 845, 922; Paragraphs [0372]-[0411], [0525]-[0526]);
a database (Nguyen Figure 8; Elements 892, 894); and
a second processor (Nguyen Figure 8; Element 810) configured to
upon receiving the first history information including the first identification information assigned with the flag having the first value, in response to the flag having the first value, store the first history information in the database as new history information associated with first identification information (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641]); and
upon receiving the second history information including the second identification information assigned the flag having the second value, in response to the flag having the second value, store the second history information in the database by connecting with previously-stored history information associated with the second identification information in time series as a series of history information associated with the second identification information only when a same person is identified by authentication based on the face image represented by the image data, the authentication of the same person based on the face image being used as a condition for connecting the second history information with the previously-stored history information as the series of history information, (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7),
wherein the second processor is further configured to, upon receiving third history information including the first identification information associated with the flag having the second value after storing the first history information in the database as the new history information, store the third history information in the database by connecting with the first history information associated with the first identification information in time series as a series of history information associated with the first identification information (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641], [0647]).
The prior art of Nguyen teaches the invention as presented herein above and including the use of vouchers or smart cards that are understood as equivalent to the claimed information card (Nguyen Paragraph [0632]). While Nguyen does not explicitly teach the use of a card stacker storing a plurality of cards for distribution, and tracking the continual use of the same card if presented or a providing a new card if no card is presented in an analogous teaching Mitchell, JR teaches that these features were known before the earliest effective filing date of the instant application (Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to have incorporated the use of the card stacker and tracking the continual use of the same card if presented or a providing a new card if no card is presented as taught by Mitchell in the prior art of Nguyen in order to provide the predictable and expected result of providing an inventory management system adapted to distribute cards when needed and providing for the re-usability of existing cards without requiring the player or establishment employee to provide an existing card separately for all transactions.
The combination of Nguyen & Mitchell, JR teaches the invention as cited above and including the use of a cameras to capture images of players faces (Nguyen Paragraphs [0250], [0281]). While the combination of Nguyen & Mitchell, JR is arguably silent regarding the authentication and identification the same player based on the use of facial recognition, and limiting the updating of player data based thereon, this feature is taught by the analogous invention of Griswold (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the use of a camera with facial recognition as incorporated in both Nguyen & Griswold, to provide the authentication and identification the same player based on the use of facial recognition, and limiting the updating of player data based thereon, because such would have provided the expected and predictable advantage of allowing the continuous tracking of anonymous players without requiring the them to register for a casino loyalty program as taught by Griswold (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0004]).
Claim 2: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the gaming system of claim 1, wherein the new information card is a non-member information card that is not registered as a member (-Wherein the vouchers/cards are Anonymous instruments - Nguyen Paragraphs [0005], [0631] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]).
Claim 3: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the gaming system of claim 1, wherein the information card is a non-member information card that is issued in a second gaming machine after a game is played without the information card, and is not registered as a member (-Wherein the vouchers/cards are Anonymous instruments - Nguyen Paragraphs [0005], [0631]).
Claim 4: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second processor is further configured to determine that a fraudulent act of a player associated with the second identification is committed when the second insertion information and the second payout information satisfy at least two of a plurality of conditions,
wherein the plurality of conditions comprises:
a first condition that the inserted amount exceeds a predetermined amount;
a second condition that an interval between the insertion time and the payout time is equal to or less than a predetermined interval; and
a third condition that a difference between the inserted amount and the payout amount is equal to or less than a predetermined difference (-One or more of the following- Nguyen Paragraphs [0413], [0415], [0424], [0429]-[0431], [550]-[0552]).
Claim 5: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches an information processing device comprising:
a gaming machine interface configured to communicate with a plurality of gaming machines (Nguyen Figures 8, 9; Elements 801, 845, 922; Paragraphs [0372]-[0411], [0525]-[0526]);
a database (Nguyen Figure 8; Elements 892, 894); and
a processor (Nguyen Figure 8; Element 810) configured to:
receive first history information and image data representing a face image of a player from a first gaming machine among the plurality of gaming machines, the face image being captured by the first gaming machine (Nguyen Paragraphs [0250], [0281]; Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]), the first history information including (a) first gaming machine identification information for specifying the first gaming machine, (b) first insertion information representing an inserted amount of a first game value inserted in the first gaming machine and an insertion time thereof, (c) first payout information representing a payout amount of a second game value paid out in the first gaming machine and a payout time thereof, and (d) first identification information for specifying a first information card issued in the first gaming machine and assigned a first flag having a first value indicating a new information card being newly issued from a card stacker, (-wherein the first flag value is understood to correlate to the lack of a previous voucher value when the insertion is not tied to an existing voucher value and to a the previous voucher when one is utilized for the insertion of game value- Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] & - Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented - Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]), the first flag being assigned to the first identification information by the first gaming machine(-vouchers generated at the gaming devices - Nguyen Elements 1602 & 1630; Figure 16, 17A, 17B; Paragraphs [0648], [0655]) wherein the new information card is a non-member information card that is not associated with personal information (-wherein the first flag value is understood to correlate to the lack of a previous voucher value when the insertion is not tied to an existing voucher value and to a the previous voucher when one is utilized for the insertion of game value- Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] & - Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card, alternatively described as non-member card, if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented - Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]);
in response to the first flag having the first value, store the first history information in the database as new history information associated with first identification information (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641]);
receive second history information and the image data from a second gaming machine among the plurality of gaming machines, the second history information including (a) second gaming machine identification information for specifying the second gaming machine, (b) second insertion information representing an inserted amount of a third game value inserted in the second gaming machine and an insertion time thereof, (c) second payout information representing a payout amount of a fourth game value paid out in the first gaming machine and a payout time thereof, and (d) second identification information for specifying a second information card inserted in the first gaming machine and assigned a second flag having a second value different from the first value, the second value indicating the information card being continuously used (-wherein the second flag value is understood to correlate to the previous voucher when one is utilized for the insertion of the game value- Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] & -Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented- Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047], & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7), the second flag being assigned to the first identification information by the second gaming machine(-vouchers generated at the gaming devices - Nguyen Elements 1602 & 1630; Figure 16, 17A, 17B; Paragraphs [0648], [0655])
in response to the second flag having the second value, store the second history information in the database by connecting with previously-stored history information associated with the second identification information in time series as a series of history information associated with the second identification information only when a same person is identified by authentication based on the face image represented by the image data, the authentication of the same person based on the face image being used as a condition for connecting the second history information with the previously-stored history information as the series of history information, (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7)
wherein the processor is further configured to, upon receiving third history information including the first identification information assigned the first flag having the second value after storing the first history information in the database as the new history information, store the third history information in the database by connecting with the first history information associated with the first identification information in time series as a series of history information associated with the first identification information (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641], [0647]).
The prior art of Nguyen teaches the invention as presented herein above and including the use of vouchers or smart cards that are understood as equivalent to the claimed information card (Nguyen Paragraph [0632]). While Nguyen does not explicitly teach the use of a card stacker storing a plurality of cards for distribution, and tracking the continual use of the same card if presented or a providing a new card if no card is presented in an analogous teaching Mitchell teaches that these features were known before the earliest effective filing date of the instant application (Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to have incorporated the use of the card stacker and tracking the continual use of the same card if presented or a providing a new card if no card is presented as taught by Mitchell in the prior art of Nguyen in order to provide the predictable and expected result of providing an inventory management system adapted to distribute cards when needed and providing for the re-usability of existing cards without requiring the player or establishment employee to provide an existing card separately for all transactions.
The combination of Nguyen & Mitchell, JR teaches the invention as cited above and including the use of a cameras to capture images of players faces (Nguyen Paragraphs [0250], [0281]). While the combination of Nguyen & Mitchell, JR is arguably silent regarding the authentication and identification the same player based on the use of facial recognition, and limiting the updating of player data based thereon, this feature is taught by the analogous invention of Griswold (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the use of a camera with facial recognition as incorporated in both Nguyen & Griswold, to provide the authentication and identification the same player based on the use of facial recognition, and limiting the updating of player data based thereon, because such would have provided the expected and predictable advantage of allowing the continuous tracking of anonymous players without requiring the them to register for a casino loyalty program as taught by Griswold (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0004]).
Claim 6: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the information processing device of claim 5, wherein the first information card is a non-member information card that is not registered as a member (-Wherein the vouchers/cards are Anonymous instruments - Nguyen Paragraphs [0005], [0631]).
Claim 7: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the information processing device of claim 5, wherein the second information card is a non-member information card that is issued in a third gaming machine among the plurality of gaming machine after a game is played without the second information card, and is not registered as a member (-Wherein the vouchers/cards are Anonymous instruments- Nguyen Paragraphs [0005], [0631]).
Claim 8: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the information processing device of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that a fraudulent act of a player associated with the second identification is committed when the second insertion information and the second payout information satisfy at least two of a plurality of conditions, wherein the plurality of conditions comprises: a first condition that the inserted amount exceeds a predetermined amount; a second condition that an interval between the insertion time and the payout time is equal to or less than a predetermined interval; and a third condition that a difference between the inserted amount and the payout amount is equal to or less than a predetermined difference (-One or more of the following- Nguyen Paragraphs [0413], [0415], [0424], [0429]-[0431], [550]-[0552]).
Claim 9: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches an information management system that cumulatively stores information generated by playing at a plurality of gaming machines using a first information card associated with personal information or a second information card being a non-member information card that is not associated with personal information and tracks a history of a player using the second information card, (-Wherein the cards may be associated with a Player ID/identification personal information and identification or anonymous biometric information - Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0312], [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] [0657], [0662], [0667], [0672] [686] & [0694]- Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card, alternatively described as non-member card, if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented - Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]) the information management system comprising:
a gaming machine (Nguyen Figure 4; Paragraph [0192]); and
an information processing device configured to communicate with the gaming machine (Nguyen Figures 1, 4),
wherein the gaming machine comprises:
a camera configured to capture a face image of the player (Nguyen Paragraphs [0250], [0281]; Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]); and
a first processor (Nguyen Figure 4; Element 402) configured to:
in response to an information card not associated with personal information being inserted, read card information identification information unique to an inserted information card, which is stored in the inserted information card (-Wherein the vouchers/cards are Anonymous instruments - Nguyen Paragraphs [0005], [0631] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]);
execute a game (Nguyen Figures 12, 14; Paragraphs [0634], [0635]-[0636], [0643]);
associate (a) the card information identification information of the inserted information card, (b) continuous-use information of the inserted information card for specifying whether the inserted information card is newly used or continuously used after being newly used, and (c) various information including gaming machine identification information unique to the gaming machine into which the inserted information card is inserted with each other to generate associated information (-wherein the first flag value is understood to correlate to the lack of a previous voucher value when the insertion is not tied to an existing voucher value and to a the previous voucher when one is utilized for the insertion of game value- Nguyen Element 1409; Figure 14; Paragraphs [0635]-[0636], [0638], [0642]-[0643] & - Provides for the continual use of the same card if presented or a new card if no card is presented wherein the use of flag is further understood to tracking if an existing card has been presented - Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]); and
transmit the associated information and the face image to the information processing device (-wherein voucher transactions are logged in a tracking database- Nguyen Element 1602; Figures 16, 17A, 17B; Paragraphs [0250], [0281], [0648], [0667] [0675] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]),
wherein the information processing device comprises a second processor (Nguyen Figure 8; Element 810) configured to:
receive the associated information from the gaming machine (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]);
determine whether the inserted information card is the second information card not associated with personal information and whether the inserted information card is newly used, based on the card information identification information and the continuous-use information in the associated information (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0008]);
perform authentication based on the face image of the player (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7);
in response to determining that the inserted information card is the second information card not associated with personal information and that the inserted information card is newly used, accumulate the associated information as history information of game playing using a newly used information card (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0008]); and
in response to determining that the inserted information card is the second information card not associated with personal information and that the inserted information card is continuously used, connect the associated information with previous history information of the inserted information card in time series as a series of history information only when the authentication is successful, the authentication being used as a condition for connecting the associated information with the previous history information as the series of history information (Nguyen Figures 10, 12-15; Paragraphs [0524]-[0546], [0641] & Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7).
The prior art of Nguyen teaches the invention as presented herein above and including the use of vouchers or smart cards that are understood as equivalent to the claimed information card (Nguyen Paragraph [0632]). While Nguyen does not explicitly teach the use of a card stacker storing a plurality of cards for distribution, and tracking the continual use of the same card if presented or a providing a new card if no card is presented in an analogous teaching Mitchell, JR teaches that these features were known before the earliest effective filing date of the instant application (Mitchell Figures, 4-5; Elements 78, 96; Paragraphs [0008], [0037] [0046]-[0047]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to have incorporated the use of the card stacker and tracking the continual use of the same card if presented or a providing a new card if no card is presented as taught by Mitchell in the prior art of Nguyen in order to provide the predictable and expected result of providing an inventory management system adapted to distribute cards when needed and providing for the re-usability of existing cards without requiring the player or establishment employee to provide an existing card separately for all transactions.
The combination of Nguyen & Mitchell, JR teaches the invention as cited above and including the use of a cameras to capture images of players faces (Nguyen Paragraphs [0250], [0281]). While the combination of Nguyen & Mitchell, JR is arguably silent regarding the authentication and identification the same player based on the use of facial recognition, and limiting the updating of player data based thereon, this feature is taught by the analogous invention of Griswold (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the use of a camera with facial recognition as incorporated in both Nguyen & Griswold, to provide the authentication and identification the same player based on the use of facial recognition, and limiting the updating of player data based thereon, because such would have provided the expected and predictable advantage of allowing the continuous tracking of anonymous players without requiring the them to register for a casino loyalty program as taught by Griswold (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0004]).
Claim 11: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second processor is further configured to perform a determination process of determining whether a fraudulent act of the player is committed every time the second processor stores the first history information or the second history information in the database (-wherein fraudulent activity is tracked among both individual activities separately and cumulatively with a series of activities- Nguyen Paragraphs [0413], [0415], [0424], [0429]-[0431], [550]-[0553]).
Claim 12: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the gaming system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to perform a determination process of determining whether a fraudulent act of the player is committed every time the processor stores the first history information or the second history information in the database (-wherein fraudulent activity is tracked among both individual activities separately and cumulatively with a series of activities- Nguyen Paragraphs [0413], [0415], [0424], [0429]-[0431], [550]-[0553]).
Claim 13: The combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold teaches the information management system of claim 9, wherein the second processor is further configured to perform a determination process of determining whether a fraudulent act of the player is committed every time the second processor accumulates the associated information or connects the associated information with the previous history information (-wherein fraudulent activity is tracked among both individual activities separately and cumulatively with a series of activities- Nguyen Paragraphs [0413], [0415], [0424], [0429]-[0431], [550]-[0553]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments dated February 12th, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Commencing on pages 10-12 of the Applicant’s above dated response, the Applicant presents that while the applied prior art of Griswold teaches tracking a player activities utilizing biometric markers such as facial recognition Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063]), that the same does not teach the reliance on facial image to connect player history information with previously stored player information and the remaining applied references of the applied prior art combination additionally do not teach this feature. The Applicant further proposes that the applied prior art does not consider the use of a non-member card that is not associated with the personal information as now amended.
The Applicant’s remarks are respectfully non-persuasive as the prior art teachings of Griswold utilize player biometric markers including player image to link player tracking data with existing profiles when a match is present (Griswold Abstract; Paragraphs [0056], [0063], [0076], [0078]; Figure 7). If Griswold functioned as argued by the applicant, the prior art of Griswold would be incapable of tracking player activity as disclosed even in the case where it recognized the player’s face image as matching an existing record.
The applied prior art combination teaches the use of new player cards, that are understood as not being associated with personal information juxtaposed to existing player cards as cited above. It is not immediately clear how the amended incorporation of a non-member card that is not associated with the personal information wouldn’t encompass the prior art utilization of NEW cards since they as described do not contain player information until issuance. Additionally and notwithstanding the preceding, the prior art Griswold as presently applied would further teach that the use of anonymous player tracking data was known and would have been obvious in view of the prior art combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold and accordingly even if this feature was not understood as implicit to the use of NEW cards such would have been obvious in view the applied prior art combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold.
Continuing on page 12, the Applicant presents that claims 2-9 should be found allowable based on the incorporation of features argued with respect to claim 1, while new claims 11-13 include new claim features that are proposed as not being taught by the previously applied prior art combination.
Responsive to the preceding, and based on both the rejection of claims presented herein above as well as the response to arguments, the Applicant presented arguments and amendments respectfully do not support the allowability of the pending claims over the prior art combination of Nguyen, Mitchell, JR & Griswold as proposed.
The rejection of claims is respectfully maintained for the reasons presented herein above.
Conclusion
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ROBERT E. MOSSER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3715
/ROBERT E MOSSER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
Prosecution Insights