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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 8/17/2023 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
A copy of the Non-Patent Literature Document Cite No 2 has not been provided.
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 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Claims 1-21 recite an abstract idea of organizing of human activity. The claim limitations are not indicative of integration into a practical application and the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception as discussed below.
Step 1 of the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter
More specifically, regarding Step 1, of the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance, the claims are drawn to at least one of the four statutory categories of invention (i.e. process, machine, manufacture, or composition).
Step 2a1 of the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance
Next, the claims are analyzed to determine whether it is directed to a judicial exception.
Claims 1-7 recite a computer platform for providing patrons with access to a plurality of casino management systems (CMS), comprising:
a data store configured to store a database including a patron data file including a plurality of patron records and a patron CMS data file including a plurality of patron CMS configuration records, each patron record and each patron CMS configuration record being associated with one of the patrons, each patron record including computer platform logon data, each patron CMS configuration record including CMS logon data for an associated casino management system; and,
one or more content servers coupled to the data store including at least one processor programmed to execute an algorithm, the algorithm steps including the steps of:
allowing one of the patrons to logon onto to the computer platform using a user device;
allowing the one of the patrons to select one of the plurality of casino management systems;
locating the patron CMS configuration record associated with the one of the patrons and the one of the plurality of casino management systems and automatically logging onto the one of the plurality of casino managements systems as the one of the patrons using the CMS logon data in the located patron CMS configuration record;
providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems to the one of the patrons via the user device.
Claim 8-14 recite a method for operating a computer platform for providing patrons with access to a plurality of casino management systems (CMS), the computer platform including a data store and one or more content servers coupled to the data store, the one or more content servers including at least one processor programmed to execute an algorithm, the data store configured to store a database including a patron data file including a plurality of patron records and a patron CMS data file including a plurality of patron CMS configuration records, each patron record and each patron CMS configuration record being associated with one of the patrons, each patron record including computer platform logon data, each patron CMS configuration record including CMS logon data for an associated casino management system, the algorithm including the steps of:
allowing one of the patrons to logon onto to the computer platform using a user device;
allowing the one of the patrons to select one of the plurality of casino management systems;
locating the patron CMS configuration record associated with the one of the patrons and the one of the plurality of casino management systems and automatically logging onto the one of the plurality of casino managements systems as the one of the patrons using the CMS logon data in the located patron CMS configuration record;
providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems to the one of the patrons via the user device.
Claim 15-21 recite one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for operating for operating a computer platform for providing patrons with access to a plurality of casino management systems (CMS), the computer platform including a data store and one or more content servers coupled to the data store, the one or more content servers including at least one processor, the data store configured to store a database including a patron data file including a plurality of patron records and a patron CMS data file including a plurality of patron CMS configuration records, each patron record and each patron CMS configuration record being associated with one of the patrons, each patron record including computer platform logon data, each patron CMS configuration record including CMS logon data for an associated casino management system, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to execute an algorithm to:
allow one of the patrons to logon onto to the computer platform using a user device;
allow the one of the patrons to select one of the plurality of casino management systems;
locate the patron CMS configuration record associated with the one of the patrons and the one of the plurality of casino management systems and automatically log onto the one of the plurality of casino managements systems as the one of the patrons using the CMS logon data in the located patron CMS configuration record;
provide access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems to the one of the patrons via the user device.
The underlined limitations recite an abstract idea of, organization of human activity). The claims recite steps of storing records of a patron, allowing a user to select a casino management system or casino service, logging and recording patrons’ data, and providing access to services/casino management system. The claims recite steps of organization or managing patrons’ data for a game. In addition, the claims recite steps of storing and recording patrons’ data, which is a fundamental economic practice similar to accounting or bookkeeping.
Step 2a2 of the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance
The second prong of step 2a is the consideration of whether the claim recites additional elements that are indicative of integration into a practical application.
An additional element or combination of additional elements that are indicative of integrating the abstract idea into a practical application include:
-Improvements to the functioning of a computer, or to any other technology or technical field - see MPEP 2106.05(a)
-Applying or using a judicial exception to effect a particular treatment or prophylaxis for a disease or medical condition – see Vanda Memo
-Applying the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine - see MPEP 2106.05(b)
-Effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing - see MPEP 2106.05(c)
-Applying or using the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception - see MPEP 2106.05(e) and Vanda Memo
Additional element or combination of additional elements that are not indicative of integration of the abstract idea into a practical application include:
-Adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f)
-Adding insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception - see MPEP 2106.05(g)
-Generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h)
Claims 1-21 not apply a judicial exception to effect a particular treatment, and do not transform or reduce a particular article to a different state or thing.
Claims 1-21 are not directed to an improvement to a function of a computer. There is no improvement to a technical field. In addition, the claims do not apply the judicial exception with, or by use of a particular machine. The claims do not apply or use the judicial exception in a meaningful way.
The data store, processor, user device, and casino management systems generally link the abstract idea to a computer embodiment.
The additional elements identified above considered alone and in combination fail to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application.
Step 2b of the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance
Next, the claims as a whole is analyzed to determine whether any additional element, or combination of additional elements, is sufficient to ensure that the claims amount to significantly more than the exception.
Claims recite additional elements of a data store, processor, user device, and casino management systems.
The specification discloses data store, processor, and casino management systems as generic computer components (published specification 56, 138-139). The specification discloses user device may be generic computing device such as a desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, or other computing device (published specification, paragraph 138).
The claim limitations individually and as a whole do not amount to amount to significantly more than an abstract idea.
Dependent claims 2-7, 9-14, 16-21 further recite an abstract idea of organizing human activity. Thus, taken alone, the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the above-identified abstract idea. Looking at the additional elements as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. For example, there is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves any other technology. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception for the same reasons discussed above with respect to the conclusion that the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. The dependent clams merely include limitations that further define the abstract idea and thus don’t make the abstract idea any less abstract. The claim limitations individually and as a whole do not amount to amount to significantly more than an abstract idea.
The claim limitations individually and as a whole do not amount to amount to significantly more than an abstract idea.
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, 4-6, 8, 11-13, 15, 18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by DeRosa (US 2021/0166524).
Claim 1. DeRosa discloses a computer platform for providing patrons with access to a plurality of casino management systems (CMS) (Fig. 1), comprising:
a data store configured to store a database (308 in Fig. 3, paragraph 66) including a patron data file (paragraph 66) including a plurality of patron records and a patron CMS data file including a plurality of patron CMS configuration records (user accounts, profiles, historical information/records paragraphs 66-67, 79-88), each patron record and each patron CMS configuration record being associated with one of the patrons (paragraphs 66-67, 79-88), each patron record including computer platform logon data, each patron CMS configuration record including CMS logon data for an associated casino management system (System tracks user historical information, and user activity including activity logs; paragraphs 67, 79, 91, 119); and,
one or more content servers coupled to the data store including at least one processor programmed to execute an algorithm (slot machine network server can include a plurality of network computers; paragraph 37), the algorithm steps including the steps of:
allowing one of the patrons to logon onto to the computer platform using a user device (login to App 602 in Fig 6, paragraph 109);
allowing the one of the patrons to select one of the plurality of casino management systems (User chooses a casino and chicks into a casino, Steps 602-603 in Fig. 6a; paragraph 109);
locating the patron CMS configuration record associated with the one of the patrons and the one of the plurality of casino management systems and automatically logging onto the one of the plurality of casino managements systems as the one of the patrons using the CMS logon data in the located patron CMS configuration record (paragraphs 66-67, 79-88);
providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems to the one of the patrons via the user device (access to the casino system by searching slot machine and play a game, paragraphs 110-117).
Claim 4. DeRosa discloses the computer platform, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the data store includes persistent CMS data related to the casino management system, the algorithm includes the step of presenting and allowing the one of the patrons to interact with the persistent CMS data during the CMS session (i.e. interact with the data by searching through the data and historical information, paragraphs 79-89, 109-112).
Claim 5. DeRosa discloses the computer platform, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the algorithm includes the step of presenting and allowing the one of the patrons interact with data in the patron record associated with the one of the patrons (i.e. interact with the patron data by searching through the data and historical information, paragraphs 79-89, 109-112).
Claim 6. DeRosa discloses the computer platform, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the user device is one of mobile phone, a tablet, a kiosk, an electronic gaming machine, and a computing device on which a web browser is being executed (paragraph 27).
Claims 8, 11-13, 15, 18, 20. See rejections for claims 1, 4-6 above.
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 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeRosa (US 2021/0166524 as applied to claims 1, 8, 15 above, and further in view of Amaitis (US 2007/0111777)
Claims 2, 9, 16. DeRosa discloses the claimed invention as discussed above but fails to teach that the computer platform includes cache data and, in providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems, the algorithm includes the steps of: opening a CMS session; retrieving session data from the one of the plurality of casino management systems; presenting the session data to the one of the patrons and allowing the one of the patrons to interact with the session data during the CMS session via the user device; and, closing the CMS session in response to a patron action and deleting the session data from the cache memory. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. It is known in art to use cache data to temporarily store data to speed up the access of application and retrieval of files. In an analogous art to gaming systems Amaitis discloses a betting system in which data is temporarily stored in memory such as system cache for sufficient time to provide betting opportunities to users (paragraph 98). The system may delete betting opportunities from the memory when the session expires (paragraph 98). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date to modify DeRosa’s invention and includes cache data and, in providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems, the algorithm includes the steps of: opening a CMS session; retrieving session data from the one of the plurality of casino management systems; presenting the session data to the one of the patrons and allowing the one of the patrons to interact with the session data during the CMS session via the user device; and, closing the CMS session in response to a patron action and deleting the session data from the cache memory in order to provide the predictable result of quickly providing the gaming service using temporarily stored data.
Claims 3, 10, 17. DeRosa discloses the computer platform as discussed above, wherein the session data includes at least one of player tracking points, casinos in range of the one of the patron's current location (user location is within a casino, paragraph 109), active widgets associated with the casinos in range of the one of the patron's current location, tier points, personalized offers (Fig. 19, paragraph 111), available games (slot machines in database are available for play, paragraphs 81-89), sweepstakes, VIP program, and leaderboard data.
Claim 19. DeRosa discloses the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to execute the algorithm to present, and allow the one of the patrons interact, with data in the patron record associated with the one of the patrons (i.e. interact with the patron data by searching through the data and historical information, paragraphs 79-89, 109-112).
Claims 7, 14, 21, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeRosa (US 2021/0166524 as applied to claims 6, 13, 20 above, and further in view of Czubak (US 2018/0240298).
Claims 7, 14, 21. DeRosa discloses the claimed invention as discussed above but fails to teach that the database includes at least one device data file including a plurality of user device records, each device record including data related to an associated device for controlling settings and features of the associated device used in providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems to the one of the patrons via the user device. Nevertheless, such modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art. In an analogous art to gaming system, Czubak discloses a client device can provide various features including different hardware and hardware configurations, and interface settings that can be adjust to the user’s preference (paragraphs 52-53). Czubak discloses that the settings can be stored in a database by being associated with the profile (paragraphs 52-53). This allows the player to re-establish player’s personalized configuration when returning to the same or similarly equipped gaming machine (paragraphs 52-53). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify DeRosa’s database to include at least one device data file including a plurality of user device records, each device record including data related to an associated device for controlling settings and features of the associated device used in providing access to the one of the plurality of casino management systems to the one of the patrons via the user device in order to provide the predictable result of allowing a player to re-establish player’s personalized device configuration.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jasson H Yoo whose telephone number is (571)272-5563. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/JASSON H YOO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715