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 Status
After the amendments filed 01/02/2026, claims 1 and 4-22 remain pending, of which 1, 4-7, 11-13, 17 and 20 were amened and 21-22 were newly added.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6-12 and 14-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hillstrom et al (U.S. 2020/0273298).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Hillstrom discloses:
a physical reel strip configured to be positioned in a slot machine (¶27, reel strip 300 which is used in operation of EGM 100), the reel strip comprising:
a transparent surface (¶25-26, reel strip 300 includes a plastic elongated strip 302 having a front and backside and includes clear areas 304a, 304b, 304c and 304d); and
a light-diffusion layer coupled to the transparent surface (¶26-27, reel strip 300 includes a third layer 360 and uses selective back and front lighting to illuminate the symbols printed thereon) including a layer of ink in a pattern printed on the transparent surface (¶24-26, reel strip 300 includes symbols printed, using an inkjet printer, upon elongated strip 302 including light diffusion layer 360, the layer’s include colors printed based on the shape of each respective symbol).
Regarding claim 17, Kitamura discloses:
a slot machine (¶27, EGM 100) comprising:
a physical reel (¶18, reel assembly 18 which is used in operation of EGM 100) comprising:
a transparent surface (¶25-26, reel strip 300 includes a plastic elongated strip 302 having a front and backside and includes clear areas 304a, 304b, 304c and 304d); and
a light-diffusion layer attached to the transparent surface (¶26-27, reel strip 300 includes a third layer 360 and uses selective back and front lighting to illuminate the symbols printed thereon) including a layer of ink in a pattern printed on the transparent surface (¶24-26, reel strip 300 includes symbols printed, using an inkjet printer, upon elongated strip 302 including light diffusion layer 360, the layer’s include colors printed based on the shape of each respective symbol); and
a light source positioned behind a portion of the physical reel and configured to direct a light toward a portion of the physical reel, wherein the light-diffusion layer is configured to reduce an amount of the light that passes through the light-diffusion layer by a threshold amount (¶27, the EGM 100 uses front and back lighting to illuminate the symbols printed on the reel strip 300).
Regarding claim 4, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the pattern comprises a type of pattern selected from a plurality of types of patterns based on a characteristic of the slot machine (¶24-26, ¶111, the layer’s include colors printed based on the shape of each respective symbol which is associated with a theme corresponding to the EGM).
Regarding claim 6, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the layer of ink comprises an ink having an opacity between 25% and 75% (¶26, the white base color is printed at approximately 60% in the shape of and for each of the hidden symbols).
Regarding claim 7, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the layer of ink comprises an ink having a color selected from a plurality of ink colors based on a characteristic of the slot machine (¶37, ¶111-112, the colors selected are based on the color of the symbols and wherein the symbols are associated with a theme of the gaming machine).
Regarding claim 8, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the light-diffusion layer is configured to reduce an amount of light that passes through the physical reel strip by a threshold amount (¶27, the EGM 100 uses front and back lighting to illuminate the symbols printed on the reel strip 300).
Regarding claims 10 and 16, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the transparent surface includes a front side and a back side (¶25-26, reel strip 300 includes a plastic elongated strip 302 having a front and backside and includes clear areas 304a, 304b, 304c and 304d), and
wherein the light-diffusion layer is printed on the back side of the transparent surface (¶26, third layer 360 is printed on the back side of elongated strip 302),
the physical reel strip further comprising:
a symbol layer coupled to the front side of the transparent surface (¶25-26, Fig. 3, reel strip 300 includes a plastic elongated strip 302 including while base color 366a-e printed in the shape of each hidden symbol).
Regarding claims 12 and 21, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
printing the light-diffusion layer comprises printing a layer of ink comprising a non-solid pattern on the transparent surface (¶24-26, reel strip 300 includes symbols printed, using an inkjet printer, upon elongated strip 302 including light diffusion layer 360).
Regarding claim 14, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the transparent surface comprises providing a clear polyester substrate (¶25, the plastic elongated strip 302 is formed from a topcoat polyester roll).
Regarding claim 18, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the physical reel further comprises a symbol layer attached to the light-diffusion layer or the transparent surface such that both the light-diffusion layer and the transparent surface are between the light source and the symbol layer (¶26, Fig. 3, for example reel strip 300 of the reel includes elongated strip 302, which includes symbols printed on the back surface thereof (e.g., a symbol layer is attached to the transparent surface 302) and wherein the back light source would then place the transparent front surface and the diffusion layer 360 in front of the symbol layer), and wherein the light-diffusion layer is configured to reduce backlighting hotspots on the symbol layer (¶26-27, third layer 360 diffuses the light from back and front lighting to illuminate the symbols printed thereon (i.e., reducing the light by diffusing it through the printed ink)).
Regarding claim 19, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses:
a screen positioned on the opposite side of the physical reel from the light source and configured to display a symbol layer (¶39, ¶73, Fig. 7A, the EGM 100 includes a display which displays the hidden symbols), wherein the light-diffusion layer is configured to reduce backlighting hotspots on the symbol layer (¶26-27, third layer 360 diffuses the light from back and front lighting to illuminate the symbols printed thereon (¶26-27, third layer 360 diffuses the light from back and front lighting to illuminate the symbols printed thereon (i.e., reducing the light by diffusing it through the printed ink)).
Regarding claim 20, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
the layer of ink comprising a specific pattern, opacity, and/or color configured to reduce the amount of the light that passes through the light-diffusion layer by the threshold amount (¶27, the EGM 100 uses front and back lighting to illuminate the symbols printed on the reel strip 300).
Regarding claims 13, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
printing the layer of ink comprises printing the layer of ink using an ink having a pattern (¶24-26, reel strip 300 includes symbols printed, using an inkjet printer, upon elongated strip 302 including light diffusion layer 360), an opacity (¶26, ink is printed for example at 60% opacity), and a color (¶26, ¶28, the first layer includes a white base color, the second layer includes a first color, a second color and a third color and the third layer includes the white color) based on:
an intensity of a light source in the slot machine (¶20, ¶42, the printed color and associated opacity and color is selected such that when the backlighting is set to 0% and the front lighting is set to 100% the symbols are hidden during a base game);
a game symbol associated with the physical reel strip (¶24-26, ¶111, the layer’s include colors and patterns printed based on the shape of each respective symbol which is associated with a theme corresponding to the EGM, and an opacity associated with the game symbol (e.g., based on the symbol being a hidden symbol)).
Although Hillstrom does not specifically disclose that the color, opacity and pattern are printed based on a distance between the light source in the slot machine and the position of the physical reel strip, it would have been an obvious design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art to print reel strips to be used in a gaming machine such that the color, opacity and pattern are printed in such a way that the specific location of the light source of the gaming machine would properly illuminate the reel strip during gameplay.
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.
Claim(s) 5 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hillstrom et al (U.S. 2020/0273298).
Regarding claim 5, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses:
multiple transparent layers (¶26, the reel strip 302 includes a first layer 320, a second layer 340, and a third layer 360), wherein each layer may be printed, using an inkjet printer, with symbols in different colors (¶26, ¶28, the first layer includes a white base color, the second layer includes a first color, a second color and a third color and the third layer includes the white color), and wherein various colors, such as blue (¶45), black (¶28), white (¶28) and green (¶41) may be used. Although Hillstrom does not specifically disclose that the colors include the specific blue color overlaid with and orange color, it would have been an obvious design choice to utilize the well-known complementary color physics of orange and blue in the printing of the diffusion layer to achieve known chromatic effects utilizing the complementary colors. Further, although Hillstrom does not specifically disclose that the pattern comprises horizontal stripes, the use of horizontal stripes overlaid in an orthogonal manner is a well-known standard manner of ensuring uniform diffusion across two axes and would be an obvious matter of design choice to print the symbol patters in such a manner in order to yield the predictable result of optimizing the light diffusion for the gaming machine.
Regarding claims 13, Hillstrom disclose that which is discussed above, and further discloses that:
printing the layer of ink comprises printing the layer of ink using an ink having a pattern (¶24-26, reel strip 300 includes symbols printed, using an inkjet printer, upon elongated strip 302 including light diffusion layer 360), an opacity (¶26, ink is printed for example at 60% opacity), and a color (¶26, ¶28, the first layer includes a white base color, the second layer includes a first color, a second color and a third color and the third layer includes the white color) based on:
an intensity of a light source in the slot machine (¶20, ¶42, the printed color and associated opacity and color is selected such that when the backlighting is set to 0% and the front lighting is set to 100% the symbols are hidden during a base game);
a game symbol associated with the physical reel strip (¶24-26, ¶111, the layer’s include colors and patterns printed based on the shape of each respective symbol which is associated with a theme corresponding to the EGM, and an opacity associated with the game symbol (e.g., based on the symbol being a hidden symbol)).
Although Hillstrom does not specifically disclose that the color, opacity and pattern are printed based on a distance between the light source in the slot machine and the position of the physical reel strip, it would have been an obvious design choice to one of ordinary skill in the art to print reel strips to be used in a gaming machine such that the color, opacity and pattern are printed in such a way that the specific location of the light source of the gaming machine would properly illuminate the reel strip during gameplay.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Hillstrom does not teach “a physical reel strip that includes “a light-diffusion layer coupled to the transparent surface including a layer of ink in a pattern printed on the transparent surface”” (See Remarks, pgs. 7-8). The examiner must respectfully disagree. Hillstrom discloses that the reel strip includes a light diffusion layer (¶26-27, third layer 360 of reel strip 300), which is coupled to the transparent surface (¶25-26, reel strip 300 also includes a plastic elongated strip 302 which includes clear areas 304a, 304b, 304c and 304d (i.e., elongated strip 302 being a transparent surface)) and wherein the transparent surface includes a layer of ink in a pattern printed on the transparent surface (¶24-26, symbols are printed, using an inkjet printer, upon elongated strip 302 and include colors printed based on the shape of each respective symbol).
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., the light diffusion layer including ink printed in a specific pattern (as currently claimed the printed pattern is on the transparent surface which is coupled to the light diffusion layer) or diffusing light to avoid “hot spots”) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicant argues that Hillstrom does not teach that the printed pattern is a non-solid pattern (See Remarks, pg. 8). The examiner must respectfully disagree. Hillstrom discloses that the symbols printed on the transparent surface are spaced apart (¶24-26, one or more colors in the shape of and for each respective non-hidden symbol printed on back side of the elongated strip 302 in spaced apart openings or areas 304a, 304b, 304c, and 304d of the strip 302 (i.e., the printed pattern is not solid as the symbols are spaced apart from one another)).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON PINHEIRO whose telephone number is (571)270-1350. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00A-4:30P ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dmitry Suhol can be reached at (571) 272-4430. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jason Pinheiro/ Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/DMITRY SUHOL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3715